UDrive. UText. UPay.
March 31, 2014
Beginning April 1st, Distracted Driver Awareness Month kicks off and police will be on the look out for distracted drivers, especially those texting while driving. See the full story here:
How Indiana Reduced Teen Driving Accidents
March 30, 2014
In Indiana, the Graduated Driver Licensing program was implemented in 2009. This delayed teens from getting their licenses by requiring them to wait at least six months after their 16th birthday to get a probationary license, which gradually exposed them to the dangers of driving by setting limits on nighttime driving, passengers and cell phone use.
Since then, there has been a 20% drop in the number of teen driver accidents in the state. The Daily Journal reported the number of fatalities among young drivers fell from 173 from 2004 to 2006, down to 127 by 2013.
Houston’s Pro-Cyclist City Plan
March 26, 2014
Houston has taken a huge step towards improving bicycle safety. “By working together we can become one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the nation,” Mayor Annise Parker said in a press release. That’s big news for a big city that isn’t known for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure. However, city officials and safe-biking activists have collaborated to create plan that just might work.
Dubbed “Goal Zero”, the improved safety plan includes stepping up enforcement and penalties for reckless drivers and cyclists, and launching a public awareness campaign that could integrate with the drivers license test. Additionally, the city is dedicating $50,000 to hire a firm that will create a Bicycle Management Plan to help guide future infrastructure and recommend locations for dedicated bike lanes on Houston streets.
No matter what city you are in, respecting and sharing the road with cyclists is vital to ensuring everyone’s safety. Give cyclists plenty of room, pass with care and don’t ever, ever drive distracted.
Selfies on the Road? Seriously?
March 24, 2014
The selfie craze has made it onto our roadways. As if distracted driving weren’t already an epidemic, selfie-obsessed drivers admit to snapping photos of themselves while behind the wheel. See the full story here:
Lolly Hailed as School Bus All-star
March 24, 2014
Meet the Lebron James of school bus driving: Kathleen “Lolly” Smith. She’s trained hundreds of school bus drivers, won numerous awards and exemplified school bus safety for the past 40 years. Read her full story here:
Distracted Driving and Hands-Free Phones
March 20, 2014
Cell phones have come a long way in our lifetime. They have transformed from a simple communication device into something far more complicated, and far more dangerous when combined with a car.
Hands-free solutions don’t necessarily solve the problem, either. There are speaker phones, wired headsets, Bluetooth connections, FM transmitters and full in-car integration systems now available. However, studies show that hands-free cell phone users are still more likely to become distracted while driving. No, it’s best to just put the phone away and enjoy the drive.
Siri Vs. Safety
March 16, 2014
Apple’s favorite femme-bot, Siri, may help prevent distracted driving in future cars. Or, she may help promote it. There’s two sides to every story, and in this case it’s Apple versus the safety experts.
Apple revealed its new CarPlay technology at a recent auto show – a sort of auto app that integrates smartphone technology with the common car’s center-stack controls. In the Volvo, for example, the vertical center touch screen is transformed into an enlarged copy of the iPhone, with digital climate controls on either side. The essential driving apps are all there for you – including music, maps, podcasts and third-party music streaming – and the ever-present Siri is there to help you use them while keeping your eyes on the road. However, Apple has not said whether apps such as facebook and twitter will be available.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kqgrGho4aYM
9 Years in Prison After Texting While Driving
March 15, 2014
A 22-year old was texting while driving one day… His decision left a scene of damage, destruction and death. Now he’ll spend at least nine years in prison.
Distracted Driving is About More Than Just Texting
March 12, 2014
There’s been a lot of fuss about texting while driving lately – and rightly so. However, the fact is that drivers can be distracted by a variety of different things. Just because the cell phone is put away does not necessarily mean you’re home free.
Anything that takes your attention away from the road is potentially fatal. The list of distractions is as multifaceted as America. Food, pets, makeup and even music (if it’s too good) can be dangerous for drivers, especially the careless and the inexperienced.
Image: Thomas R Machnitzk