Teen Distractions
April 3, 2014
All teens, parents and psychology majors will find this article over at the Atlantic particularly interesting. Apparently, boys are distracted by girls, and girls are distracted by boys, and everyone makes poor decisions when they drive with fellow-teen passengers. It may sound obvious, but the biological reasons for these poor decisions, and the results of the psychological study are enlightening nonetheless. See the full article here:
Employers Advocating Safe Drivers
April 3, 2014
There has been a lot of research done on truck driver safety, plenty of federal regulations, as well as a few interesting studies on the costs and benefits to employers who ensure the safety of their drivers. As a result, many companies are making changes to their business practices that benefit drivers and the public at large.
In an article written after a deadly crash in Kansas, local trucker Wesley Smith explained, “Every month we keep up to date on our safety and the company’s really good about not making us get in a hurry, you know, when you’re tired, take a break, pull over, rest, don’t be out there endangering anybody.”
In the past, business owners have been known to pressure drivers into working over hours and pushing them to deliver loads with tight deadlines. However, there are now both federal laws and financial incentives for safer driving standards, resulting in a welcome change of employer mentality.
TWIT Spotting
April 2, 2014
If you like to text when you drive, then you might just end up on a TWIT (Texting While In Traffic) billboard. Passengers and pedestrians have been snapping photos of people texting for twitspotting.com, a website designed to let texting drivers know that they are being watched, and judged.
The TWIT project was created by San francisco graphic designer Brian Singer. According to Singer’s unofficial estimation, “For every nose picker, there’s 20 texters”. And so, the website was born, and the images started flooding in. Some of the photos have been posted on billboards throughout the San Francisco area.
OOIDA Agenda
April 2, 2014
As the new highway bill is being developed in congress, the OOIDA is encouraging truckers to contact their representatives to push for legislation that would make our highways safer.
The OOIDA agenda includes four main points:
1. Training new truckers and building experience for safety.
2. Highway safety infrastructure, truck parking and driver education
3. Enforcement efforts that encourage safe driving
4. Addressing crashworthiness
For more information on the OOIDA agenda, news, and social media, visit http://www.truckersforsafety.com/.
Protecting Motorcyclists
April 1, 2014
With the warmer weather, drivers will be seeing a lot more motorcycles on the road. It’s important to be aware of the dangers that motorcycle riders face, and to always drive safely and respectfully no matter who you are sharing the road with. Last year, there were 4,762 motorcyclists killed in accidents, and any number of fatal crashes is too many. So this year, let’s keep an eye out for our friends on bikes. Here are a few tips to follow to prevent more motorcycle deaths this year:
– DO NOT TAILGATE! Motorcycles can stop much more quickly than cars, so be sure to give them plenty of distance in case they need to turn or brake suddenly to avoid an accident.
– Look twice before turning or switching lanes. Motorcycles are often unseen by people in cars and trucks.
– Give motorcycles a full lane width. There’s not enough room for the both of you. Even if you think they are turning, don’t attempt to pass until they have completed the turn. Many bikes have turn signals that don’t turn off automatically, and riders often forget to turn them off.
– DON’T DRIVE DISTRACTED!
A collision with a motorcycle is most often fatal for the rider, so drive safe this season and help keep our motorcylists alive.
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.
Teaching Teens to be Safe Drivers
March 30, 2014
It’s hard for parents to let go and send their teens out into the world, especially when that world is full of all the dangers that come with driving. However, the National Safety Council is here to help, with a great read on teaching teens to become safe drivers. See the full article here:
http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/TeenDriving/Pages/WhatParentsCanDo.aspx
Texting and Driving Simulator
March 29, 2014
There have been a lot of distracted driving campaigns aimed at teen drivers lately, however, Creative Visions is one organization is taking that message to another level. With $31,000 awarded by State Farm, the group has created a simulator that shows teens the dangers of texting and driving. See the full story here:
http://www.woi-tv.com/story/25104558/kids-try-out-texting-and-driving
Technological Safety
March 29, 2014
Cars are becoming smarter every day, companies are constantly innovating, and psuedo-futuristic technology is always being tested and making headlines. However, several technological safety features have been on the market for years now, with some being available in more affordable cars. So, if you’re looking for a safe new ride then keep an eye out for these life-saving extras:
Adaptive cruise control. Forward-looking sensors automatically reduce speed as traffic slows down.
Forward collision avoidance system. Forward-looking sensors alert drivers when their vehicle gets to close to the one in front of it.
Autonomous braking. Exactly what it sounds like. If the vehicle gets too close to another vehicle, it automatically brakes to prevent a collision or lessen the impact.
Adaptive headlights. Headlights that aim in the direction that the driver steers.
Backup camera. Gives drivers a better view when reversing.
Backup sensors. alerts drivers when they are about to hit something while backing up.
Side view assist. Detects other vehicles in a blind spot and alerts the driver.