Category Archives: Highway Safety

Highway Safety, Research, Teens

Teen Driving Deaths On The Rise Again

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A report released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths in passenger vehicles increased dramatically for the first six months of 2012, based on preliminary data supplied by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Overall, 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths increased from 202 to 240 – a 19 percent jump.

The new report – the first state-by-state look at teen driver fatalities in 2012 – was completed by Dr. Allan Williams, a researcher who formerly served as chief scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Dr. Williams surveyed GHSA members, who reported fatality numbers for every state and D.C. The increase in teen driver deaths coincides with a projection from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in which all traffic deaths increased by 8 percent. It is particularly concerning that 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths appear to have increased at an even greater rate.

Deaths of 16-year-old drivers increased from 86 to 107 (a 24 percent change), while the number for 17-year-old drivers went from 116 to 133 (a 15 percent change), a cumulative increase of 19 percent. Twenty-five states reported increases, 17 had decreases, and eight states and the District of Columbia reported no change in the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths.

Dr. Williams attributes much of the increase to the fact that the benefit of state Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws may be leveling off, as most of these laws have been in place for some time. Additionally, Dr. Williams speculates that improving economic conditions are contributing to an increase in teen driving, thus increasing their exposure to risk. Dr. Williams notes, “Based on 2011 final data and the early look at 2012, it appears that we are headed the wrong direction when it comes to deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers.”

Dr. Williams stresses that while today’s news is certainly not good, deaths in this age group remain at a historically low level. He notes, “We are still at a much better place than we were ten or even five years earlier. However, the goal is to strive toward zero deaths, so our aim would be that these deaths should go down every year.”

Kendell Poole, Chairman of GHSA and Director of Tennessee’s Governor’s Highway Safety Office, said, “Any increase in highway deaths is unacceptable, particularly among our teens. We know from research and experience that teen drivers are not only a danger to themselves, but also a danger to others on the roadways. So these numbers are a cause for concern.” He continued, “As the report notes, a widespread strengthening of laws is still possible, and utilizing effective tools outside of GDL should be a focus. These include improving driver education and ensuring that scientifically based educational programs are available to new drivers.”

Chairman Poole added, “In my state of Tennessee, we have worked extensively to keep teen drivers safe. Despite our efforts, teens remain our most vulnerable population. With the advances in technology, we suspect distracted driving deaths among teen drivers are rising. We continue to work with teens, parents, educators and law enforcement to address this problem.”

Barbara Harsha, Executive Director of GHSA, stressed that while data are preliminary, she is concerned that signs point to a significant increase in 16- and-17-year-old driver deaths for 2012. She advises states to focus on strengthening GDL and programs that are data-driven. Harsha adds that states should consider implementing parent programs to help parents keep their teens safe. She says, “Parents have a huge responsibility to ensure safe teen driving behavior. States can facilitate this by providing innovative programs that bring parents and teens together around this issue.”

The full report, including state-by-state data, is available online at www.ghsa.org. Image files are also available.

Highway Safety

US Senator Arrested for DUI

U.S. Senator Michael Crapo, a Republican serving Idaho, was stopped by Alexandria, VA police officers at 12:45AM on Sunday for running a red light.  The senator failed field sobriety tests and was taken to jail, where he was later released on bond.

The senator is scheduled for a hearing on January 4.  At the time of his arrest, Senator Crapo had a B.A.C. (blood alcohol content) of 1.1, over the legal limit of .08.  Crapo, a Mormon, has a public image of abstaining from any use of alcohol.

 

Community Outreach, Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips

What’s Killing Our Drivers?

NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has released two interesting preliminary reports this month.

The first reveals that “an estimated 16,290 people died in motor vehicle crashes” during the first six months of 2012.  The number represents a 9% increase in traffic deaths over the prior year, while miles driven during that time only increased 1.1%.  That 9% increase is the largest in recorded history over the first six-month period of any year.

The second report shows that seat belt use among vehicle occupants is up to 86%, a record high.  So, more people are taking advantage of safety technology in their cars, and more people are being killed in their car.  Now, the hippies and anarchists in the audience will no doubt tie the two together to reinforce their belief, however delusional, that seat belts don’t protect people and they have a better chance of survival remaining unbelted.  The truth is, seat belts save lives every day, and the risk of death quadruples if you’re ejected from the car in a crash.  There’s a common quote attributed to policemen who handle traffic crashes: “I’ve never unbuckled a dead man”.

So, if more people are buckling up and more people are getting killed in crashes, what’s going wrong?  Shouldn’t fewer people die if more of us are wearing seat belts?

According to NHTSA, the majority of vehicles involved in fatal crashes were going straight when they crashed.  Did you read that right?  Going.  Straight.  That means that most people are killed trying to drive in a straight line – what we pretty much assume to be one of the easiest tasks.  Why?

It all comes down to the choices we make behind the wheel.  You know that old idiom, “To Err is Human”?  It’s true.  We are all human beings, and therefore we all make mistakes.  The thing is, if we make a mistake at the grocery store, we come home without milk.  If we make a mistake at school, we get a lower grade on the test.  But if we make a mistake behind the wheel of a car in traffic, we can DIE.  Big letters, D-I-E.  Not too many other activities in life can kill you in a heartbeat if you goof.  Drivers, especially adults, tend to forget this.  As we gain experience driving, we tend to take the entire task for granted.  Here are the most common fatal mistakes drivers tend to make:

  • SPEEDING: Far and away, one of the biggest contributors to fatal crashes is driving too fast for conditions.  This means either breaking the speed limit or not slowing down when conditions require it, like during fog, rain and in congested traffic.  According to one NHTSA report, speeding was a factor in 90% of traffic fatalities.
  • DRUGS:  Not just alcohol, but even prescription medicine, over-the-counter cold and allergy treatments, even caffeine – all of them can impact your ability to drive safely.  NHTSA estimates drugs or alcohol contributing to 85% of fatal crashes.
  • ATTENTION:  These days, our lives are busier than ever, and our driving suffers because of it.  Sleepiness was a factor in 91% of fatal crashes, and driving distractions were a factor in 78% of deaths.
  • POOR SKILLS: In 85% of fatal run-off-the-road crashes, the driver over-corrected an error.  This mistake KILLED that person.

How prepared are you to drive?  Do you ever speed?  Do you ever drive while eating, drinking, smoking, talking, looking at your GPS or using your phone?  Do you ever drive tired?  If you do any of these things, you’re courting death behind the wheel.  If it hasn’t happened yet, you’ve been lucky.  And luck is not something to bet your life on, because sooner or later it runs out.

How are your driving skills?  Did you ever take professional driving instruction?  Was it just a classroom course or did you also take behind the wheel lessons?  How long ago was it?  If you’ve been driving for more than 5 years, ask yourself honestly:  could you pass both the knowledge test and the practical driving test for your state if you took them today without studying?

The “without studying” part is important, because you won’t be studying before you drive home this afternoon.  Pennsylvania passes new laws governing how you drive on their roads every single year, and lots of them.  If you’ve had your license more than 10 years, there are dozens of laws now that didn’t exist the last time you took the knowledge test.

How many drivers are experts at driving?  The magic number of practice hours to be considered an expert seems to be 10,000.  Think about that – if you drove for an average of 30 minutes every day, 365 days a year, it would take you 50 years to gain the proficiency level of a world-class expert driver.  Most Americans drive an hour a day on average, meaning that the average driver who got their license at 16 is just reaching their 10,000 hour mark around the age of 41.  And that’s if, every single time they drive, they’re actually trying to be a better driver, to improve their performance.  If that same person spends the whole hour drinking coffee and tweeting about traffic, that hour doesn’t count.  Given this, and the frequency of things like distracted driving, fatigued driving and reckless driving, most of us are not even trying to get to the magic 10,000 hours.

So, again, be honest with yourself:  what kind of driver are you?  Are you the kind of driver who doesn’t care about performance and is headed down a path toward a fatal crash?  Or are you using every hour, every mile, behind the wheel to hone your skill as a driver and stay alive as long as you can?

It’s a simple truth – if we’re talking about the violin, your life doesn’t hang in the balance if you don’t make it to the expert level.  The same just isn’t true for driving.

Community Outreach, Highway Safety, PennDOT News, Safe Driving Tips

New Law Enforces Traffic Control Signs

A new state law imposing stiff penalties on motorists who ignore “Road Closed” or other safety warning signs and devices is now in effect.

Act 114, signed on July 5 by Governor Tom Corbett, reinforces the critical need for all drivers to obey traffic control signs. The law aims to increase safety for motorists and emergency responders in areas where flooding or other hazardous conditions exist.

“Too often, motorists decide their immediate needs outweigh the safety warning signs and they ignore them, which increases hazards for them and emergency responders,” said  PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “This law underscores that we take safety seriously. When motorists are confronted with emergency road closures, we urge them to use common sense and obey the signs that are placed to keep them safe.”

Under the law, motorists who drive around or through signs or traffic control devices closing a road or highway due to hazardous conditions will have two points added to their driving records and be fined up to $250.

If the violation results in a need for emergency responders to be called, the fine is increased to between $250 and $500. In addition, violators will be held liable for repaying the costs of staging the emergency response.

What do you think about this new law?

Bicycle And Pedestrian Safety, Child Passenger Safety, Community Outreach, Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips

Bus Stop Safety

For twenty three million students nationwide, the school day begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. The greatest risk is not riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus. Before children go back to school or start school for the first time, it is essential that adults and children know traffic safety rules.

Drivers

  • When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
  • When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
  • Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.
  • Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
  • Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street with out looking for traffic.
  • Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state. Learn the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
  • Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
  • Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Children

  • Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
  • When the bus approaches, stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
  • Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.
  • If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
  • Use the handrails to avoids falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with drawstrings, and book bags with straps don’t get caught in the handrails or doors.
  • Never walk behind the bus.
  • Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
  • If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

Parents

  • Teach children to follow these common sense practices to make school bus transportation safer.

 

Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips, Teens

Teen Gets Prison For Texting While Driving

18-year-old Aaron Deveau will be spending the next 2-4 years in prison, rather than college.  He recently became the first American convicted of vehicular homicide by texting under a new Massachusetts law.

On February 20, 2011, Deveau’s car swerved across the center line and crashed head on into a truck, killing 55-year-old father of three Donald Bowley.  The crash happened at 2:36PM.  Prosecutors in the case reported that Deveau sent a text message while driving at 2:35PM, and received a reply seconds before losing control of his car.

Texting while driving is now illegal in Pennsylvania, as well as 37 other states and Washington, DC.  It’s one of the most dangerous distractions facing drivers today, and also one of the most prevalent.

Having trouble putting the phone down while driving?  There’s an app for that.

Bicycle And Pedestrian Safety, Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips

PA Bicycle Rules Change

PA Gets A Safe Passing Law

On February 2, 2012, Governor Corbett signed House Bill 170 into law, making a few changes to the rules of the road concerning bicycles.  PA’s new “Safe Passing” law is intended to protect bicyclists on the roads, and takes effect in 60 days.  Here’s what you need to know about the new law.

  • If you’re passing a bicyclist, you MUST leave at least 4 feet between your car and the bicycle, and you MUST pass at a reasonably reduced speed.  In other words, slow down and leave plenty of room when passing a bike.
  • As a car driver, you CANNOT interfere with the path of a bicyclist.  This means you CANNOT pass a bicyclist and then immediately turn right in front of them.  If you need to turn right, slow down and do so after the bike clears the intersection.
  • As a bicyclist, you MUST keep your bike as close to the right edge of the road as possible to allow faster traffic to safely move around you.
Community Outreach, Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips

Super Bowl Safe

This Sunday, February 5, the Giants take on the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.  The game starts at 6:30PM and will air live on NBC.  For those of you planning to have a few drinks during the game, or know someone who will, please make sure you’ve got a designated driver you can trust before the game starts.

In 2010, fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes accounted for 31 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities.

Fans Don't Let Fans Drive DrunkIf football fans plan to drink during the Super Bowl, designating a sober driver can help increase the chance of avoiding an alcohol-impaired-driving crash.

Let’s be clear – drunk or buzzed driving is not an accident, and it certainly isn’t a victimless crime.  10,228 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2010 in which a driver had a B.A.C. over the legal limit.

There are just too many drivers out there who believe that having just a few drinks and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle is harmless. But numbers don’t lie.  Drinking and driving can result in loss of life or serious injury.  These not only affect the lives of the impaired driver but can affect other families as well.

When you choose to drink, drink responsibly, and pass your keys to a sober driver.  Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is not worth the risk. If you know of someone who has been drinking and is planning to drive, please remember Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Highway Safety, Safe Driving Tips

Watch Those Snowplows

Drive Safely Around Snowplows

We’ve had our first snowstorm of 2012, but winter is far from over.  Each year, many drivers and passengers are injured in collisions with snowplows.  To reduce your risks, follow these basic tips:

  • Use caution when approaching, following or passing a snowplow.  They sometimes need to take evasive action to avoid stranded cars or roadside obstacles.
  • When traveling behind a snowplow, allow a longer follow distance.  Snowplows travel below the posted speed limit and may stop suddenly.
  • Don’t brake suddenly in front of a snowplow.  Like other trucks, they have a long stopping distance, and road conditions warranting a plow truck only make that worse.
  • Don’t crowd a snowplow.  Besides erratic manuevers and sudden stops, plows are also usually spreading anti-ice materials out the back.  Keep your car a safe distance away – 200 feet should be plenty.
  • Don’t travel next to a snowplow.  Remember, they may need to shift left suddenly to avoid roadside obstacles.
  • Check carefully before passing a snowplow.  Figure out to which side it’s discharging the snow to avoid getting coated in debris and losing visibility.  Remember, plows are generally larger than your car, and you may not be able to see all parts of the truck clearly.