Tag Archives: accidents

General Safety Issues

ONE MEANING OF THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – SLOW DOWN!

Many things go through our minds when school starts – for parents and children, it’s the beginning of a whole new school year – and it carries different meanings for everyone.  For the kids, it’s a brand new start – a chance to do better, strive to make better grades, and have fun!  For parents, it’s a rushed time to  prepare their lunches, or be sure they have lunch money, get them all to school on time,  and ensure that they arrive safely.    Parents should set the alarm a little earlier than usual, allowing for interruptions that might cause their child to be late to school, resulting in tardiness at work for them, as well.  For the rest of us, whose children are grown-ups, it’s a time for us to slow down – literally! 

Too many accidents happen because someone is in a big hurry.  We’re used to driving down the street that the school building is on at a speed that’s a little faster than the limit during school hours.  In many states, cell phones are banned in school zones, so put that cell phone away until you are safely away from the school zone.  Remember to watch for little ones.  This applies to parents, teens, and all other motorists.  One mistake caused by careless or hurried driving could change many lives, so slow down.  Regardless of how children are going to get to school, they must understand safety precautions.  Before school starts, if your child is going to walk to school, take a few practice walks with him/her.  Be sure they know to stop and look both ways, and never  dart out in front of a car.  If they want to ride their bikes, be sure they wear their helmets, and that they understand the rules of the road.  If a school bus is to be their mode of transportation, go to the bus stop with them the first few times to be sure they know how to get on and off the bus, and that they always stand six feet away from the curb.  Motorists must stop for school buses that have stopped to load or unload passengers. 

According to the National Safety Council, in 2009, over 230,000 children visited hospital emergency rooms because of playground injuries – many could have been prevented.  Children should use playgrounds with a soft surface.  Playgrounds with concrete, grass and dirt surfaces are too hard.  Monkey bars are unsafe and should not be used by children of any age.  Those under the age of four should not use climbing equipment. 

Last, but certainly not least,  an age-old problem in schools is bullying.  It’s sad but true  that there is some child that is going to pick on another child and make their day miserable.  Parents are responsible to teach their children that this is not acceptable; if theirs is the bully, and they are aware of it, they must put a stop to it.  If your child is the victim, encourage him/her to stay with a group of friends who will stand up for him.  All children should be taught to treat everyone the way they want to be treated, and this rule can be learned at a very young age.

Teachers should not tolerate bullying behavior and inform parents about what is going on so they can correct it.  Times are different than back in the “good old days”, when there was a certain amount of picking on or teasing someone, but it seems that it has reached a new level, and become even life-threatening in older teens on some occasions, such as online cyber-bullying.    

Hopefully this will be a happy and safe 2012 – 2013 school year for all.  Parents, cherish these times because they go by all too fast!  Support your kids in their extracurricular activities and studies, and take the time to ask them about how their school life is going.  They need to know you are interested.  Again, have a good school year, and keep our kids safe by driving slowly in school zones and paying close attention to their safety.

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

NATIONAL SLEEP AWARENESS WEEK

Sorry, friends, but  I slept through this national observance, which was March 5th through 11th!  Last week was exceptionally busy, with out-of-town guests, and being away from my desk a day or two.  I do apologize, but it’s never too late to talk about how important sleep is to everyone – no matter how young or old you are!  Sleep profoundly affects our health and safety.  Just this past Sunday, those of us in parts of the United States reset our clocks forward one hour, losing one hour of sleep.  Experts have said that more early morning car accidents occur the first week after “springing ahead”, because that earlier hour means it’s darker.  The same holds true when we set our clocks back one hour in November, when accidents happen more frequently because it gets darker earlier than we are accustomed to.  

March 2 and 3rd, the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Health & Safety 2012 convention took place in downtown Washington, D.C., at the JW Marriott Hotel.  Causes of sleep deprivation were examined from both clinical and public health perspectives.  They offered two tracks – a Health Care Professional Track targeted to primary care physicians that provides CME credits for physicians and health care professionals, and a Public Health Safety Track targeted to public health, transportation, and safety professionals, as well as government officials and sleep researchers.  It will be interesting to read their findings. 

Many Americans are sacrificing their sleep health by working longer into the night.  Thousands of fatigue-related car crashes occur each year.  Many persons have sleep disorders, and most go undiagnosed and untreated.  The National Sleep Foundation recommends that U.S. adults receive on average, 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night.  It is reported, however, that 37.1 per cent of adults say they sleep less than seven hours per night.  Persons reporting sleeping less than 7 hours on average during a 24-hour interval are more likely to report unintentionally falling asleep during the day at least 1 day out of the preceding 30 days, and nodding off or falling asleep at the wheel during the previous 30 days.  Frequent insufficient sleep (14 or more days in the past 30 days) also has been associated with self-reported anxiety, depressive symptoms, and frequent mental and physical distress.  This suggests the need for greater awareness of the importance of sufficient sleep.

Sleep deprivation is one of the most common disorders affecting one-fourth of all Americans.  Those most prone to the effects of sleep deprivation are those late shift or night shift workers, which has been nicknamed the “graveyard shift.”  This name has been assumed for good reason if you understand the large amount of adverse effects sleep deprivation has on late shift workers.  The most helpful thing these folks should know is understanding the natural sleep cycle in humans.  The sleep cycle is dependent on the number of factors, including melatonin, a hormone, which reacts to stimulation from the suprachiasmic nucleus within the brain. (Caught on yet?)  Melatonin has a drowsiness inducing effect on the mind and body and it is secreted when the light begins to dim naturally at the end of each day.  It is only logical to assume that night workers will feel drowsy and sleepy on the job, but bright lights in the work place help to reduce and inhibit melatonin release.  Late shift workers still need at least six hours of sleep to remain healthy.  Sleeping only four hours or less is not enought to sustain good human health.  We all know when we are fatigued, we are more likely to have a workplace accident.

Here is an easy test you can try if you believe you are sleep deprived.  Simply go into a very dark room with a place to recline.  You only need to seclude yourself in a dark room with a reclining chair or bed and close your eyes.  If you can stay awake for 15 minutes, you are not sleep deprived; however, if you find yourself nodding off after only a matter of 5-10 minutes, you are most likely sleep deprived.  It is important to take this tet during the time of day or night when you are usually awake.  There are many steps you can take to get your daily (or nightly) right amount of sleep, as well as eating healthy foods and exercising. 

Now, if someone could just explain to me why I can relax and go to sleep early in the evening in front of the television, then have trouble going to sleep later, it would really help.  Maybe I just answered the question – don’t take catnaps before bedtime!  I hope the sandman visits you when you need to sleep!

General Safety Issues

ONCE AGAIN, RESCUERS ARE PUT TO THE TASK

According to CNN News, as of Monday, January 16, officials had temporarily suspended rescue attempts being done by approximately 120 rescue personnel, because the wrecked Costa Concordia, had begun to sway and move, making any rescue attempts too unsafe to continue.  The cruise ship contained over four thousand persons, including a crew of over one thousand.  Today, Tuesday, CBS News reports that five more bodies have been found on the ship, bringing the death total to 11, and there are around sixteen missing.    “These rescue teams are working in extremely bad conditions”, said Luciano Roncalli of Italy’s national fire service.  Two Americans are still among the missing.  Passengers included around 1,000 from Italy, 160 from France, 126 from the United States, and others from many countries. 

Passengers who either jumped from the ship or were able to board lifeboats stated that it was a scene of massive chaos when the accident happened.  At first they were told that there was a problem with a power generator, and soon realized it was much more than that.  One passenger said that there was no help from the crew; passengers were loading lifeboats for themselves.  Only one side of the lifeboats was available because the boat was listing to the other side.   News coverage showed passengers that had formed a human chain, helping each other to be loaded into lifeboats.

Now rescue personnel are working in what resembles a dark, cave.  There are six underwater cave rescue divers working with others from an International Rescue Service.  These cave rescue divers are specially trained to take all precautions to escape entrapment from debris and find a way to safety.  Remember, all the workers are in cold, dark environments, searching a huge ship that would be hard to navigate upright, let alone partially submerged.  Emergency personnel are planning to look into 1,500 cabins, eight bars, five restaurants, four swimming pools, a casino and more.  

Cruises are many times the culmination of dreams of a lifetime, relaxing on the sea while enjoying great food and entertainment.  A recently retired couple from the U.S., who had saved all their work lives to take this trip, are missing, as a result of this recent tragedy.  We were fortunate to take an Alaskan cruise with our best friends a couple of years ago, and it was a great experience.  When we first arrived onboard ship, we found out they had just had a safety drill, but we missed it, and of course, like most people, didn’t give it much thought.  (News statements reported the Italian cruise ship held no safety drill for the passengers once leaving port. I learned from a news source last night that there were plans for a drill the next day; however, cruise lines are required to do them within the first 48 hours.)  It is understandable that most of us who are on vacation never dream that anything like that could happen. 

The lives and safety of passengers are in the hands of the captain and his crew.  It was reported that this captain abandoned his crew and passengers, leaving the ship before them.  He will be punished for the crimes that are involved with this tragedy.  Most cruises end with good memories, but when terrible accidents happen, we are all reminded that we must be aware of taking measures to be safe.  Passengers should check out the safety record of the ship before they take their cruise.  The Centers for Disease Control have information on inspections that are performed on these ships.  Advance research on a particular ship  cannot predict future accidents, but it is a good idea to do some checking ahead of time.

Cruise lines should perform safety drills, and furnish information to passengers on what to do in various emergencies.  Most ships have daily guide sheets on planned activities and excursions, and give the location of emergency facilities onboard.  Members of families traveling together should have a meeting place, in case of emergencies.  The Costa Concordia was the largest European cruise ship when it began, which was 2006.  Realizing that you are on a ship that has more passengers than the populations of many small towns, makes you realize just how many people could become victims of a single accident.   

The safety of rescue personnel is always a concern, especially for those involved.  Wherever there is tragedy, you will find those highly skilled people, who do their best to save lives or recover the unfortunate ones who didn’t make it.  May they continue to serve and be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

DON’T “REALLY” FALL, BUT BE READY TO “FALL BACKWARD” SUNDAY!

In most of the United States, Daylight Saving Time begins on the 2nd Sunday in March and reverts to Standard Time the first Sunday in November.  So, mark November 6th on your calendar to change your clocks!  Every year, it’s  “Spring Forward” and “Fall Backward.”   The official hour to change your clock is 2 a.m. Sunday, November 6th.  Most of us go ahead and change it before we go to bed.   We will “get back” the hour we lost in the spring, but sometimes, adjustments to the change of one hour can make a big difference in disrupting our habits.  Some parents may want to make a few modifications for their youngsters a day or two before Sunday.  Putting them to bed a little later for a couple of nights might help ease them into the new time.    

Let’s Not Forget About Safety

To ensure that we don’t “fall backward” on safety, this marks an excellent time to do a home safety evaluation.  The National Fire Protection Association recommends that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms be checked once a year.  Their figures show that around ninety per cent of homes in the United States have smoke alarms; however one-third of those are estimated to have dead or missing batteries.  They also recommend that smoke alarms be replaced after 10 years.  Some newer types of alarms have remote controls, making it easier than ever to check them.  Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be:

  •        Installed on every level of the home, and in sleeping areas
  •        Tested once a month
  •        Equipped with new batteries annually 

Also, keep a fire extinguisher handy, and have a fire escape plan for every member of the family.  While you are doing your home safety evaluation, also ensure that your door locks function properly, and keep your home locked.  It’s also a good idea to be sure you have a fully stocked first aid kit. 

Studies have shown an increase in accidents happen at both the beginning and ending of Daylight Saving Time.  During the beginning of the fall change, there has been an increase in pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents.  Drivers may be sleepy, while getting used to that difference in one hour; it’s harder sometimes to fall asleep an hour earlier than we are used to.  We all must be more safety-minded when we know that there are students walking or riding to school, and walking to their school bus stop.  Then, it will become dark earlier, so that’s another time that drivers should be extremely careful when returning home from work or shopping. 

An interesting fact:  The Navajo Nation participates in the DST policy, even in Arizona, (which is not in that time zone) due to its large size and location in three states.  So, if you live in the Central Time Zone location, be sure you change your clocks, and check your monitors, and start getting ready for colder weather.  It seems these time changes come along more often than ever!

 

General Safety Issues, Weather Protection

IT’S JUNE, AND THAT MEANS IT’S NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH!

It is hard to believe that another month of June has rolled around, meaning it is National Safety Month – time to focus on round-the-clock safety and health.  The National Safety Council emphasizes that June is the time to stress the urgent need to reduce unintentional deaths and injuries on the road, in the workplace and at home.  Week One’s focus is on “Summertime Safety” (June 1-4). “Preventing Overexertion” is the theme for Week Two (June 5 – 11).  A subject that is very important to parents and teens during Week Three – “Teen Driver Safety,” (June 12-18.) Week Four, (June 19 – 25), we will emphasize safety ideas for “Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls.”  Finally, “ON the Road – OFF the Phone,” is the topic of discussion for the end of the month, (June 26 – 30.)  These are all subjects that affect most all of us in one way or another.  

Accidents happen every day of the year, regardless of whether it is at work, traveling, or at home.  It seems that summertime does bring some unusual accidents, and one reason may be because there are so many more outdoor activities going on.  Summer is the time for boating, fishing, waterskiing, canoeing, bicycling, skateboarding, swimming, and many other fun actions that may cause injuries if we aren’t careful.  (For the past two weekends, we heard of two different boating incidents where young persons drowned.  None of them were wearing life jackets.)  Playgrounds are inviting to little ones, so there should always be adult supervision when they play on the different types of equipment.    

Heat is a threat to workers who must become acclimated to the change in temperatures; many times, it is a drastic change from what they are used to.  They must stay hydrated and get some rest breaks in the shade during long work shifts.  Teens new to working in the outdoors should be sure to drink plenty of water orpowdered drink mix, and everyone should wear sunscreen and light colored clothing.  Student athletes should also stay hydrated while working out for sports. 

Those who work in agriculture always face extreme weather conditions – dry, hot, windy, and sunny.  Farm children need to be supervised by adults, especially while they are around water, such as ponds or tanks, and animals.  There are lots of ATV riders in summer weather, as well as motorcyclists, who should know the safety rules regarding their vehicles, and wear the right gear for protection.  

We hope this summer brings everything you are planning for: vacation time, relaxation, fun in the sun (don’t forget the sunscreen and sunglasses), safe trips, and the other things that many families plan for during summer months when they have school-age children.  It seems there are always some types of accidents, associated with hot-weather activities, that we can’t encourage everyone enough to be extremely careful when planning vacations, trips, and yes, even work.  For most of us, work marches on, so we need to make the necessary accommodations to stay cool and safe during each workday, too. 

One way for young people to be safe is to have a “buddy” system.  It is always better to have a friend along just in case there is a problem.  One extra important reminder about summer: there will be more children playing in their front yards (and possibly the streets).  So keep a watch out for them when you are driving in neighborhoods. 

Have a fun and safe summer!

General Safety Issues

APRIL IS INJURY PREVENTION MONTH

We are just about to run out of “month” before we run out of observances!  For those of us in the safety business, injury prevention is important every day!   As OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) states,  “we are all about getting to dangerous workplaces before injuries happen that can kill or injure workers.”   Employers are expected to meet the standards that OSHA has set to prevent their workers from risking life and limb. 

According to a survey from 2000, every year 50 million people are hurt severely enough to require medical treatment.  Most injuries that require medical care are preventable.  The costs from U.S. injuries in 2000 were $406 billion, $80 billion in medical treatment and $326 billion in lost productivity.  Consider what the costs were in 2010.  Falls and vehicle crashes cause approximately two-fifths of the injuries and lost productivity costs from injuries.  

The Centers for Disease Control emphasize that we must prevent injuries from happening in the first place.  One of the effective methods of keeping teen drivers safer is the Graduated Drivers’ Licensing program.  This allows high-risk teen drivers to get initial driving experience under low-risk conditions.  Studies show that in the United States, approximately 11 teens die in car crashes every day.  

Brain concussions in youth sports in the United States are a high priority concern at this time.  The nation’s first sports concussion law, the Zackery Lystedt Law, was enacted in the state of Washington in May, 2009.  Named for a young athlete who was permanently disabled after sustaining a concussion in 2006, this law requires parents and athletes to read and sign a concussion information sheet before the beginning of each sports season.  It states further that athletes participating in school sports who show signs of a concussion be removed from practice or play, and if a player is injured and removed from the game, permission from a licensed health care provider is required before the athlete is allowed to play.  This can have a huge impact on improving the safety of young athletes. 

Violence prevention and injuries such as motor vehicle crashes, homicides, domestic violence, neglect of children and drug overdoses are part of the tragedies that we hear about every day.  Many of these events that lead to injury are predictable – therefore, they are preventable, as we said earlier.  Older adults and children are most vulnerable to sustaining injury that requires medical attention.  Injuries and violence affect us all.  Research shows that three-fourths of all deaths in young people are the result of injuries and violence.   

Whatever the reason, we should all take strides to improve our safety record by paying attention to what we are doing.  In the workplace, accidents happen, and some may be unavoidable, but most are caused by inattention, carelessness or faulty equipment.  Workers have the benefit of protecting their bodies with personal protective equipment, or PPEi safety products.  The choice of the right PPE for the particular job is made by the employer.  Then it’s up to the worker to wear it correctly.  Workers can be covered from head to toe, and many jobs require it all – from steel-toed boots, coveralls, gloves, safety glasses, earplugs, to hardhats.  PPE is the last line of defense that protects workers.

We can also choose protective products for work, at home, or in the garden.  Athletes must wear equipment that keeps their bodies safe.  The rest of it is left up to each individual.  Whether driving a vehicle, playing a game, mowing the lawn, or doing our regular daily routines, we must stay safe and avoid injury.  Being hurt is no fun at all, and we miss out on things we take for granted – like going to school or work! 

Stay safe and well.

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety

“WALKERS” THAT HAVE UNSAFE RIDES

Individuals who hang advertising flyers on homes’ doorknobs, are known as “walkers.”  Before they can begin their distribution, many of them are picked up and delivered to the designated area in cargo vans that have no seats, let alone seatbelts.  Many times, up to 10 people ride in the back, along with stacks of flyers to be circulated.  On March 4th, three people were killed and seven others were injured when the 1995 cargo van they were in burst a tire and careened into a tree.  The ironic part of it is that Texas law, (as well as most other states), does not require seatbelts for adults in a cargo van that has no seats.  There’s no state or federal prohibition against carrying adults in the back, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.  And because there are no seatbelts, restrictions on capacity don’t apply, stated the DPS.  (Another ironic part of this is that the vehicle’s manual states that carrying passengers is unsafe.)

 

Pablo Alvarado, director of the Los Angeles-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network, stated, “tragedies such as these are a reminder that more needs to be done to protect the rights and safety of workers.  Day laborers, like those who lost their lives, go to great risks to humbly provide for their families.  Employers must be responsible for their safety during and en route to work.” 

Day workers gather around service stations, shelters, and boarding houses, hoping to have the opportunity to earn typically around $40 to $55 a day, walking approximately 10 to 15 miles.  Many of these workers are homeless, and although they realize that the vehicle they are climbing into may have bald tires, or be unsafe, they need the work.  Firms who furnish cleanup crews at sports stadiums also use this type of transportation.  Some of these vans have nothing more than floorboards for persons to sit on.  Hopefully, following this accident, things may change.  Two flyer-distributing services not involved in the accident said they are rethinking their use of such vehicles and may install seats.  Until recently, the industry has taken advantage of loopholes in state and federal road safety regulations to hold down costs. 

Advertising companies that furnish this type of labor face restrictions from many cities.  Several communities in the Metroplex – Bedford, Colleyville, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Rowlett, Murphy, Coppell, and Corinth, have passed city ordinances that require these advertising companies and each of their workers to be individually registered with their local police.  Companies must pay $50 for a six-month permit.   They also require all walkers to display their permit and wear an orange reflective traffic safety vest.  Solicitation ordinances suggest that permits are not issued to anyone who has been convicted or pleaded no contest to a felony or misdemeanor in the previous ten years.  Charitable solicitations, political literature, or distribution of religious tracts are exempted from the permitting requirements.  Police want to know who is in their neighborhoods. 

There are flyer delivery services that do not rely on cargo vans.  Some say they use minivans with factory-installed seats and seat belts.  Others say they limit riders to seven, not ten.  One owner said he uses a van, but it has seats.  As he said, “It sounds kind of unsafe not to have seats.” 

Let’s hope that this latest accident will get the attention of lawmakers in order to protect the safety of those persons who do this type of work.  They deserve better than this. 

Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

General Safety Issues

HOW SAFE ARE RENTAL CARS?

Do you put as much thought into the vehicle that you rent for a business or pleasure trip as you would into the car you plan to purchase?  Probably, your answer is, of course, NO.  There are some facts about rental cars that you may not know, which may change your mind about considering just how safe that rental car is, such as: 

  • There is no current law that requires rental car companies to make repairs to recalled vehicles before renting or selling them to consumers.
  • Once they have been notified of a recall by the manufacturer, auto dealers have a legal obligation not to sell a new vehicle until the defect has been remedied.
  • NHTSA does not have the legal authority to require consumers, including fleet owners like rental car companies, to have recalled vehicles fixed.
  • Rental companies receive notices at the same time car owners do. 

For the past four months, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating three million rental cars that had been recalled for defects. Just recently, some automakers informed NHTSA that tens of thousands of these recalled rental cars went unrepaired for months or longer.  GM and Chrysler told NHTSA that, 30 days after a recall, 10 to 30 per cent of the recalled vehicles in rental-car fleets had been repaired.  By 90 days, the repair rate had improved to about 30 per cent, and within a year, the repair rate had increased to 50 per cent or higher.  Clarence Ditlow, Executive Director of the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has noted that the Federal Trade Commission Act states that companies “shall not engage in unfair trade practices.  Not repairing a defective vehicle after it has been recalled, before renting it out, is an unfair trade practice, and is a violation of the act.”  He hopes that the investigation will lead to a more pointed law that specifically addresses this practice.  U.S. Senator, Charles Schumer, D-NY, has recently introduced the proposed Safe Car Rental Act, which would make it illegal for cars to be rented out if they are subject to a recall. 

Two young women were killed in a car wreck back in 2004, when the rental car they were driving was involved in a collision with a semi-trailer truck.  The car had been recalled due to a risk of under-hood fires, but the women were not informed of the risk.  While driving the car, it caught fire, causing a loss of steering power that led to the collision, killing the women instantly. It was noted that the vehicle had been rented at least four times after the agency received a recall notice.  Following five years of fighting a lawsuit, the rental agency admitted liability, and the parents of the sisters were awarded a damages only – $15 million verdict. 

USA TODAY’s analysis reveals that more than 95% of 167 different vehicles in rental fleets are rated “good” in head-on crashes – the most frequent type of fatal accidents.  However, in safety ratings, the side, rear, and roll-over crashes, have a large disparity.  Cars must have good ratings in these crashes, as well,  in order to avoid death or serious injury. 

The next time you plan to rent a car, do a little investigating about the safety ratings of the agency you plan to deal with.  Take a little time to check out the car before you leave the lot; make sure that  it has the right safety equipment, has been maintained properly, such as fluid levels checked, tires aired up well, and that wiper blades work.  You may have to pay a little more money for a bigger, heavier vehicle, but you will be safer than in a smaller, lighter one. 

Rental car companies have a responsibility to their customers to provide safe vehicles for use.

General Safety Issues

LET’S AVOID THOSE BACKUP COLLISIONS!

2 Comments

We recently posted a guest blog, Drive, Park, and Enjoy Yourself Safely This Holiday Season, with all kinds of tips on driving and parking safety during this rushed holiday season.  One of our readers added a great idea to the issue of accidents caused when reversing your automobile.  She commented: “reversing is a tricky and dangerous driving activity to both yourself and pedestrians.  Get your reversing done while you have a clear view of the traffic, pedestrians and general area, while your mind is focused on driving.  Also, when you get in your car after shopping, you may not be totally focused on the hazards of the activity of backing out, nor what is going on around you, and that this is the worst possible time to be reversing.”  If there’s the chance that you can find a space to park that you can back into, do that, in order to make a safe exit from the parking lot when you are ready to leave. 

According to reports from the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, backup accidents by passenger vehicles result in 228 deaths and 17,000 injuries annually.  They most often occur in residential driveways and parking lots, and involve SUV’s or small trucks.  Sadly, many victims are children under age 5, and the driver was a family member or someone who knows the family.  The University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies states “all backing accidents are preventable.  The key is to plan ahead to avoid backing in the first place.”  Consumer Reports Magazine suggests that SUV’s, pickups and minivans are longer and taller and that their blind zones extend as much as 50’ from the rear bumper, which contributes to poor visibility. 

Here are some reasons for collision failures related to backing operations:

  • Failure to look before backing;
  • Failure to conduct a walk-around;
  • Failure to check mirrors often;
  • Failure to check blind spots;
  • Backing at an unsafe speed. 

Prevention organizations urge parents to use common sense and take safety measures such as installing cross view mirrors, audible collision detectors, rear view video camera, and/or some kind of reverse backup sensors.  Safer backing up is done when the driver turns completely around and looks out of the rear window of the car, rather than relying on mirrors.  By doing this, a wider field of vision and better control of the vehicle is provided.  If you have a passenger, ask him/her to help you watch for objects or persons. 

The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007 requires the safety agency (NHTSA) to adopt a safety regulation that improves rearward visibility when a vehicle is in reverse.  NHTSA has proposed that all passenger vehicles be equipped with back-up cameras.  Based on the assumption that there are 16.6 million new vehicles sold annually, the cost would be $1.9 billion to $2.7 billion each year to equip them.  This proposal would require automakers to have 10% of new vehicles with these systems by 2012; 40% by September, 2013, and 100% by September, 2014.  The estimated cost passed on to consumers on purchasing new cars would be around $159 to $203 – a small investment for added safety.  Costs to consumers who already have some type of backup camera that could be adapted to meet new standards would be less. 

 There are many older cars out there that won’t have any of these safety features, with the exception of seat belts, and those drivers should be vigilant to watch for pedestrians and other cars when they are backing out.   (A while back, I almost got mowed down by a lady as she was backing out.  Luckily, I saw her, and thought she saw me, but she backed out, forged ahead and never looked back.  It could have been very bad for me – I have learned to stay clear of parked cars.)  This is a little wake-up call for pedestrians to watch, too.   There are many automobiles that already have back-up cameras, or sensors that warn drivers when a person or object is behind them.  (My car beeps like crazy, for which I am thankful.)

So, until we have cars that do everything  but drive themselves, keep all these safety suggestions in mind.  Think “forward” and try to avoid backing whenever possible.  Plan ahead to reduce backing operations.  We appreciate our fellow bloggers and readers for comments that help us all stay focused on safety.