In spite of all the rhetoric from politicians and political pundits calling for less government regulations, it seems that there is one area where Americans agree more laws and regulations are needed. According to the results of a recently released survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Americans seem to agree on the need for more laws and regulations to make America’s roads safer.

Released in conjunction with the “Decade of Action on Road Safety”, an initiative designed to reduce highway deaths and injuries worldwide by the year 2020, the survey shows some surprising results. According to the AAA Foundation press release:

Specific survey results include:

• 62 percent of Americans agree the U.S. needs more laws to prevent people from doing dangerous things while driving (17 percent disagree)
• 57 percent of Americans agree their respective state government needs to do more to make their roads safer (11 percent disagree)
• 86 percent of Americans agree all new drivers should be required to complete a driver education course before they can get a driver’s license (3% disagree)
• A majority of Americans agree that both auto manufacturers (60 percent) and the federal government (41 percent) need to do more to make cars safer (9 and 21 percent, respectively, disagree)
• 70 percent of Americans agree that driving safety laws should be enforced more strictly (6 percent disagree)
  

For global context, separate information provided by the "Make Roads Safe" global campaign shows:

• 1.3 million people are killed on the world’s roads each year
• 3. 5 million people globally are injured, many disabled as a result
• Annual road deaths globally are forecast to rise to 1.9 million by 2020
• Road deaths are the #1 cause of death for young people worldwide (including in the U.S.)
• By 2015, road deaths will be the leading health burden for children

This survey comes on the heels of a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released in February that shows that red light cameras save lives. The study compared cities (with and without red light cameras) with populations of more than 200,000 and determined that:

• 159 lives were saved in the 14 biggest cities with red light cameras
• An additional 815 lives could have been saved during the same period had red light cameras been installed.
• 676 people were killed and approximately 113,000 were injured by red light runners in 2009. Two-thirds of the victims were people other than the red light runners.

If you agree that more needs to be done to make the roads safer, contact your local and state representatives and let them know how you feel.

Labels: driver education, driving safety, red light, red light camera, red light runners, road safety, vehicle safety

Whew, your teen has received their Learner's Permit and has been driving for a few months. The hard part of the jerky brakes, sudden starts and grabbing the steering wheel or grasping to the door handle for support is over. No major catastrophes, property damage or traffic tickets. You have entered the easy phase of having your own personal chauffeur. It is a great time to catch up on your to do lists and return phone calls, right?

Not so fast, you still have quite a bit of work to do. The "Designated Passenger" has the responsibility of making sure that the teen you are supervising is getting the most out of their learning experience. You want them to have the right driving habits and practice them consistently. Trying to correct or change a bad habit becomes harder to do as time goes by.

Besides teaching driving skills, what are some things that the “Designated Passenger” should be doing? Start by asking them questions as they are driving. Questions to pose include:

• What do you see ahead?


• Who has the right of way in this situation? What if the other vehicle was there first?


• What can you anticipate happening with those kids playing in the yard? How would you react? What should you start doing now just in case?


• What does the law say about sharing the road with bicyclists? What extra precautions should you take for them?


• If the dog up came running out into the street, what would you do?


• Walk me through what you would do right now if you had a tire blow out? What if the blow out was in the car ahead of you?


• That motorcycle behind you is coming up quickly, why is that important to know?


• What driving behaviors tell you that someone may be a distracted driver? How should you handle sharing the road with a distracted driver? What if they are impaired?


• What can you do to overcome the glare of the sun, while you are driving? What if the fog rolled in?


• Your traffic light just turned green, what should you do before accelerating?
  
• If the vehicle went off the road right now, what is the right way to get back on the road?


• If another car was headed straight towards us head-on, what is the first thing you would do? Then what next? And so on.

Once they exercise strong control of the vehicle, have experience and understand the different types of driving environments and have the necessary driving skills down, the “Designated Passenger” has to change their focus to teaching defensive driving skills. You may also want them to take a defensive driving course and an advanced car control course to help them gain knowledge and experience on handling driving emergencies that you won’t be able to simulate for them.

Even after they are fully licensed, continue to monitor their driving from a “Designated Passenger” role. Driver education is continuing education and there is ongoing work to do to help keep new drivers safe.

Labels: commercial drivers license, designated passenger, driver education, driving skills, learners permit, traffic ticket

The spring/summer rainy season has started in some parts of the country and the summer thunderstorm season is near. With the rains come hazardous driving situations in the form of skidding and hydroplaning. Skidding and hydroplaning are two separate hazards but each has the same result and drivers who react instinctively could be headed for trouble while drivers, who have a plan in mind, can act correctly to avoid disaster.

Skidding – Skidding occurs due to slick conditions on the road whether it be rain, snow, sleet, or ice. While people tend to be more cautious when driving on snow and ice, they don’t seem to show the same caution when driving in the rain and that can have disastrous results. In the periods between rainfalls, oil and grease build up on the roads and the warm sun keeps the oil and grease in a liquid state. The most dangerous time for slick roads in rain is shortly after the rain begins and there is a thin layer of water on the roads. Once it starts to rain, the oil and grease float on top of the water creating a very slick surface. The roads are at their slipperiest within the first half hour after it starts to rain. Eventually, the oil and grease will be washed down the drains and the roads will lose that slick coating of oil but that is not the time to relax because, as the rains increase, the conditions for hydroplaning increase.

Hydroplaning – Hydroplaning occurs when there is standing water on the road and the depth is such that the car’s tires can’t squeeze the water out between the tire’s treads. If this happens, the tires will ride up on top of the water like a pair of water skis and lose all contact with the road. This can occur at speeds as low as 35 mph and becomes most dangerous at 55 mph or more.

Skid prevention – There are several things to keep in mind to prevent skidding or hydroplaning:

Tires – Few people realize that tires are the most important control device on your car. The steering wheel and brakes aren’t much good when the tires aren’t in contact with the road. Tires need to be kept in good condition and checked often for tread wear. There should be a minimum of 2/32 of an inch of tread depth on your tires. A simple way to check the depth is by sticking a penny between the treads. If the top of Abe’s head is visible, your treads are too thin and your tires should be replaced.

Brakes – Drivers need to be aware of the type of brakes they have on their car. There is a huge difference between standard brakes and anti-lock brakes when it comes to dealing with a skid.

• Standard brakes are not designed to stop your car in skidding conditions. When you lock up standard brakes, you are no longer able to steer the car. If you slam on standard brakes you are just going to make things worse and you could cause the car to careen out of control. If your car is equipped with standard brakes, DO NOT APPLY THE BRAKES until you have regained control of steering and your car has started to slow down on its own.
  
  
• Anti-lock brakes (ABS) are designed to prevent losing control of the car in a skid situation. They do this through use of a computer that detects when a tire is turning faster (trying to grip the surface) and applying pressure independently to each individual brake up to 20 times a second. This allows you to slow the vehicle while still being able to steer to avoid a collision. With the brakes pulsing that rapidly, the driver will feel a fluttering in the brake pedal. Unfortunately, many drivers, who are unfamiliar with ABS, feel this and think something is wrong and take their foot off the brakes. That is a big mistake! When applying anti-lock brakes in a skidding situation, you should expect to feel the brakes fluttering under your foot and understand that the system is operating correctly.
  

Cruise Control – Cruise control is a great system to prevent speeding (and getting a ticket) and to increase your gas mileage. However, you should NEVER USE CRUISE CONTROL IN THE RAIN! If your tires start to spin, the cruise control will detect this and will try to correct it by increasing the speed. That is the last thing you want to have happen in a skidding situation.

Recovering from a skid – Whether you are skidding on slick streets in light rain or hydroplaning through deep standing water, the method of recovery will be the same. If you feel your car start to skid:

Take your foot off the gas! Again, you shouldn’t be using cruise control.

If your car is equipped with standard brakes, do not apply the brakes. If you were applying the brakes when you started to skid, take your foot off the brakes.
If your car is equipped with ABS, apply firm pressure to the brakes. You will still maintain control of steering while the brakes are applied.

Steer the car in the direction of the skid. In other words, if the rear of your car is skidding to the left, turn your wheel to the left. Try not to look at the hazards but instead, look at where you want to steer the car and keep steering in that direction until you have regained control of the car.

Once you have regained full control of steering and the car has slowed on its own, you may be able to apply standard brakes effectively to bring your car to a stop.

Here are a few additional tips for Driving in the Rain and Sleet.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, flood roads, flood waters, hazardous roads, hydroplaning

The Yellow Dot program is being implemented in counties across the country. The relatively simple idea has proven to be an effective way to relay information to the emergency response teams in the event of an accident. Participants in the Yellow Dot program place a yellow sticker on the bottom left corner of their vehicle’s rear window. This sticker lets emergency response crews know to check the vehicle’s glove compartment for important medical information regarding the vehicle’s driver.

It’s plain to see why the Yellow Dot program is beneficial in the unfortunate case of a serious, life threatening accident where the victim is unable to speak to the emergency workers. But, it can also be a vital tool in less serious accidents. Sometimes, people are in shock after an accident and they find it difficult to remember specific information. It would lower the risk of error in treatment is the emergency workers had immediate access to important medical information.

The first Yellow Dot program was initiated in Connecticut in 2002. To date, several counties across eight states have developed Yellow Dot programs of their own. Most of the programs have qualities that set them apart from other yellow dot programs; however the premise is the same.

For example, in Connecticut, the Yellow Dot decal indicates that emergency workers should look for an envelop containing a card with important medical information on it. In Colbert County, Alabama the yellow dot directs emergency workers o the glove compartment to look for a folder containing important medical information as well as a picture of the person the information pertains to. Obviously, including the picture will allow the emergency response team to quickly determine if they are looking at the individual the information pertains to.

In Alabama, the Yellow Dot program is available to drivers of all ages. However, a version of the program implemented in Kansas is geared toward seniors aged 55 and over. Again, the decal on the back window directs first responders to important medical and emergency contact information stored in the glove compartment.

Learn more about driver safety and defensive driving through the National Safety Commission Alerts by signing up for our newsfeed today.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, driver safety tips, emergency, emergency vehicle, first responders, traffic safety

According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. Statistics show that teen drivers aged 16-19 are four times more likely to get into a car accident. These statistics are the basis of a new push by lawmakers to establish national graduated drivers license (GDL) program.

Graduated Drivers license laws are nothing new. In the 1990’s states began to enact GDL laws. The goal of a GDL program is to let a young driver safely gain driving experience before being granted full driving privileges.

One of the reasons for a national GDL program is that fact that GDL laws differ from state to state.

A national GDL law has three main points.

• Adopting a three-stage process to acquire an unrestricted drivers license.


• Prohibiting unsupervised nighttime driving during the first two stages before an unrestricted drivers license.


• Prohibit non-emergency use of cell phones and other electronic devices during the first two license phases.

Presently there are great differences in GDL laws from state to state. In comparing the states of Georgia and Florida gdl laws there are many similarities on minimum learners permit age, holding period and supervised training. However, while Georgia’s GDL Laws include passenger restrictions until the new driver turns 18 years old, Florida has not implemented those requirements.

For Florida a teen can get their learner’s permit at age 15 as opposed to New Jersey where the learners permit age is 16 years old. Another great difference between Florida and New Jersey is the amount of supervised driving practice.

• In Florida a learning driver is required to have 50 hours of supervised driving with ten of those hours to be at night.


• In New Jersey there is no minimum amount of practice time required.

Even though there is a proposal to introduce a national GDL law for minimum age requirements, length of time between each phase or passenger restrictions, one of the most important aspects to a GDL program is the supervised driving experience or driver training to gain experience. Many states are proposing additional driver education through a basic driver improvement or defensive driving course as many states no longer have the budget for driver education resources.

When considering Graduated Driver Licensing programs there is much more than the 3 points to consider for new drivers. With the laws so different for each state, most will agree the goal of a national program is driver safety and education first.

Learn more about your states GDL Laws at the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Labels: driver education, driver training, florida gdl laws, GDL, gdl law, learners permit, teen drivers

On November 24th, a new law went into effect in New York that requires that all children under the age of 8 to be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system. This means that children under the age of 8 must be seated in an appropriate booster seat that allows the seat belt system to fit properly. This law is in response to several studies that showed that children were graduating to seat belts too early once they outgrew their child safety seats.

A study conducted in 2002 by State Farm Insurance and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that 83% of children are graduating from child safety seats to adult seat belts too early. The problem lies in the different ways that seat belts fit around an adult's body compared to the way they fit around a child. When properly belted in, the seat belt should fit low over a vehicle occupant's hips. In a crash, the belt will provide restraint by pushing back against the relatively hard surface of the occupant's hip bones. If the belt were to sit higher across the soft tissue of the occupant's abdomen, it could cause significant damage to internal organs and could, in severe crashes, actually cut into the occupant's abdomen. Seat belts on children, with their small frames, tend to ride high over the child’s abdomen. The 2002 study refers to this as the "Seat Belt Syndrome" in children. The seat belt syndrome has contributed to abdominal and spinal injuries in children. The studies found that children between the ages of 3 and 9 were at greatest risk of seat belt syndrome. The problem is compounded by the way shoulder harnesses fit over children. Instead of sitting properly over a child's shoulder, the shoulder harness tends to ride across their neck and rub against their face causing many to place the shoulder harness behind them.

The answer to this problem is quite simple but, for some reason, the word has been slow in getting around. Booster seats raise the child's body to a position that allows the seat belt to ride low over their hips the way they are designed. Booster seats can also help to properly position the shoulder harness so that it provides maximum protection. The American Academy of Pediatrics published guidelines that say children should remain in booster seats until they are 4'9" in height or, on average, from 9 to 11 years of age. Their website also has guidelines on the proper use of child restraints from infants to teens.

In spite of campaigns by the insurance industry and guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are only 21 states, including New York, that have passed child restraint laws in compliance with federal guidelines. Many states have no requirement for child restraint systems beyond the age of 4.

When considering a booster seat for your child, remember that all booster seats are not created equally. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted crash tests and published a list of the best and worst booster seats that are currently on the market. The IIHS website also has pictures showing how lap belts and shoulder harnesses should fit to provide maximum protection. The best seats provide proper height adjustment for the lap belt and keep the shoulder harness away from the abdomen and over the shoulder where they belong.

For more information on proper placement and fitting of child safety seats, visit www.nysdmv.com. You can also visit www.safeny.com to find a child safety seat event or a list of permanent seat fitting stations. There are also online courses now available to educate drivers on the rules of the road and the latest defensive driving techniques.

Labels: child safety seat, driver education, driver safety, new york driving laws

Hyperthermia is Leading Cause of Non-crash Child Vehicle Deaths

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warned parents that the risk of a serious injury or death during hot weather is greater for children left alone in vehicles. Recently released research shows that hyperthermia (heat-stroke) is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths for children.

"Even with the windows rolled down two inches, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of a vehicle to reach deadly temperatures on a hot summer day," said Ronald Medford, Acting Deputy Administrator of NHTSA. "Children should never be left alone in or around a motor vehicle, not even for a quick errand. Any number of things can go critically wrong in the blink of an eye."

According to a new NHTSA study, 262 children under the age of 14 are killed and 115,000 are injured in non-crash incidents on private roads, driveways and in parking lots each year. Of that number, 44 fatalities and 105,000 injuries are the results of non-crash incidents such hyperthermia, strangulation by power windows, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Many of the remaining deaths and injuries in non-crash incidents are the result of a child being backed over by a vehicle where the driver did not see the child.

The NHTSA's safety tips to prevent hyperthermia include:

• Never leave a child alone in a vehicle.

• Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Make sure they understand that a vehicle is not a play area.

• Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open or if the engine is running and the air conditioning is on.

• Always inspect the front and back seats of the vehicle before locking the door and walking away.

• If your spouse or partner is taking your child to daycare, and normally it's your responsibility, call your spouse or partner to make sure everything went according to plan.

• Ask your childcare provider to phone you immediately if your child does not show up for childcare. To remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle:

—Write a note and put it on the steering wheel or anywhere you will see it when you leave the vehicle.
—Place your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle.
—Keep an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy, to remind you that a child is in the vehicle. When the child is buckled in, place the object where you will see it when exiting the vehicle.

• Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of the reach of children. If a child is missing, inspect your vehicle first, including the trunk.

• Call 911 if you see a child alone in a hot vehicle. Get them out as quickly as possible if they are in distress due from the heat. Cool the child as quickly as possible.

Labels: car seats, child safety, driver education, driver safety, driver safety tips, seat belt safety, summer driving, summer vacation, vehicle safety

With the arrival of summer, a lot of motorcyclists will be pulling their bikes out from under their winter tarps and making plans for summer touring trips. For both bikers and motorists, this is a good time to review some motorcycle safety tips.

Motorists need to remember these facts about motorcycles. The highest death rate for motorcyclists (22.5%) occurs during the afternoon commute time from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Fifty-eight percent of motorcycle deaths occur between the hours of 3:00 PM and midnight. There will be more motorcycles on the road during the warm months; tips for motorists include:
• Motorcycles are small and can easily be hidden in your blind spots; double check for them.
• A motorcycle's small size makes it appear to be going faster than it is.
• Normally, the safest place for motorcycles is in the middle of the road so they can look for and react to hazards such as potholes or obstructions in the road. To avoid those hazards, they will move from side to side in the lane. They are not showing off.
• Always give a motorcyclist the same respect and room you would give to a car.
• Motorcycles may need to and can stop more quickly than a car. Remain at least three to four seconds behind a motorcycle in case the rider needs to stop suddenly.
• Motorcycle turn signals are not self-canceling. Don't assume that a motorcyclist is going to turn when you see a turn signal.
• Look for motorcycles at intersections. When turning or crossing an intersection at a stop sign, look left, right, then left again. More than one-third of the crashes involving a motorcycle and another vehicle occur when the vehicle is making a left turn and the motorcycle is going straight.

For motorcyclists, whether your bike has been put away or not, this is a good time to check your bike for road worthiness. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation suggests that you follow the "T-CLOCS Inspection Check List." T-CLOCS is an acronym for:
• T - Tires & Wheels
• C - Controls
• L - Lights
• O - Oil & other fluid levels
• C - Chassis
• S - Stands

The warm summer months are an invitation to wear light clothing and shorts, but for motorcyclists, protective clothing is the only thing between them and the road surface if they have to lay the bike down. Whether state law requires it or not, safe motorcyclists (and their passengers) wear:
• A DOT approved helmet with a thick (one inch) polystyrene liner and riveted chin strap. The German or "skull cap" type helmets offer very little or no protection in a crash.
• Long trousers
• A long sleeve shirt
• A leather jacket
• Eye protection
• Boots that provide ankle protection

If you haven't ridden in a while, start slow and get a "feel" for the bike's handling characteristics. If you plan to carry a passenger, remember that a passenger will affect the cycle's handling characteristics. Motorcycle passengers will:
• Require a greater stopping distance due to the increased weight.
• Slide forward in a quick stop.
• Put more weight on and possibly make the rear brakes more effective.

Unlike a back seat driver, the passenger can act as an extra set of eyes and their warnings should be heeded.

Have a great summer and enjoy the freedom your motorcycle offers.

For more information on motorcycle safety, visit www.TestQuestionsandAnswers.com .

Labels: driver education, driver safety, motorcycle, motorcycle rider safety

Though most drivers and passengers understand the rationale for wearing safety belts, some feel wearing them should be a personal choice and they shouldn’t be ticketed for neglecting to do so. But the number of states with primary (meaning that the driver can be ticketed for a safety belt violation without the presence of any accompanying offense) seat belt laws is increasing.

In 2007, 49 states and the District of Columbia had seat belt laws in effect; only 26 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia specified primary enforcement. Several states have passed primary enforcement laws since then; for example, Florida's law will become effective June 30, 2009. The new law, called the Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law, will allow law enforcement to pull over unbuckled drivers and issue tickets for as much as $120, depending on the county.

Some drivers feel primary enforcement seat belt laws are an infringement on their personal freedom, but it's important to realize that the cost of motor vehicle crashes, which increase when injury and death rates increase due to lack of seat belt use, is passed on to taxpayers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2000 was $230.6 billion - $580 for every person in the US.

Obviously, the failure to wear safety belts does not directly impact every aspect of this total cost, but it can and does impact medical costs ($17 billion) and loss of productivity ($107 billion). The increase in injuries and deaths when seat belts aren't worn also increases costs for taxpayers in the form of an increased need for emergency and hospital personnel and disability and social security payments to the injured and deceased and to their dependents.

According to the NHTSA, research has found that lap/shoulder seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. For light-truck occupants, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent.

Ejection from the vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fatal crashes in 2007, 76 percent of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed. Seat belts are effective in preventing total ejections: only 1 percent of the occupants reported to have been using restraints were totally ejected, compared with 31 percent of the unrestrained occupants.

From 1975 through 2007, the NHTSA estimates that seat belts saved 241,789 passenger vehicle occupants age 5 and older, including 15,147 lives saved in 2007. If all passenger vehicle occupants over age four wore seat belts, 20,171 lives (that is, an additional 5,024) could have been saved in 2007.

Labels: driver education, seat belt law, seat belt safety

Should Doctors Promote Safe Driving?

Experts at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center believe that as a part of every teenager’s physical exam, physicians should be asking, "Are you driving yet?"

Since auto accidents claim the lives of more 15-to-20-year-olds than any disease, teenage driving should be considered a risky behavior, and given as much attention as unprotected sex or underage drinking.

"Pediatricians talk to their teen patients about eating disorders, alcohol, marijuana use," said pediatrician Letitia Dzirasa, "but the one conversation that is not happening often enough is about the No. 1 killer of teenagers: car accidents."

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, pediatricians are advised to:

• Inquire of 15-year-olds if they are applying for a driver's permit in the near future.



• Talk about the risks of driving and ask specific questions about the teen's driving behavior.



• Ask probing questions about medicine and alcohol use, nighttime driving, seat belt use, and cell phone practices while driving.



• Persuade parents to enact driving restrictions on their nascent drivers, such as making sure their teen is accompanied by an adult when behind the wheel.



• Ask parents to think about establishing a written contract (also know as a Parent Teen Driving Contract) with their teen driver, establishing the rules and consequences for breaking them.

Dzirasa also calls on pediatricians to educate themselves about their state's driving laws and discuss them with both teens and parents. The graduated driver's licensing law in Maryland eases novice drivers into driving in three phases: learner's permit, provisional license, and driver's license. According to research, graduated licensing reduces both the number of accidents and severity of injuries. For example, one study revealed that graduated licensing reduced crashes that require hospitalizations among 16-year-olds by 35 percent. Other studies have shown that a year after the adoption of a graduated licensing law, the crash rate among 16-year-olds dropped by 26 percent to 41 percent.

High-risk teen driving behaviors include inexperience, no seat belt use, alcohol and other drug use, developmental conditions such as ADHD that increase crash risk, cell phones and audio equipment that distract drivers, nighttime driving, and the "it can't happen to me" syndrome that's typical of teenagers and youth.

Labels: driver education, teen drivers, teen physicals