Tag Archives: driver

General Safety Issues

DISTRACTED DRIVERS ARE DEADLY DRIVERS, Part II

Week four of National Safety Month, 2010, in the U.S. focuses on distracted drivers using cell phones.  Parts of this article were originally written for week four of National Safety Month, 2009; however, things haven’t changed very much in a year’s time.  There have probably been more persons to add to the statistics that have killed or injured by someone who was texting or using a cell phone while driving.  (On ABC News last night, it was reported that there is a 23% more risk of an accident if texting on a cell phone while driving.) Let’s hope someone out there will heed this message.
Our vehicles now have so many complex DVD players, CD players, bluetooth and satellite navigation systems that it’s a wonder we actually have time to focus on the main thing – driving!  The National Highway Transportation Highway Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers cause nearly 4 out of 5 motor vehicle crashes in the United States.  Now we get to the major culprit: cell phones.    In a survey taken by a major insurance company, almost 40% of teens and young adults admitted that they send and receive text messages while driving, and also said they hit someone while doing so, or were almost hit by another car whose driver was talking/texting on their cell phone.
In our article earlier this year, “Thank You, Oprah,” we recognized this celebrity who has convinced thousands of drivers to take the “No Phone Zone Pledge.”  If you have seen just one of her shows that features a family or person who has been affected by an accident caused by a driver using their cell phone or texting while driving, it should have convinced you to sign her pledge. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that more than 150,000 persons are injured in accidents caused by drivers either texting or talking on their cell phones each year.
The next time you get behind the wheel, think about your total commitment to safe driving.  Things that are going on in your life that might cause you to become distracted, are not worth losing your life over.  Try this:
o Turn the cell phone off.  Your messages will be on it when you arrive safely at your destination.  (In your heart, you know it’s the right thing to do!)
o Visit with your passengers without looking at them. (They can still hear you.)
o Don’t eat while driving, and of course, don’t drink alcohol while driving (it’s against the law!),
o Put your make up on before you leave the house.
o Do your reading at home, work, or the library!
o Set your entertainment or navigation systems before you start.
o Strap in the kids and hope for the best.
More and more travelers will take to the roads during the summer months.  Always stay focused on being a safe driver.  That should be your #1 priority every time you start the car.  Don’t let distractions get in your way.
Week four of National Safety Month, 2010, in the U.S. focuses on distracted drivers using cell phones.  Parts of this article were originally written for week four of National Safety Month, 2009; however, things haven’t changed very much in a year’s time.  There have probably been more persons to add to the statistics that have killed or injured by someone who was texting or using a cell phone while driving.  (On ABC News recently, it was reported that there is a 23% more risk of an accident if texting on a cell phone while driving.) Let’s hope someone out there will heed this message.
Our vehicles now have so many complex DVD players, CD players, bluetooth and satellite navigation systems that it’s a wonder we actually have time to focus on the main thing – driving!  The National Highway Transportation Highway Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers cause nearly 4 out of 5 motor vehicle crashes in the United States.  Now we get to the major culprit: cell phones.    In a survey taken by a major insurance company, almost 40% of teens and young adults admitted that they send and receive text messages while driving, and also said they hit someone while doing so, or were almost hit by another car whose driver was talking/texting on their cell phone.
In our article earlier this year, “Thank You, Oprah,” we recognized this celebrity who has convinced thousands of drivers to take the “No Phone Zone Pledge.”  If you have seen just one of her shows that features a family or person who has been affected by an accident caused by a driver using their cell phone or texting while driving, it should have convinced you to sign her pledge. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that more than 150,000 persons are injured in accidents caused by drivers either texting or talking on their cell phones each year.
The next time you get behind the wheel, think about your total commitment to safe driving.  Things that are going on in your life that might cause you to become distracted, are not worth losing your life over.  Try this:
  • Turn the cell phone off.  Your messages will be on it when you arrive safely at your destination.  (In your heart, you know it’s the right thing to do!)
  • Visit with your passengers without looking at them. (They can still hear you.)
  • Don’t eat while driving, and of course, don’t drink alcohol while driving (it’s against the law!),
  • Put your make up on before you leave the house.
  • Do your reading at home, work, or the library!
  • Set your entertainment or navigation systems before you start.
  • Strap in the kids and hope for the best.
More and more travelers will take to the roads during the summer months.  Always stay focused on being a safe driver.  That should be your #1 priority every time you start the car.  Don’t let distractions get in your way.
General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…..

I just can’t wait to get on the road again!  Let me tell you why: as I am working my way down the list of “dangerous jobs”, truck drivers have one of the highest fatality rates among risky occupations.  Truck driving statistics show that 30 out of every 100,000 drivers die each year.  This statistic includes those driving buses and other large vehicles, as well.

So, the next time I drive down the highway, I will be more careful than usual.  My reason: reports show that many of the accidents that trucks are involved in are caused by other drivers’ recklessness.  Seventy per cent of truckers who crash do so because someone else got in their way.

The FMCSA has a “Share the Road Safely” website that explains how car drivers, motorcycle riders, and other vehicles can make our highways safer by creating a better highway situation with the larger vehicles on the roads.

Here are some of their suggestions:

  • Pay attention to the road. Stay off your cell phone.
  • When passing a truck, don’t pull in front of the truck until you can see it in your rear view mirror.
  • Do not misjudge the truck’s speed at an intersection.
  • Don’t drive between trucks.
  • When you pull into oncoming traffic and see a truck coming, be sure you have room to accelerate sufficiently.
  • Realize that when you are involved in a crash with a large truck, your chances of survival are low.
  • Be careful when you see a truck is making a right turn.  It needs more space to complete the turn.  Most trucks have that warning sticker on the back of the truck.
  • Trucks have “No Zones”, areas behind and beside the truck where the driver has limited or zero visibility.  You must be aware of this and keep yourself at a safe distance.

Big trucks are very intimidating.  Maneuvering those large vehicles can’t be easy; have you ever looked inside an 18-wheeler? The instrument panels and controls are pretty scary to a novice.  Most truck drivers are very skilled and extremely patient.  But when they need to stop their vehicle, it takes more time than a car.  That is why you must not risk causing them to have to stop abruptly.

There are many other reasons that truck drivers experience accidents: inadequate training, not enough sleep, fatigue, driving at night, and dangerous driving conditions, such as inclement weather.  Truck drivers are required to follow the regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association, which designates the HoS (hours of service) they may drive within each shift.

The next time you go to the store, think about how many different types of trucks brought the goods that you need for your family.  Let’s help them “keep on truckin” by driving safely ourselves!