safety on the road – Page 2 – Risk Management 365

Texting and Driving a National Epidemic

Texting while driving is a growing trend, and a national epidemic, quickly becoming one of the country’s top killers. Drivers assume they can handle texting while driving and remain safe, but the numbers don’t lie.

Texting While Driving Causes:

1,600,000 accidents per year – National Safety Council
330,000 injuries per year – Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study
11 teen deaths EVERY DAY – Ins. Institute for Hwy Safety Fatality Facts
Nearly 25% of ALL car accidents

Texting While Driving Is:

About 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated
The same as driving after 4 beers – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
The number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers

Texting While Driving:

Makes you 23X more likely to crash – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
Is the same as driving blind for 5 seconds at a time – VA. Tech Transportation Institute
Takes place by 800,000 drivers at any given time across the country
Slows your brake reaction speed by 18% – HumanFactors & Ergonomics Society
Leads to a 400% increase with eyes off the road

via Texting and Driving Statistics.

Drunk Driving

Americans take 233 billion trips in cars each year. Of those, about one out of every two thousand trips are taken by those who are driving under the influence of alcohol. Yet, almost one out of every three traffic deaths involve drunk driving.

So a proportionally tiny amount of bad behavior is one of the major causes of death and injury on our roadways.

Every 53 minutes on average, someone is killed in a drunk driving crash (9,878 people in total in 2011). Every 90 seconds, someone is injured because of this entirely preventable crime.

About one-third of the drunk driving problem – arrests, crashes, deaths, and injuries – comes from repeat offenders. At any given point we potentially share the roads with 2 million people with three or more drunk driving offenses. Taking away their licenses isn’t enough; 50-75% of them drive anyway. This is why we need to require ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders – we can stop these offenders before they repeat their crimes.

Two-thirds of the drunk driving problem comes from people who, before they kill or injure themselves or others, have yet to be arrested. That’s why we need to support law enforcement to help deter drunk drivers through proven solutions like sobriety checkpoints. It’s also why we strongly support research into technology that will eliminate drunk driving.

via MADD – About Drunk Driving.

Distracted Driving

Each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. Distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash.

There are three main types of distraction:

Visual: taking your eyes off the road;
Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving.

Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, and eating. Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction.

via CDC – Distracted Driving – Motor Vehicle Safety – Injury Center.

Child Passenger Safety

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children in the US. Buckling up is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries. Child passenger restraint laws result in more children being buckled up. Only 2 out of every 100 children live in states that require car seat or booster seat use for children age 8 and under. A third of children who died in crashes in 2011 were not buckled up. We—especially parents and caregivers—can do more to protect children on the road. Parents and caregivers can keep children safe by:Knowing how to use car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. Using them on every trip, no matter how short. Setting a good example by always using a seat belt themselves.

via CDC – Child Passenger Safety | Vital Signs.

Holiday Travel Safety Tips

Whether you’re traveling across town or around the world, help ensure your trip is safe. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t let someone else drink and drive. Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle. Always buckle your child in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt appropriate for his/her height, weight, and age.

via CDC – Family Health – Holiday Health and Safety Tips.

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Driving in Snow and Ice

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.

Don’t go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It’s helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you’re familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner’s manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads

Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
Keep your lights and windshield clean.
Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

via weather.com – Driving Safety Tips – Driving in Snow and Ice.

Autumn Driving Safety Tips

Make adjustments for the light. Did you know that we lose a minute of daylight every day until the clocks are set back in November? Fewer hours of daylight make it more difficult to see pedestrians, cyclists and children playing in the late afternoon. Also, later sunrises mean that drivers need to adjust to the brighter sun at different times of the morning. Always keep a pair of sunglasses in your car to shield your vision.
Avoid driving over wet leaves. Fall foliage is beautiful but once those leaves start falling and get wet from rain, they can become a serious driving hazard. Wet leaves are slippery and reduce traction.
Don’t Veer for Deer. If a crash with a deer is unavoidable, remember don’t swerve. Be sure to brake firmly and hold onto the steering wheel with both hands. Come to a controlled stop and move the vehicle out of traffic to a safe location.
Prepare an emergency kit for your car. Carrying an emergency kit in your car trunk or cargo area can be a real lifesaver. Be sure to include a flashlight, flares and a first-aid kit, jumper cables, extra washer fluid, nonperishable food, a jug of water, and a few basic tools such as wrenches, a ratchet/socket set, screwdrivers, and pliers.
Watch for frost. Low nighttime temperatures cause frost on windshields and roads. Be sure to clear your windshield completely before driving. Also, slow down when approaching bridges and overpasses, as these structures are more prone to collect frost on the roadway surface. Stay alert for shaded areas that could create black ice during early morning and evening hours.
Plan ahead for changing weather conditions. Have your car winterized before the winter storm season sets in. Keeping your car in good condition decreases your chance of being stranded in cold weather. Also, be sure to have a first-aid kit, thermal blanket, a working flashlight, a shovel and sand in your car.
Watch for construction work zones. Construction work zones may still be active. Consult MDOT’s Mi Drive traffic Web site to plan your route. Please remember to slow down and pay attention in work zones. The life you save could be your own.

via MDOT – Autumn Driving Safety Tips.

Distracted Driving

There are three main types of distraction:

Visual: taking your eyes off the road.
Manual: taking your hands off the wheel.
Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving.

Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, and eating. Using in-vehicle technologies such as navigation systems can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction.

via CDC – Distracted Driving – Motor Vehicle Safety – Injury Center.

Distracted Driving

There are three main types of distraction:

Visual: taking your eyes off the road.
Manual: taking your hands off the wheel.
Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving.

via CDC – Distracted Driving – Motor Vehicle Safety – Injury Center.

Harvest-Time Danger

It’s harvest time and with it comes unique dangers. Here is a list of a few to consider:

*Regular inhalation of dust from grain bins, silos, milk vats and manure pits can cause respiratory issues such as bronchitis and other dangerous cardiac conditions. Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth can reduce risk.

*Farm vehicles such as tractors and all-terrain vehicles cause many injuries, particularly among children. Wearing a seat belt and helmet can help prevent traumatic brain injuries or even death. Children should be supervised and given only age-appropriate tasks and access to vehicles and other farm gear.

*Grain augers are one of the most dangerous pieces of farm equipment. Broken bones, electrocutions and amputations can occur if augers aren’t handled properly.

*Livestock is another common source of injury. Cattle and other farm animals can bite, kick, ram or trample someone without warning. Stay attentive and alert.

*Working long days and evenings in the field can cause dangerous levels of fatigue. Farmers may experience shortness of breath, stroke or heart attack. Try to take breaks, eat a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep.

*Only enter a grain bin or gravity wagon when absolutely necessary, especially when grain is flowing. You can quickly become trapped and suffocate. If you must enter a grain bin, use a body harness and safety line secured outside the bin, and always have someone watching in case you are entrapped.

*Take special care to avoid falls, another common farm injury and the source of not only broken bones, but head injuries and other physical trauma.

*Protect eyes from debris whipped up by farm machinery.

An additional tip, one that applies to non-farmers as well: Please be extra cautious driving near farm machinery on the roadways, farm vehicles need to travel slowly on occasion so give them a break.

via Mayo Clinic – Harvest-Time Danger: Mayo Clinic Expert Discusses Common Farm Injuries.