The National Safety Commission Alerts
Safety is No Accident
Monday, January 05, 2009
How Florida Driving School Works
If you are reading this, you are probably like a lot of normally safe drivers who have gone years without receiving a traffic ticket. Unfortunately, you slipped up and a few moments of inattention resulted in your receiving a Florida traffic ticket. You have probably heard about driving school but are wondering if it is really necessary in your case. Why not just pay the ticket and hope you’ll go for a long time without receiving one again? Before you make your decision, let’s take a look at what Florida Driving Schools are really all about.
First we’ll take a look at the advantages you receive by attending a Florida certified driving school. By electing to attend driving school:
• No points are assessed against your traffic record. This is very important as multiple tickets can and ultimately result in a suspended license.
• Your insurance company is prevented, under Florida law, from increasing your rates as the result of the traffic ticket. The only exception to this is if you were at fault in a collision and your insurance company had to pay out as a result.
• You keep your Safe Driving Status. Important when trying to keep your future insurance rates low and Safe Drivers don’t have to renew their Florida Driver’s License as often.
• By electing to attend driving school, you reduce your traffic fine by 18%.
So those are the advantages, now let’s take a look at the options you have.
• On-line courses. On-line courses are a great advantage for those who feel they are too busy to attend a driving school in person. You can log on from your home or work computer and complete the course according to your schedule. You have the option of stopping and picking up again from where you left off until you complete the four hour course. This is the most convenience way for you to attend driving school.
• Video/DVD courses. If you don’t have a computer, these courses still allow you to take the course from home on your schedule by watching a video and answering questions in an enclosed packet that you mail back to the school.
• Classroom courses. Even in this modern electronic age, a lot of people still find it preferable to attend a four hour class conducted by a trained instructor. This method of taking the classroom course requires you to travel to they physical location and may not meet your busy schedule.
Under Florida law, you can attend a driving school once in a year and five times in a ten year period.
One advantage that hasn’t been mentioned is that, by electing to attend a certified four hour Florida driving school you will learn to look at your driving behaviors in a new way and will hopefully become a safer driver and not get any more traffic tickets.
For more information on traffic schools visit our web site at: http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/dmv-approved.html
First we’ll take a look at the advantages you receive by attending a Florida certified driving school. By electing to attend driving school:
• No points are assessed against your traffic record. This is very important as multiple tickets can and ultimately result in a suspended license.
• Your insurance company is prevented, under Florida law, from increasing your rates as the result of the traffic ticket. The only exception to this is if you were at fault in a collision and your insurance company had to pay out as a result.
• You keep your Safe Driving Status. Important when trying to keep your future insurance rates low and Safe Drivers don’t have to renew their Florida Driver’s License as often.
• By electing to attend driving school, you reduce your traffic fine by 18%.
So those are the advantages, now let’s take a look at the options you have.
• On-line courses. On-line courses are a great advantage for those who feel they are too busy to attend a driving school in person. You can log on from your home or work computer and complete the course according to your schedule. You have the option of stopping and picking up again from where you left off until you complete the four hour course. This is the most convenience way for you to attend driving school.
• Video/DVD courses. If you don’t have a computer, these courses still allow you to take the course from home on your schedule by watching a video and answering questions in an enclosed packet that you mail back to the school.
• Classroom courses. Even in this modern electronic age, a lot of people still find it preferable to attend a four hour class conducted by a trained instructor. This method of taking the classroom course requires you to travel to they physical location and may not meet your busy schedule.
Under Florida law, you can attend a driving school once in a year and five times in a ten year period.
One advantage that hasn’t been mentioned is that, by electing to attend a certified four hour Florida driving school you will learn to look at your driving behaviors in a new way and will hopefully become a safer driver and not get any more traffic tickets.
For more information on traffic schools visit our web site at: http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/dmv-approved.html
Labels: Driving School, Driving School online, florida certified driving school, florida driver improvement course, Florida online driving school
New Data Reveals Record Low Annual Highway Fatalities
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters Says Nation’s Roads Safer Than Ever
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters recently reported that the number of people killed in automobile crashes is expected to reach a new record low in 2008. The first 10 months of this year show a nearly 10 percent drop in highway traffic deaths.
Secretary Peters made the announcement in Kansas City where she also outlined important safety standards that have been achieved across all areas of transportation.
“Our focus on safety – from our highways, railways, seaways and airways – has led to one of the safest periods in our nation’s transportation history,” said Secretary Peters. “Every American can be more confident than ever they will arrive at their destination safe and sound.”
According to Secretary Peters, the new fatality data marks the first time the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can project fatality figures before the end of the calendar year. Using new electronic data gathering methods, the Department is making projections in almost real time to “give safety professionals the data they need to keep motorists safe,” the Secretary said.
Early 2008 estimates show that 31,110 people perished on U.S. roads from January through October, compared to 34,502 in 2007 during that same 10-month time period. What’s more, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicles miles traveled for the first nine months of 2008 is 1.28, compared to 1.37 for 2007.
“For the second year in a row we are seeing historic lows in deaths on our nation’s roads,” said Secretary Peters. “While we are encouraged by these declines, our work is not nearly complete in making our safe transportation network even safer.”
NHTSA collects annual crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to create annual reports on traffic fatality trends. The agency will be updating 2008 estimates regularly as more data becomes available. The final counts for 2008 will be made available in the summer of 2009. To view the preliminary fatality statistics visit: http://nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/RNotes/2008/811054.pdf
For more information on important transportation safety benchmarks in the United States, please visit: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/SafetyFactSheet.htm
Is your teen a safe driver? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has developed a new Teen Injury Prevention course to emphasize driving safety for teenagers. For more information, including a Driver Education a Driver Education Book for Parents, visit www.safedriver.com.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters recently reported that the number of people killed in automobile crashes is expected to reach a new record low in 2008. The first 10 months of this year show a nearly 10 percent drop in highway traffic deaths.
Secretary Peters made the announcement in Kansas City where she also outlined important safety standards that have been achieved across all areas of transportation.
“Our focus on safety – from our highways, railways, seaways and airways – has led to one of the safest periods in our nation’s transportation history,” said Secretary Peters. “Every American can be more confident than ever they will arrive at their destination safe and sound.”
According to Secretary Peters, the new fatality data marks the first time the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can project fatality figures before the end of the calendar year. Using new electronic data gathering methods, the Department is making projections in almost real time to “give safety professionals the data they need to keep motorists safe,” the Secretary said.
Early 2008 estimates show that 31,110 people perished on U.S. roads from January through October, compared to 34,502 in 2007 during that same 10-month time period. What’s more, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicles miles traveled for the first nine months of 2008 is 1.28, compared to 1.37 for 2007.
“For the second year in a row we are seeing historic lows in deaths on our nation’s roads,” said Secretary Peters. “While we are encouraged by these declines, our work is not nearly complete in making our safe transportation network even safer.”
NHTSA collects annual crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to create annual reports on traffic fatality trends. The agency will be updating 2008 estimates regularly as more data becomes available. The final counts for 2008 will be made available in the summer of 2009. To view the preliminary fatality statistics visit: http://nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/NCSA/Content/RNotes/2008/811054.pdf
For more information on important transportation safety benchmarks in the United States, please visit: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/SafetyFactSheet.htm
Is your teen a safe driver? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has developed a new Teen Injury Prevention course to emphasize driving safety for teenagers. For more information, including a Driver Education a Driver Education Book for Parents, visit www.safedriver.com.
Labels: auto fatalities, highway
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
There’s No Such Thing As A Motor Vehicle Accident
Well, rarely anyways. What; am I crazy or something? Of course there are motor vehicle accidents every day. In 2006, there were almost 6 million. Those weren’t accidents. Let me explain.
Accidents are something over which we have no control. Lightning strikes and tornadoes are accidents but, with extremely rare exceptions, motor vehicle collisions are never an accident. Drivers make choices all the time and, unfortunately, not all of those choices are good ones. . When a driver makes a choice to try to beat a light, to tailgate, to speed, or even just to allow their mind to drift away from the very important business of concentrating on driving, those conscious choices can and often do lead to trouble. Those bad choices all too often set in motion a chain of events that ends in a crash or a collision. Since the driver made the choice to do those things, the results are never an accident. Accidents, remember, are things over which we have no control.
I’m not saying that an event beyond the control of a driver can’t lead to an accidental crash. I once heard the story of a man driving in Florida when a great blue heron flying overhead apparently died of a heart attack and crashed into and shattered this man’s windshield. The shock of his windshield suddenly exploding caused him to lose control whereupon; he promptly took out a mailbox. That was an accident but something like that is extremely rare.
As drivers, we constantly make choices. We choose to obey the traffic laws, or not. We choose to concentrate on our driving or allow ourselves to be distracted. Either way, our choices lead to actions which can result in a traffic collision. Of course, from the perspective of the innocent victim of a traffic collision, someone who was driving safely through a green light when he was hit by a red light runner, or someone who was sideswiped by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, these are considered accidents. From their perspective it was unavoidable but, from the perspective of the driver who chose to run the red light, or ignored the symptoms of drowsy driving, it was not an accident at all. It was a deliberate act.
When we become involved in a vehicle collision, we always seem to want to blame someone or something else. However if you look closely at the events leading up to the collision you will see that every action leading up to the collision came about because of the conscious choices of the driver responsible for the collision. In some cases the crash came about because of poor choices made by both the drivers involved.
No one else can make us do the things we do unless they are holding a gun to our head or somehow threatening us with physical harm. Without a threat of that nature, everything we do is a choice. We choose to obey our boss and complete the project on time or we choose to slack off and risk the consequence of being fired. It is easy to blame our actions on other people or on events outside our control but, in truth, we still make the choice. Even when nature creates conditions beyond our control, such as heavy rain or fog, we still have the choice to slow down and become more vigilant or get off the road entirely. When unexpected traffic tie-ups make us late, we have the choice to accept the conditions as they are or to speed, weave in and out of lanes, or run red lights to make up time. As adults, the choices we make can’t be blamed on anyone or anything else.
So, as you can see, with extremely rare exceptions, there is no such thing as a motor vehicle accident; only motor vehicle crashes brought about by poor decision making.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Accidents are something over which we have no control. Lightning strikes and tornadoes are accidents but, with extremely rare exceptions, motor vehicle collisions are never an accident. Drivers make choices all the time and, unfortunately, not all of those choices are good ones. . When a driver makes a choice to try to beat a light, to tailgate, to speed, or even just to allow their mind to drift away from the very important business of concentrating on driving, those conscious choices can and often do lead to trouble. Those bad choices all too often set in motion a chain of events that ends in a crash or a collision. Since the driver made the choice to do those things, the results are never an accident. Accidents, remember, are things over which we have no control.
I’m not saying that an event beyond the control of a driver can’t lead to an accidental crash. I once heard the story of a man driving in Florida when a great blue heron flying overhead apparently died of a heart attack and crashed into and shattered this man’s windshield. The shock of his windshield suddenly exploding caused him to lose control whereupon; he promptly took out a mailbox. That was an accident but something like that is extremely rare.
As drivers, we constantly make choices. We choose to obey the traffic laws, or not. We choose to concentrate on our driving or allow ourselves to be distracted. Either way, our choices lead to actions which can result in a traffic collision. Of course, from the perspective of the innocent victim of a traffic collision, someone who was driving safely through a green light when he was hit by a red light runner, or someone who was sideswiped by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel, these are considered accidents. From their perspective it was unavoidable but, from the perspective of the driver who chose to run the red light, or ignored the symptoms of drowsy driving, it was not an accident at all. It was a deliberate act.
When we become involved in a vehicle collision, we always seem to want to blame someone or something else. However if you look closely at the events leading up to the collision you will see that every action leading up to the collision came about because of the conscious choices of the driver responsible for the collision. In some cases the crash came about because of poor choices made by both the drivers involved.
No one else can make us do the things we do unless they are holding a gun to our head or somehow threatening us with physical harm. Without a threat of that nature, everything we do is a choice. We choose to obey our boss and complete the project on time or we choose to slack off and risk the consequence of being fired. It is easy to blame our actions on other people or on events outside our control but, in truth, we still make the choice. Even when nature creates conditions beyond our control, such as heavy rain or fog, we still have the choice to slow down and become more vigilant or get off the road entirely. When unexpected traffic tie-ups make us late, we have the choice to accept the conditions as they are or to speed, weave in and out of lanes, or run red lights to make up time. As adults, the choices we make can’t be blamed on anyone or anything else.
So, as you can see, with extremely rare exceptions, there is no such thing as a motor vehicle accident; only motor vehicle crashes brought about by poor decision making.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Labels: auto accidents, driving safety, motor vehicle accidents, motor vehicle crashes
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Driving Decline Reaches Record
U.S. Drivers Log 100 Billion Fewer Miles Last Year
Despite a drop gas prices, drivers recorded 9 billion fewer miles on the nation's roads in October, suggesting the driving downturn that began a year ago is caused by more than just energy costs.
Recently released Federal Highway Administration data reveals the number of miles driven dropped 3.5 percent in October compared with the same month in 2007. Between November 2007, when the driving decline commenced, and October, U.S. drivers logged 100 billion fewer miles. The nation has never experienced a larger continuous decline in driving.
According to the Energy Information Administration, gas prices averaged $3.15 a gallon in October, down from a high of $4.09 in July.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said, "The fact that the trend persists even as gas prices are dropping confirms that America's travel habits are fundamentally changing."
The data show that a block of eight states and Washington, D.C. - the South Atlantic - experienced the largest decline in October of any region, 5 percent fewer vehicle miles. The 8.4 percent driving decline in Montana was the largest of any state, followed by Utah with 7.4 percent, and South Carolina with 6.7 percent.
The driving data is collected by highway administration from more than 4,000 automatic traffic recorders operated around-the-clock by state highway agencies.
Subways, buses, commuter rail and light-rail systems have reported record increases in ridership since the driving decline began. The nation's intercity passenger railroad, Amtrak, said it transported the highest number of passengers and brought in the most revenue during fiscal 2008 in its 37-year history.
David Goldberg, a spokesman for Transportation for America, a coalition of groups pressing for more alternatives to driving, said the economic crisis is likely an important factor in the driving decline.
"We regularly see fewer trips being made in economic downturns," Goldberg said. "I think when we probe these numbers we'll find that a lot of people have figured out how to telework or how to go into the office fewer days. And having experienced that and made that work, I think they'll continue to save the money and the time and effort and reduce some of those trips."
Peters expressed concern that the decline in driving is creating a gap between federal gas tax revenues and the government's commitments to fund state and local highway construction and repair projects. To cover an expected shortfall in the fund, Congress made an emergency infusion of $8 billion earlier this year from the general treasury.
"As driving decreases and vehicle fuel efficiency continues to improve, the long-term viability of the Highway Trust Fund grows weaker," Peters said.
According to federal safety officials, auto fatalities dropped almost 10 percent in 2008 through October, a trend that is no doubt influenced by the driving decline.
Along with motor vehicle safety, driver education helps ensure the safety of Americans. Whether you're getting your Commercial Drivers License, your Learner's Permit, or your Motorcycle License, America's Driver's License Headquarters is TestQuestionsandAnswers.com.
Despite a drop gas prices, drivers recorded 9 billion fewer miles on the nation's roads in October, suggesting the driving downturn that began a year ago is caused by more than just energy costs.
Recently released Federal Highway Administration data reveals the number of miles driven dropped 3.5 percent in October compared with the same month in 2007. Between November 2007, when the driving decline commenced, and October, U.S. drivers logged 100 billion fewer miles. The nation has never experienced a larger continuous decline in driving.
According to the Energy Information Administration, gas prices averaged $3.15 a gallon in October, down from a high of $4.09 in July.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said, "The fact that the trend persists even as gas prices are dropping confirms that America's travel habits are fundamentally changing."
The data show that a block of eight states and Washington, D.C. - the South Atlantic - experienced the largest decline in October of any region, 5 percent fewer vehicle miles. The 8.4 percent driving decline in Montana was the largest of any state, followed by Utah with 7.4 percent, and South Carolina with 6.7 percent.
The driving data is collected by highway administration from more than 4,000 automatic traffic recorders operated around-the-clock by state highway agencies.
Subways, buses, commuter rail and light-rail systems have reported record increases in ridership since the driving decline began. The nation's intercity passenger railroad, Amtrak, said it transported the highest number of passengers and brought in the most revenue during fiscal 2008 in its 37-year history.
David Goldberg, a spokesman for Transportation for America, a coalition of groups pressing for more alternatives to driving, said the economic crisis is likely an important factor in the driving decline.
"We regularly see fewer trips being made in economic downturns," Goldberg said. "I think when we probe these numbers we'll find that a lot of people have figured out how to telework or how to go into the office fewer days. And having experienced that and made that work, I think they'll continue to save the money and the time and effort and reduce some of those trips."
Peters expressed concern that the decline in driving is creating a gap between federal gas tax revenues and the government's commitments to fund state and local highway construction and repair projects. To cover an expected shortfall in the fund, Congress made an emergency infusion of $8 billion earlier this year from the general treasury.
"As driving decreases and vehicle fuel efficiency continues to improve, the long-term viability of the Highway Trust Fund grows weaker," Peters said.
According to federal safety officials, auto fatalities dropped almost 10 percent in 2008 through October, a trend that is no doubt influenced by the driving decline.
Along with motor vehicle safety, driver education helps ensure the safety of Americans. Whether you're getting your Commercial Drivers License, your Learner's Permit, or your Motorcycle License, America's Driver's License Headquarters is TestQuestionsandAnswers.com.
Labels: auto fatalities, driving, traffic safety
Friday, December 19, 2008
Aggressive Drivers And The Physics Of A Car Crash
In my last article I mentioned that aggressive drivers seem to concentrate on what they feel are unreasonable and unfair traffic laws passed by the state but forget that there are physical laws that come into play when they are driving that they can’t break no matter how hard they try. In this article we are going to take a closer look at those laws and how they come into play in a car crash.
Now this article involves a little math and I flunked high school algebra (twice) so instead of trying to do the math myself, I found a calculator online that I will share with you so you can check the figures yourself.
Let’s take the scenario of an aggressive driver driving at 40 mph (in a 30 mph zone) who chooses to run a red light (he will try to say the light was yellow and he didn’t have time to stop). Meanwhile another driver traveling at the posted speed limit enters the intersection on the green light.
Now the first thing we have to consider is how many feet per second the two cars are traveling. The aggressive driver going at 40 mph is covering 58.8 feet per second (fps). The other driver going 30 mph is covering 44 fps. That means that the speed at which they are approaching each other is 70 mph or 102.9 fps.
The average driver’s reaction time is 3/4 of a second. That is how long it takes for them to realize there is a problem ahead. They still have to decide what to do and then act on their decision so, taking the aggressive driver’s lightning fast reactions into account, we will assume that it takes him 1.25 seconds before his foot actually hits the brake. In that time he has traveled 73.5 feet.
Now Newton’s laws of motion come into effect. The first law says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. Simply put, you can’t stop a 3,000 pound car traveling at 40 mph instantly. It will take about 120 feet before his car can be brought to a complete stop. The other driver is also trying to stop so let’s assume both cars slow by 10 mph to 30 and 20 mph (50 mph closure speed) before the crash.
Using the calculator I found at http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/carcr.html#cc2 considering that both cars weigh approximately 3,000 pounds (6,000 pounds combined), the collision force will look like this:
Weight - 6,000 lbs
Speed - 50 mph
Crash Force - 501,779 lbs
or
Crash Force - 250 tons
Let’s take it further and assume that one of the passengers is a girl who weighs 100 pounds. Unfortunately she wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Newton’s laws again come into play and the force of her body hitting the dashboard looks like this:
Weight - 100 lbs
Speed - 30 mph
Crash Force - 3,010 lbs
or
Crash Force - 1.5 tons
The greater the speed, the less time the driver has to react and the greater the collision forces will be. The aggressive driver’s driving skills and lightning fast reflexes don’t even come into play here. To see the approximate results of this crash click here: http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2008/05/large_051208crashLML1.JPG
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Now this article involves a little math and I flunked high school algebra (twice) so instead of trying to do the math myself, I found a calculator online that I will share with you so you can check the figures yourself.
Let’s take the scenario of an aggressive driver driving at 40 mph (in a 30 mph zone) who chooses to run a red light (he will try to say the light was yellow and he didn’t have time to stop). Meanwhile another driver traveling at the posted speed limit enters the intersection on the green light.
Now the first thing we have to consider is how many feet per second the two cars are traveling. The aggressive driver going at 40 mph is covering 58.8 feet per second (fps). The other driver going 30 mph is covering 44 fps. That means that the speed at which they are approaching each other is 70 mph or 102.9 fps.
The average driver’s reaction time is 3/4 of a second. That is how long it takes for them to realize there is a problem ahead. They still have to decide what to do and then act on their decision so, taking the aggressive driver’s lightning fast reactions into account, we will assume that it takes him 1.25 seconds before his foot actually hits the brake. In that time he has traveled 73.5 feet.
Now Newton’s laws of motion come into effect. The first law says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. Simply put, you can’t stop a 3,000 pound car traveling at 40 mph instantly. It will take about 120 feet before his car can be brought to a complete stop. The other driver is also trying to stop so let’s assume both cars slow by 10 mph to 30 and 20 mph (50 mph closure speed) before the crash.
Using the calculator I found at http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/carcr.html#cc2 considering that both cars weigh approximately 3,000 pounds (6,000 pounds combined), the collision force will look like this:
Weight - 6,000 lbs
Speed - 50 mph
Crash Force - 501,779 lbs
or
Crash Force - 250 tons
Let’s take it further and assume that one of the passengers is a girl who weighs 100 pounds. Unfortunately she wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Newton’s laws again come into play and the force of her body hitting the dashboard looks like this:
Weight - 100 lbs
Speed - 30 mph
Crash Force - 3,010 lbs
or
Crash Force - 1.5 tons
The greater the speed, the less time the driver has to react and the greater the collision forces will be. The aggressive driver’s driving skills and lightning fast reflexes don’t even come into play here. To see the approximate results of this crash click here: http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2008/05/large_051208crashLML1.JPG
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
The Difference Between Road Rage And Aggressive Driving, Chapter II
In the first article of this series we discussed the difference between aggressive drivers and drivers who have been somehow pushed over a psychological tipping point into a fit of rage so great that they try to harm another driver. In this article we are going to look at aggressive driving by itself.
Every state has recognized that aggressive driving is a major problem and has taken steps to deal with it. While state laws may differ slightly, the following is a generic list of traffic infractions that will lead to a driver being labeled as an aggressive driver if he or she commits two or more of them at the same time or close together:
• Exceeding the posted speed.
• Unsafely or improperly changing lanes.
• Following another vehicle too closely.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way.
• Improperly passing.
• Violating traffic control and signal devices.
Obviously each of these offenses by themselves can be dangerous and two or more combined increase the danger.
It looks like someone who is doing all of that might be in a fit of rage but these actions by themselves are not road rage; they are just bad driving. The problem with aggressive drivers is that most aggressive drivers feel their driving behaviors are perfectly reasonable. They feel they are good drivers with lightning fast reflexes who are in complete control of their vehicles at all times. It’s just that the laws are written too strictly so the state can make extra money and other “bad” drivers don’t understand how to drive properly and get in the way.
The problem is that they concentrate on the laws passed by the state and seem to forget the laws of physics that have an even greater impact on their driving. They forget that their vehicle is traveling so many feet per second for every mile per hour that they drive (for example: at 40 mph you are covering more than 58 feet per second). In the 1.5 seconds it takes for them to react and move their foot to the brake they have traveled 87 feet before their car even begins to slow. Driving at a high rate of speed reduces the time a driver has to react to a situation.
The other laws they seem to forget are the laws of motion. Newton’s first law of motion (inertia) says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. No matter how fast they imagine their reflexes are, it takes time to bring a 3,000 pound car to a stop. On average, at 40 mph, it takes up to 120 feet to bring a car to a complete stop.
Another problem common to aggressive drivers is that they assume too much about other drivers. They don’t expect the driver they are tailgating to stop for no reason or they hope that they can get through that red light before another driver legally enters the intersection. When lane weaving, they don’t expect another car to enter the lane at the same time. Assumptions can be deadly.
In the next article, we’ll take a more in depth look at the physics involved in a car crash.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Every state has recognized that aggressive driving is a major problem and has taken steps to deal with it. While state laws may differ slightly, the following is a generic list of traffic infractions that will lead to a driver being labeled as an aggressive driver if he or she commits two or more of them at the same time or close together:
• Exceeding the posted speed.
• Unsafely or improperly changing lanes.
• Following another vehicle too closely.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way.
• Improperly passing.
• Violating traffic control and signal devices.
Obviously each of these offenses by themselves can be dangerous and two or more combined increase the danger.
It looks like someone who is doing all of that might be in a fit of rage but these actions by themselves are not road rage; they are just bad driving. The problem with aggressive drivers is that most aggressive drivers feel their driving behaviors are perfectly reasonable. They feel they are good drivers with lightning fast reflexes who are in complete control of their vehicles at all times. It’s just that the laws are written too strictly so the state can make extra money and other “bad” drivers don’t understand how to drive properly and get in the way.
The problem is that they concentrate on the laws passed by the state and seem to forget the laws of physics that have an even greater impact on their driving. They forget that their vehicle is traveling so many feet per second for every mile per hour that they drive (for example: at 40 mph you are covering more than 58 feet per second). In the 1.5 seconds it takes for them to react and move their foot to the brake they have traveled 87 feet before their car even begins to slow. Driving at a high rate of speed reduces the time a driver has to react to a situation.
The other laws they seem to forget are the laws of motion. Newton’s first law of motion (inertia) says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. No matter how fast they imagine their reflexes are, it takes time to bring a 3,000 pound car to a stop. On average, at 40 mph, it takes up to 120 feet to bring a car to a complete stop.
Another problem common to aggressive drivers is that they assume too much about other drivers. They don’t expect the driver they are tailgating to stop for no reason or they hope that they can get through that red light before another driver legally enters the intersection. When lane weaving, they don’t expect another car to enter the lane at the same time. Assumptions can be deadly.
In the next article, we’ll take a more in depth look at the physics involved in a car crash.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Labels: aggressive driving, driving safety, road rage
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Research Reveals Hands-Free Cell Phones Are No Safer Than Hand-Held Phones
AAA Study Shows Both a Risk to Driver Safety
A recently-released study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that two-thirds of Americans who drive while talking on cell phones believe it is safer to use a hands-free cell phone than to drive while holding a device. But scientific research proves that is simply not true.
Studies that have examined the cell phone records of crash-involved drivers have revealed that as the number of cell phone subscribers and percentage of drivers using cell phones increases, using a cell phone while driving makes you four times as susceptible to be involved in a crash.
"Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which could be a deadly mistake," said Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation President and CEO. "Evidence shows that using a hands-free phone while driving impairs your reaction time to critical events and increases your crash risk about the same as if you were using a hand-held phone. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving and pay full attention while they are behind the wheel."
Two recent AAA Foundation surveys of the U.S. drivers discovered that:
Over half of U.S. drivers admit to using a cell phone while driving.
• In one survey, 53% of drivers admitted to using a cell phone while driving at least occasionally in the previous month; in the other survey, 61% admitted the same. In both surveys, one in six even said that it’s a regular practice.
• While driving and talking on a cell phone, 60% used a hand-held device and 34% talked into a hands-free phone.
One in seven even admitted to driving while text messaging in the past 30 days.
• Young drivers text messaged overwhelmingly more than older drivers, and talked on cell phones more while driving. For example, almost 50% of drivers ages 18 to 24 said they text while driving at least occasionally, as compared to less than five percent of those ages 45 and older.
A large percentage admit they at least occasionally talk on a cell phone while driving despite their belief that drivers using cell phones are a serious traffic safety problem.
Although cell phone laws vary from state to state, no state has banned all cell phone use by drivers. Hand-held cell phone use by drivers is banned in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington and the District of Columbia. There are states that ban all cell phone usage while driving for particular groups of drivers, such as teens (18 states and D.C.) or school bus drivers, except in emergency situations (17 states and D.C.). Laws that specifically ban text messaging while driving are in effect in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington State.
"Given the trouble new teen drivers have managing distractions and making safe driving decisions, AAA encourages all states to enact laws banning teens from using any wireless device while driving," said Kathleen Marvaso, Vice President of Public Affairs for AAA. "Texting while driving poses even greater safety concerns than cell phone use due to the time involved looking away from the road, and should also be made illegal for drivers of all ages. Even if a state does not have a law banning these sorts of distracting activities, drivers should focus on safe driving at all times."
To curtail this behavior, state legislatures and local governments are pressing for more, and stricter, laws. In 2008, hand-held banning bills were debated in 30 states. Jurisdictions with handheld phone bans include: Chicago, Ill.; Brookline, Mass.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Detroit, Mich.; Brooklyn, North Olmstead, and Walton Hills, Ohio; and Conshohocken, Lebanon, and West Conshohocken, Pa. No state or locality has banned all driver cell phone use, but in 2008 bills were considered in six state legislatures. In 2008, legislation that would ban text messaging while driving was considered in 26 cities, including Phoenix, Ariz., Chicago, Ill., and Detroit, Mich. having passed local ordinances banning the dangerous practice.
"Young drivers face an array of potentially deadly challenges behind the wheel," said Kissinger. "Parents should ensure cell phone use while driving, whether hands-free or not, isn't added to the list of distractions at this critical time for new drivers."
Is your teen a safe driver? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has developed a new Teen Injury Prevention course to emphasize driving safety for teenagers. For more information, including a Driver Education a Driver Education Book for Parents, visit http://www.safedriver.com/.
A recently-released study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that two-thirds of Americans who drive while talking on cell phones believe it is safer to use a hands-free cell phone than to drive while holding a device. But scientific research proves that is simply not true.
Studies that have examined the cell phone records of crash-involved drivers have revealed that as the number of cell phone subscribers and percentage of drivers using cell phones increases, using a cell phone while driving makes you four times as susceptible to be involved in a crash.
"Too many Americans are driving with the false sense of security that hands-free devices are somehow safer, which could be a deadly mistake," said Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation President and CEO. "Evidence shows that using a hands-free phone while driving impairs your reaction time to critical events and increases your crash risk about the same as if you were using a hand-held phone. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving and pay full attention while they are behind the wheel."
Two recent AAA Foundation surveys of the U.S. drivers discovered that:
Over half of U.S. drivers admit to using a cell phone while driving.
• In one survey, 53% of drivers admitted to using a cell phone while driving at least occasionally in the previous month; in the other survey, 61% admitted the same. In both surveys, one in six even said that it’s a regular practice.
• While driving and talking on a cell phone, 60% used a hand-held device and 34% talked into a hands-free phone.
One in seven even admitted to driving while text messaging in the past 30 days.
• Young drivers text messaged overwhelmingly more than older drivers, and talked on cell phones more while driving. For example, almost 50% of drivers ages 18 to 24 said they text while driving at least occasionally, as compared to less than five percent of those ages 45 and older.
A large percentage admit they at least occasionally talk on a cell phone while driving despite their belief that drivers using cell phones are a serious traffic safety problem.
Although cell phone laws vary from state to state, no state has banned all cell phone use by drivers. Hand-held cell phone use by drivers is banned in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington and the District of Columbia. There are states that ban all cell phone usage while driving for particular groups of drivers, such as teens (18 states and D.C.) or school bus drivers, except in emergency situations (17 states and D.C.). Laws that specifically ban text messaging while driving are in effect in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington State.
"Given the trouble new teen drivers have managing distractions and making safe driving decisions, AAA encourages all states to enact laws banning teens from using any wireless device while driving," said Kathleen Marvaso, Vice President of Public Affairs for AAA. "Texting while driving poses even greater safety concerns than cell phone use due to the time involved looking away from the road, and should also be made illegal for drivers of all ages. Even if a state does not have a law banning these sorts of distracting activities, drivers should focus on safe driving at all times."
To curtail this behavior, state legislatures and local governments are pressing for more, and stricter, laws. In 2008, hand-held banning bills were debated in 30 states. Jurisdictions with handheld phone bans include: Chicago, Ill.; Brookline, Mass.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Detroit, Mich.; Brooklyn, North Olmstead, and Walton Hills, Ohio; and Conshohocken, Lebanon, and West Conshohocken, Pa. No state or locality has banned all driver cell phone use, but in 2008 bills were considered in six state legislatures. In 2008, legislation that would ban text messaging while driving was considered in 26 cities, including Phoenix, Ariz., Chicago, Ill., and Detroit, Mich. having passed local ordinances banning the dangerous practice.
"Young drivers face an array of potentially deadly challenges behind the wheel," said Kissinger. "Parents should ensure cell phone use while driving, whether hands-free or not, isn't added to the list of distractions at this critical time for new drivers."
Is your teen a safe driver? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has developed a new Teen Injury Prevention course to emphasize driving safety for teenagers. For more information, including a Driver Education a Driver Education Book for Parents, visit http://www.safedriver.com/.
