Tag Archives: distractions
TEN TIPS FOR CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY (GUEST POST)
By Emma Roberts – Ten Tips for Child Passenger Safety
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that the number one cause of death among children in the United States is injury sustained in motor vehicle crashes. Unfortunately, some of these deaths and severe injuries could easily be prevented by following some simple car safety guidelines in relation to child passengers. These 10 tips can help you keep your child safe while you’re on the road, and shouldn’t be neglected even for short jaunts.
- Avoid Used Car Seats – Baby gear is expensive, and buying some items secondhand can translate to significant savings. One item that you should never buy used, however, is your baby’s car seat. In addition to the fact that car seats do have expiration dates, you have no way of knowing whether or not a used seat has been involved in an accident. Should you ever become involved in even a minor crash, it’s also important that you immediately replace your child’s car seat. Even non-serious accidents can damage the inner workings and safety features of a car seat in ways that aren’t immediately apparent.
- Install Car Seats Correctly – Properly installing a car seat can be challenging, especially if you’re unfamiliar with a particular model. However, ensuring that your child’s seat is installed correctly could very easily be the difference between him escaping a crash unscathed or sustaining very serious injuries. Child Passenger Safety Technicians offer free installation instructions, which is a service you should take advantage of. Visit safekids.org to locate a safety tech near you.
- Adhere to Size and Age Guidelines – It can be tempting to turn your infant forward-facing before she’s ready or allow your older child to transition out of his booster seat a bit early, but the age and size guidelines put in place by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration exist for a reason. Adhering to these guidelines may not always be convenient, but could very well save your child’s life.
- Booster Seats are Necessary – Older children, especially those that are smaller than their classmates and are not ready to transition out of a booster seat, often resent being forced to use one. Seat belts in your vehicle, however, are designed to protect an adult in the event of a crash, not a child. He simply is not safe without his booster seat until he’s reached the upper limit of the size and weight restrictions.
- Avoid Distractions – Keeping your children safe in the car doesn’t just depend upon your ability to install car seats and enforce booster seat rules; you also have to avoid distractions that could potentially lead to an accident. Talking or texting while driving, scanning the radio, or even manipulating a GPS can all be distractions that could lead to potentially deadly crashes. This also sets a bad example for older children who will someday be behind the wheel.
- Don’t Negotiate With Older Children – Regardless of how much your kids beg and plead to be allowed to ride in the front passenger seat, it’s important that you stand your ground and refuse to negotiate with them on the subject. Remember, your kids’ safety is non-negotiable.
- Pull Over – If you have to retrieve a fallen toy or soothe a crying baby, it’s imperative that you always pull over to do so. Even low-speed crashes can be serious for small passengers.
- Backseat is Always Best – Even when your child is old enough and large enough to transition out of her booster seat, the backseat is always the best place for her. Front passenger airbags deploy with an enormous amount of force, and can cause more injuries to a child than the crash itself. Remember that the restraints and safety features in the front seat of your car are intended to protect the larger, sturdier bodies of adults.
- One Child Per Restraint – Running a carpool or giving one of your child’s friends a ride to practice can leave your car a bit overcrowded, but you should never allow more than one child to share a single restraint. If there aren’t enough seatbelts in your car to accommodate each passenger, you should always make other arrangements.
- Never Leave Kids Alone in the Car – In some states, it’s illegal to leave a child in the car unattended, even for a moment. Vehicle safety for kids doesn’t just include the time that you’re in motion, but also when the car is parked. Kids left alone in a vehicle can be affected by the outside temperature, or be curious enough to crawl into the front seat, inadvertently knocking the car into gear.
While this list covers many of the safety considerations you should follow when transporting children, it is by no means exhaustive. There are a variety of things that you should know about car safety when children are involved in order to ensure that even the smallest passengers in your vehicle are secured properly and protected in the event of an accident.
EIGHT BIGGEST DISTRACTIONS FOR TEEN BABYSITTERS (GUEST POST)
By Tina Marconi www.babysitters.net/blog
When parents are faced with the prospect of leaving their children in the care of a babysitter, one of the most worrisome aspects of the arrangement is the idea that a distracted sitter might inadvertently allow her charges to get into a dangerous situation. While there’s no surefire way to ensure that absolutely nothing will ever go wrong, there are a few steps that you can take, as a parent, to ensure the safety of your children while they’re under a sitters care. The first step to eliminating distractions is knowing what the most common ones are.
1. Cell Phones – In the 1990′s, cell phones were large, clunky objects that most teenagers were only aware of as a result of Saved By the Bell heartthrob Zack Morris. Times have since changed, and these days almost every teenager brings her tiny, powerful mobile device everywhere she goes. No longer restricted to simply chatting away as she keeps an eye on her charges, today’s sitter can update social networking accounts, check her email, and send text messages from your couch; because all of these actions require her to keep her eyes on the screen, there’s a lot she could potentially miss.
2. Television – While we’ve all been distracted from time to time by a television show, a babysitter whose childcare experience is likely to be limited to a few hours a week might let things get out of hand as she zones out in front of the tube. Though banning television altogether while your sitter is working might not be as effective in practice as it is in theory, it’s wise to have a discussion about both the distraction factor and the need to filter questionable, age-inappropriate content from your kids. A good sitter will understand your concerns, and will make every effort to adhere to your house rules.
3. Visitors – Most parents make a “no visitors” rule whenever they hire a babysitter. Unfortunately, this is one of the rules that almost always begs to be broken. If your kids are old enough to be verbal, the sitter may be tempted to wait until they’re in bed to invite a pal over; before her charges are old enough to tell on her, however, all bets are off. Let her know that the neighbors will be keeping an eye on the house in the interest of safety; it’s a great way of letting your sitter know that she’s being observed without accusing her of planning to have guests over before you’ve even left the house.
4. Homework – Teenage babysitters may have homework to attend to, especially if you’ve requested her services on a school night. Requesting that she wait until she’s put the kids to bed before she cracks open the books is one way of eliminating the potential for any distraction, but you should remember that her schoolwork is important. Calling your sitter on short notice will raise the odds of her having homework that can’t be ignored, so you should make every effort to make arrangements as early as possible.
5. Other Children – When you have more than one child, you should understand that your sitter will be forced to pay more attention to a younger or more rambunctious child than she would an older one with a calmer temperament. When a babysitter works for a large family, the thing that’s most likely to distract her from the group as a whole is one demanding child.
6. Meal Preparation – Leaving money for pizza or other delivery food is a time-honored tradition between parents and their babysitters, largely because providing a ready-made dinner dramatically reduces the likelihood of a child getting injured or in trouble because his sitter is focused on cooking; it also eliminates the risk of a kitchen fire stemming from a neglected stove when kids demand every ounce of a sitter’s attention. Some parents feel uneasy about allowing a delivery person to come to their home when there’s no real adult present; if this is the case, you should arrange for a pre-prepared dinner that requires minimal focus on your sitter’s part.
7. Pets – Anyone with pets knows that they can be just as demanding as the children in the house. A barking, energetic dog that paws at the door every five minutes is a distraction for your sitter, especially if she’s not familiar with your home, the animal’s temperament, or the routine that your children are accustomed to. Relegating your pooch to a fenced yard or a designated part of the house for the duration of a sitter’s shift can reduce the potential for pet-centric distractions.
8. Parents – It’s not altogether surprising that a babysitter’s employers can be her biggest distraction. Calling every five minutes to make sure that your kids are okay is understandable, especially if you’re leaving them in the care of a sitter for the first time or she’s never worked for your family before; still, talking on the phone and fielding your questions might take her attention away from your kids, leaving them with minimal supervision.
Life is unpredictable, so it just isn’t possible to foresee every situation that might arise to remove a babysitter’s focus away from your children. The most that any parent can do is make an effort to minimize the likelihood of the most common culprits rearing their heads, and ensure that any sitter they hire is mature, competent and reliable.
Tina, this is good advice for parents to consider when choosing a babysitter. Thanks very much, pb
TEN DANGERS TEEN DRIVERS POSE TO THEMSELVES DURING SUMMER (GUEST POST)
This article was sent to us courtesy of Don Elfrink, the owner and operator of AutoMatStore, an auto flooring company based out of Columbia, Missouri. Before AutoMatStore, Elfrink was the operator of a automotive production site. AutoMatStore focuses on all-weather, logo, carpeted and molded car mats. Thank you, for this good advice for teens, as well as adults, who should set the example for their kids’s driving by avoiding the same distractions. pb
Summertime should be carefree – a time to relax and unwind after the long school year. However, for teens getting behind the wheel, summer can be fraught with danger. In addition to heat-related dangers to their automobile, there are some very significant dangers that teens can pose to themselves. Before you get behind the wheel this summer, make sure you know what those dangers are.
1. Texting
Texting while driving has made national headlines – the number of deaths resulting from this horrible habit has skyrocketed, and many of those (the majority, in fact) are teens. Don’t text while driving. If you absolutely have to make a call, use a hands-free headset and leave the texts until you arrive at your destination.
2. Friends in the Car
You and your friends will be out of school and hopefully have the chance to enjoy some downtime together. However, driving with your friends in the car can be very dangerous. It can be very easy to become distracted – make sure your entire focus is on the road and not on other people in your car.
3. More Traffic
Teens are often inexperienced with driving in heavy traffic, and it’s difficult to find a time of year when there are more cars on the road than during the summer months. More cars equals more threats to your safety – make sure you are focused, paying attention and alert to possible threats from those around you.
4. Leaving the Pool
Hitting the pool to cool off is one of the best things about the summer months. However, if you’re leaving the pool wearing wet flip-flops, it might be best to think again. Flip-flops aren’t particularly safe footwear for driving anyway, and water only increases the chance that your foot will slip at a critical moment.
5. Share the Road
In addition to more automobile traffic, you’ll find that the warm summer months bring out bike and motorcycle drivers by the droves. Make sure you can share the road with others and pay attention. Bikes and motorcycles are easy to overlook, and taking the time to look twice will save lives.
6. Dangerous Driving
Teen drivers are responsible for more auto accidents than any other demographic in the world, including seniors. Many of these accidents are the result of dangerous driving habits, including speeding. Getting where you’re going is not so important that you have to put your life and the lives of others in danger by driving too fast.
7. Eating behind the Wheel
Drive-thrus have revolutionized fast food and made it possible to grab a bite even if you’re in the middle of a road trip. However, eating behind the wheel is never a good idea. Before you unwrap that burger or start downing that hotdog, find somewhere to park and eat in safety.
8. Drinking and Driving
Summer is the time for parties, and teens attend their fair share. However, if there is alcohol available and you consume any, stay out from behind the wheel. It’s better to call for a ride than to risk your life and the lives of other people because of impaired abilities due to alcohol consumption.
9. Wear Your Seatbelt
“Seatbelts aren’t cool,” is something that many adults remember from their own teenage days. That hasn’t changed – teens always suffer from the delusion of “it can’t happen to me”. If you get behind the wheel, buckle up. Living is far cooler than dying.
10. Avoid Night Driving
Driving at night can be trying for even experienced adults, much less for inexperienced teen drivers. Unless you absolutely have to, stay off the roads after nightfall.
MORE DISTURBING NEWS ON DISTRACTED DRIVING
It seems there just can’t be enough discussed about the importance of stopping the use of cell phones while driving. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recently published an article with this byline: “He survived Iraq but was killed by a distracted driver.”
Javier Zamora, who served in Iraq as a helicopter door gunner and lived to tell about it, was killed after returning to the United States by a driver fumbling with a cell phone. He lost his life in 2007 in Southern California, when his car was struck head-on by one driven by a woman who was reaching between the seats for her phone. This Thursday, his wife, Jennifer Zamora, will relate the family’s story during a Texas Distracted Driving Summit in San Antonio. Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary, is scheduled to speak, and experts will talk about scientific studies on distracted driving and what politicians and phone and auto manufacturers are doing to curb it.
Ms. Zamora, who is a Lockheed Martin air traffic controller at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, will serve on a panel of survivors who will discuss what it is like to live with the loss of a loved one – caused by a preventable accident. USAA, a Texas-based military financial services provider, the Department of Transportation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children are presenting the summit. In addition to LaHood’s appearance and testimony from survivors of crash victims, experts will take part in panel discussions about the latest technologies, corporate policies on mobile devices and public officials’ willingness to forge change.
For Javier Zamora, it’s too late. He was a “Mr. Mom” to their three children, and Jennifer’s daughter by a previous marriage. According to his wife, he was their foundation. He handled a more domestic role, seeing that the kids ate properly, wore nice clothes and did their schoolwork. He served his country, yet was taken in his prime by a preventable accident.
There are still about 54 per cent of motorists that believe that their driving ability is unchanged while they talk on the phone. Even if one has all the hands-free devices in the world, it remains possible that just concentrating on the conversation takes away from paying attention to the road. We continue to observe National Distracted Driving Awareness Month throughout this month, and should persist in doing so every day. The Texas Transportation Department bought radio spots and billboard space for ads with the slogan: “Talk. Text. Crash.”
Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
THIS IS NATIONAL TEENS DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE WEEK
National Teens Don’t Text and Drive Week, November 20th – 26th is a very important observance. However, it should also be “National Adults and Teens Don’t Text and Drive Anytime!” Recently, I took my grandaughter to a fast-food restaurant, where we were seated next to the window that drive-thru customers passed by. I would estimate that 9 out of every 10 drivers were texting or retreiving emails while going through the drive-thru. That may be a little safer than when they pulled out and got back on the freeway, but it still made me wonder if they do it more than just when they are slowed down.
Texting While Driving Kills Virtual Pedestrians (from Live Science Staff)
“Several studies have shown that distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous. New research confirms these findings among teens. The study of 21 teens in a driving simulator found that while texting or searching their MP3 music players they changed speed dramatically, wove in an out of their lanes, and, in some cases, ran over virtual pedestrians. Similar studies have found that adults who talk on cell phones while driving in simulators perform as dismally as drunken study participants. Studies from the University of Utah show that hands-free devices do not make it safe to use cell phones while driving. In January, the National Safety Council called on state and federal lawmakers to ban the use of cell phones and text-messaging devices while driving and also urged businesses to prohibit it.”
You may not be old enough to remember the old joke (when riding bicycles):
- “Look, Ma, No Hands! – Look, Ma, No Teeth!”
- Now, when driving and talking or texting on the cell phone,
- “Look, Ma, No Hands! – Look, Ma, No ME!”
- Seriously, it’s not a joking matter.
In your opinion, which do you think is the most risky thing to do while driving:
1. Talking to passengers in the car?
2. Talking on the phone?
3. Texting while driving?
4. Using the internet on the phone?
I would be interested in your answer. In my opinion, it is all of the above. Let’s don’t take chances. I can’t even text well when I am in my home, (just can’t hit the right letters!) Let alone try to do it while I am driving. From experience, I know that it is hard to concentrate on driving safely if I am having a phone conversation with a friend. It is just not worth taking the chance.
So, parents, set the example: turn the phone off while you are in the car. I know this will fall on a lot of deaf ears. But if you show your kids that you have the willpower to do what’s right, let’s hope they will follow suit. Drive safely, and keep that phone turned off!
THIS IS NATIONAL TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK!
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminds us to be aware of the risks that teen drivers face every time they get behind the wheel. Drivers ages 15 to 20 years old, are especially vulnerable to death and injury on our roadways. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. According to NHTSA, mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Also, teens are at far greater risk of death in an alcohol-related crash than the overall population, even though they cannot legally purchase or publicly possess alcohol in any state.
It is parents’ responsibility to protect their teens. They should first set the example of safe driving while their children are small. If they text while driving or drive aggressively, chances are, the youngster may adopt their habits. Because it’s the law, seat belt use begins with babies, who are safely restrained in their car seats. It’s only logical that they should be in the habit of buckling up since they have been doing so all their lives; however, the fact is that teens buckle up less frequently than adults. In 2009, the majority of young people 16 to 20 years old involved in fatal crashes were unbuckled – 56 per cent.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that they will not rest until they stop distracted driving. Their main effort is to work with private and public entities as well as advocacy groups to tackle distracted driving. Please teach your teens to put their cell phones down and pay attention to the task at hand – driving!
Here are five ways to get drivers to stop texting:
1. The direct approach. Tell the driver that it makes you nervous to ride with someone texting and driving. Hopefully, they will put down the phone.
2. The subtle approach. If you are uncomfortable telling a driver to quit texting, try offering to text for him/her. Also, point out things the driver may have not seen, but barely missed, such as a pedestrian or other car.
3. The “Wow, look at that bad driver!” approach. Point out drivers who wander over into the next lane, or drive too slowly, run a stop sign, or stop at a green light.
4. The group approach. If your entire group feels the driver is a hazard, make a plan together. Either take away the driver’s keys, or agree not to ride with that person. When several people boycott a driver, he or she will get the message.
5. The life-saving approach. If someone continues to text and drive or mocks you for worrying about it, don’t ride with that person. Tell them your parents won’t let you ride with anyone who texts and drives.
There’s a current advertisement for a car that senses different driving situations (sleepy driver, other driver distractions, etc.). This is a great safety feature; however, frightening, that we would depend on a vehicle to pay attention to the things we should watching for. Our suggestions are for all drivers – not just teens. There are many other causes of car crashes caused by distracted driving, such as loud music, drowsy driving, nighttime driving, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Cars can be dangerous machines if the steering wheel falls into the wrong hands.
Finally, think about how many other drivers are taking your life into their hands by either talking or texting on their cell phones while meeting or approaching you. Repeating the message from the Department Of Transportation: put that phone down or turn it off! Get your teens into the habit of waiting to retrieve their messages when they arrive safely at their destination.
Source: NHTSA, DOT, KidsHealth.org
MORE ABOUT SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS!
Because slips, trips, and falls are a major source of both home and industrial injuries, there are a few more things we need to present to you today. Whose fault is it when someone falls? There is certainly no room anywhere – at home, school, or work – where an intentional prank causes someone to fall. You know, the old “pull the chair out from behind someone,” trick, where the one sitting winds up on the floor. As we get older, we realize that a fall can have lasting health effects on people.
Do you think that people get hurt because they just don’t respect safety regulations and procedures? Normally this isn’t the case, according to studies. It is usually a brief moment of inattention that ends in disaster, not a person’s indifference to safety procedures. If you think about it, inattention can be identified as the root cause of injury in most every category of accident analysis (traffic mishaps, power tool injuries, aggression incidents, etc.). In regard to slips, trips, and falls, inattention can lead to regrettable events ranging from a simple bruised shin to extremely serious consequences such as concussions, or even death. Have you heard someone say, “I guess I just wasn’t thinking,” during an accident investigation? Sometimes we are too wrapped up in a conversation, or thinking about the next job, or a personal problem or activity, that we forget to pay attention to the hazards around us. From the State Office of Risk Management, Texas, here is an “Inattention Test” that might help: Do you:
- Get bored easily?
- Lose track of conversations (having to ask, “What were you saying?” (Yes, I do!)
- Suddenly return to reality (after driving past your exit on the freeway)?
- Know your job so well you could “…..do it with your eyes closed?”
- Daydream?
These examples and others show potential for inattention. A person’s state of mind is his/her own personal property, and, of course, cannot be controlled by a boss or the workplace. As a result, the supervisor must frequently emphasize to the workforce the consequences a loss of focus could cause. Stay alert and don’t lose sight of what you are doing. If you get in a hurry because you lost your train of thought, you might start walking too fast, or running, and lose your balance. Distraction, not watching where you are going, carrying materials that obstruct vision and speed are common elements in many on-the-job injuries. So, plan, stay alert, and pay attention! Employees should report any slips, trips, or fall hazards that they identify at work. Posters displaying fall warnings also should be placed in areas that are frequented. Training is one of the most important keys to preventing falls at work. No horseplay should be allowed. It’s o.k. to have a little fun, but not at the expense of a personal injury and lost time at work.
Last, but not least, at work or home, the lighting should be good. Be sure you are aware of the location of light switches, and have a flashlight handy, too. Proper lighting ensures that employees using stairways or elevators can be safe. In homes with staircases, you certainly want adequate lighting. Another tip for home or work: never use a chair as a ladder! That’s an accident just waiting to happen. If you go outside, be sure you have shoes that are safe to walk on wet sidewalks or slippery areas. Older citizens usually pay a higher price after experiencing a fall, such as a broken hip, so any time you see someone who seems to be a little unsteady, offer them your strong arm. As we said yesterday, do your best to stay upright, and avoid those messy slips, trips, and falls!
TEEN DRIVER SAFETY – NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH (JUNE 12-18)
From the time they were little kids, we have preached to our children about being careful – watch when you cross the street, don’t talk to strangers, don’t jaywalk, don’t ride your bicycle in an unsafe place, don’t be a bully, listen to your teachers, obey your parents, the list goes on and on. Everything we have told our children from the time they were toddlers was for their own safety. It is a big responsibility to teach children right from wrong, and to guide them to grow up to be responsible teens and adults.
Because science explains that the brain doesn’t fully mature until we are in our twenties, it means that some of the decisions young persons make until that time will be very important ones that will determine their safety and well-being. Teen Driver Safety Week, which is sponsored by the National Safety Council, is held each June to educate and encourage safe behaviors around the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. Motor vehicle crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens in the U.S. More teens lose their lives in motor vehicle crashes than the next three causes combined – homicide, suicide and unintentional drug overdose. They need to understand this, and also that the risk of being in a car crash is at a lifetime high in the first six to 12 months and 1,000 miles of driving. This risk can be reduced by a combination of gradual exposure to higher-risk situations and practice under parental supervision.
Parents are the key to basic safety driving skills for teens. Here are some great suggestions from State Farm Insurance to begin a good driving instruction program:
- Review the controls and features of the car. Make sure your teen knows how each one works:
- Dashboard controls;
- Steering wheel and seat adjustment;
- Mirror adjustment;
- Turn signals;
- Headlights;
- Wipers;
- Air bags and seat belts;
- Emergency lights;
- Parking brake/release;
- Starting/turning off the engine;
- Gas, brakes (especially ABS)
- Warning indicator lights on dashboard.
- The location of the registration, insurance card and manual.
I must admit I did not go over all that with our three teens. I briefly explained things to them, and then we drove on some low-traffic unpaved roads. Take your teen to an empty parking lot, and have them practice applying gas and brakes, driving straight, turning, and backing up.
This is the time to remind your teen driver to pay attention to the surroundings by (a) looking ahead and to the sides; (b) checking mirrors; (c) scanning continuously for hazards, and (d) teaching your teen to keep a clear “safety space” around the car, so there’s room to react to any hazards. The farther he or she hangs back from the vehicle in front, the better your teen will be able to see what’s ahead. Seeing better and farther provides extra time to react to changing traffic conditions.
Graduated Driver Licensing is a proven road to improving teen safety. GDL is a novice driver licensing system that is proven effective at reducing teen drivers’ high crash risk by 20-40%. States with more comprehensive GDL systems see a higher reduction in teen crashes. GDL reduces teen driver exposure to high crash risk situations, such as nighttime driving and teen passengers. This allows new drivers to build experience and skills in lower-risk situations. The three stages of GDL licensure are: 1. A learner’s permit that allows driving only while supervised by a fully licensed driver. 2. An intermediate (sometimes provisional) license that allows unsupervised driving under certain restrictions including nighttime and passenger limits. 3. A full license.
We all learn to be better drivers with experience in different situations. Today’s drivers have too many distractions; teens need to learn to put those distractions aside and focus on the main goal: getting from point A to point B in one piece. Any of us can make a wrong decision behind the wheel. Teens are at jeopardy the most. They have a unique mix of inexperience, distraction, peer pressure, and the tendency to underestimate risk.
It’s up the parents and peers to encourage safety to their teens every time they get behind the wheel. These young people have the right to take their place on the roads, we just have to help them understand the importance of keeping both themselves and other drivers safe at all times.
YOUNG WORKERS AND DISTRACTED DRIVING
When young people are new to the world of work, they bring special talents and advantages to the workplace, but may need increased protections and guidance. Occupational health and safety risks may jeopardize their well-being. They may only vaguely understand the dangers of various work situations and mistakenly be willing to take risks. This is where specialized training is required in order to keep them safe and help them realize that the real world of work has real-world hazards.
The enthusiasm that a young person brings to a job cannot be duplicated. However, their eagerness to please their supervisor may limit their judgment in certain circumstances that could result in an injury or accident. On-the-job driving is one of the tasks that older workers may handle best, until the new worker is ready. The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits workers under 18 years of age from working as a motor-vehicle driver or outside helper on any public road or highway except that 17-year-olds may drive automobiles and trucks on an incidental and occasional basis if certain criteria are met.
Not wishing to be unfair, I have seen any number of older persons distracted while driving. However, here are some facts regarding young drivers:
- In the U.S., the crash rate per mile driven for 16-to-19 year-olds is 4 times higher than the risk for older drivers.
- A total of 4,054 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Fact Sheet).
- One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age say they have texted while driving.
- One-half (50%) of all teens ages 12 to 17 say they’ve been a passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel. (Was it their parent?)
- The percentage of young drivers who text or use other hand-held electronic devices is increasing annually.
- Drivers under 20 years old had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes (16%).
- The 20-to-29 year-old age group had the next greatest proportion of distracted drivers. (Distraction.gov/stats-and-facts).
Every company should have safety policies that prohibit the use of cell phones, unless the vehicle is stopped. Cell phones should be used for company business only. This is for the safety of the driver and for everyone else on the road. Many companies will dismiss employees if they are caught texting and driving a company vehicle.
There’s a great social movement by Allstate – designed to curb distracted driving. This is on facebook and features a combination of celebrity support, online engagement, and in-person events. This integrated social media and traditional grassroots campaign is making a difference. Over 100,000 X the TXT fans are building an activist community, and saving lives, with more than 125,000 people who have taken the pledge either online or at live events not to text and drive.
These statistics are intended for everyone that drives a vehicle, not just young people:
In a study done by Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle of the University of Michigan, U.S. road fatalities dropped by 22 percent from 43,501 to 33,963, (2005 to 2009), mainly due to better use of seat belts, air bags, and a reduction in traffic because of the economy. Their studies reported, however, that federal statistics that included a code for factors involved in fatal crashes indicated a large increase in inattentive driving. Researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center calculated last October that drivers using cell phones killed 16,000 people from 2001 to 2007. In 2009, the U.S. government blamed distracted driving for 16 per cent of road deaths, or 5,800 persons. As we know, distractions can include conversations within the vehicle, eating, putting on makeup, reading, looking at the GPS, adjusting music, drinking, driving under the influence of drugs, as well as talking or texting on the cell phone.
Think about these facts the next time you hit the road. Leave the distractions at home. Turn the cell phone off and check for messages when you get to your destination. When you send your youngster to that new job, be sure he/she understands that there are many responsibilities in any job, and safe driving is a very important one.