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The
following messages are currently from 18
different countries
Found
unexpectedly on the Chevron
Corporation's safety website:
"[The]
Drive and Stay Alive website. Founded by Eddie Wren (see our
PEOPLE page), this site goes deep into comparisons of teaching
methodologies and articles from around the world. A MUST SEE site
for anyone researching driver safety."
Thank you, Chevron. (March 2006)
Thanks
for the great website.... :)
Lori
Harp-Lizotte, Norman, Arkansas, USA (Dec
28, 2005)
Thanks
for this great site....
R.
Ford, Candor Trust (Campaign Against Drugs on Roads), New Zealand
(Dec
26, 2005)
Your
write-up on Ford putting computers in cars was excellent. That drivers
could soon be out there chatting on their cell phones AND emailing is
madness, not to mention that a reputable car maker clearly has such lack
of regard for its customers' lives. (The
article may be viewed here)
(name
withheld by request) Illinois, USA (Oct
31, 2005)
Your
website and editorials are outstanding. The DSA website is the
most compre-
hensive,
informing and entertaining one concerning road safety I have ever had
the pleasure to come across. I admire your writing, use of wit, insight
and experience.... Thank you...for your dedication and talent in
promoting safe driving awareness.
Dawn
Mathews, Co-Director, Roadside Memorial Project, USA (Oct
25, 2005)
Warm
Greetings. I am just a common citizen of India who can no longer turn
his face at the alarming rate at which this epidemic is tearing the
economic and the emotional fabric of my country and indeed the whole
world. The appalling thing is that while tons of ink and money are being
spent on fashionable issues like AIDS and lifestyle dysfunctionalities,
a fraction of it is being done for this small thing of road accidents!
It wouldn't be long when this epidemic starts entering our homes in
big way, if it hasn't already. The scary part is people are accepting it
and carrying on with their lives as if nothing has happened!
I am sorry to have vented out a bit, but my primary purpose was to
praise you for your efforts. I bow my head humbly to you in
acknowledging your efforts to make a difference.
Kshiteesh
Deshmukh, Pune, India (Oct
7, 2005)
Cher
Eddie, I see that you are doing a good work with your global
attitude.... In [the] developing world one could do so much with so
little. Keep
it up!
Amitiés,
Ari Vatanen, MEP (i.e elected 'Member of the European
Parliament') for France. (Oct
4, 2005)
Ari was also the World Rally Driving Champion, 1981.
[Read
Mr. Vatanen's report to the European Parliament: Cutting
Road Accidents by Half by 2010]
Congratulations!
I have finally found a kindred spirit in my philosophy on driving and
driving instruction. As owner of a driving school, and as President of
our state association for instructors, I have worked hard to try to
spread the word of actual driving habits, as opposed to "how to
pass a test" practices. I have only glanced over your site, but I
intend to return and spend MUCH more time poring over your information....
Glenard
A. Munson, California Driver Education Association (Sept
26, 2005)
It's
a great job you are doing out there. Please keep it up. Most people
believe accidents can't happen to them till it happens... I am highly
passionate about issues concerning road safety and am fanatical to do
something to improve the situation. From the statistics, we can see that
[here] in India, this issue is not being taken as seriously as it should
be.
Adishankar,
India (Sept 9, 2005)
.....I
have been interested in improving my driving skills, as I do not like
driving, and therefore wish to become better so I can be safer.
I was interested to find your article on moving over to give clearance
for emergency vehicles and personnel.
I have a good friend who drives a tow truck for a living, and this past
winter, he was hit by the side mirror of a car that was too close while
assisting another motorist. He was lucky, in that it only gave him some
back problems. As it happened on a highway, it could have been far
worse.
I'm pleased to know that sites like yours are reaching out to
drivers and helping save lives with good advice.
Keep up the good work.
Anthony
Densmore, Manitoba, Canada (Sept
4, 2005)
I
had a look at [the DSA website]; it is very rich! Thank you for...
passing [our] information to more people....
Bernard
Keller, La Prévention Routière, Paris, France (July
6, 2005)
It's
good to have people involved in helping young drivers be safe. Great web
site!
Michael
Ortiz, Los Angeles, USA (July
2005)
I
saw your letter in Jerusalem Post. Its nice to know that someone
[else] cares about what happens on [the roads of Israel] too.... I
will take a good look at your website to see how we can be
mutually beneficial....
Zelda
Harris, PR Director of Metuna,
Israel (June 2005)
Your
article on the use of Learner and Provisional plates in the United
States really makes sense. I passed my driving test 6 months ago and
feel that I am still in the "learning" phase and wish that I
could put "P" plates on my car -- it's a safety issue, as you
write, and nothing to be embarrassed about -- after all, every driver
out there was once at that stage of his or her driving. In all
probability, if a learner driver or newly licensed driver feels
embarrassed about such plates, then they probably lack the maturity to
be driving out there on their own.
Thank
you for creating such an informative website.
Sandra
McGuinness, Illinois, USA
Your
website has valuable information and I applaud you for your efforts.
Angelo
Telesca, Florida, USA Anthony
Telesca Memorial Foundation (June
2005)
Kudos
on such a comprehensive web site on auto safety issues.
Can you share with me... how you came to put the extraordinary effort
into setting up and maintaining such an impressive web site?
David Biss, Maryland, USA (June
2005)
Thanks
for your continuous great initiatives to unite road safety professionals
by providing every possible informations.
Engr.
Syed R Quddus -- Secretary General, Development of Traffic Sense
and Road Awareness -- Dotara, Bangladesh (May, 2005)
I
suggest that roads should be more wide instead of tiny roads I have been
seen all over my country; such roads contribute very high to the
accident occur everyday.
My
name is Musa Abubakar from Ghana. (May, 2005)
I'm
very grateful for you highlighting our initiative and website on your
own site. I hope the international road safety community find what we're
doing interesting and I must say I've looked at your site before to see
what everyone else is up to!
Andrew
Wake, Neighbourhood Road Safety
Initiative, Manchester, UK (April, 2005)
I
read the [DSA] mirror
adjustment article .. my 18 year old was instructed to set his
mirrors wide ... and our 15 year old (permit) driver has been told the
same :-(
I
was taught, the conventional way of adjusting mirrors :-)
Great
website - I'll visit again.
Elaine
Robertson, USA (April
27, 2005)
I
found your website by chance. I recently retired from the UK Police
Service (after 30 years) - 20 plus on Traffic as a Class 1 driver. I
finished up (last 7 years) teaching Advanced driving to Police officers
at the Northumbria Police Driving School....
I
congratulate your efforts in trying to promote road safety and improve
driving standards. None of us ever stop learning. As a regular visitor
to the USA I was amazed to find in some States how easy it was to obtain
a driving licence following basic exercises not even conducted on the
Highways. I wish you every success with this venture and will monitor
your site with interest.
Best
regards Tony Jerrard, England (April, 2005)
....Governor
Blagojevich has made highway safety in Illinois one of his highest
priorities. The Illinois Department of Transportation is committed to
reducing the number of people killed on our roadways each year. We
strongly believe that the Illinois comprehensive Highway Safety Plan
will be critical in helping us accomplish this goal....
We plan to use the Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., website for the valuable
resources that it has to offer as we continue in the planning process.
Timothy
W. Martin, Secretary, Illinois DOT, USA (Received
April 2, 2005)
....Let
me congratulate you for maintaining such a wonderful website having info
about the global road safety activities. I am from India and engaged in
conducting several Road Safety Awareness and Education activities.
Sony
Thomas, Kerala, India (March
2005)
I
have spent quite some time surfing your site, and as an Advanced Driver
must compliment you and your colleagues for the tremendous amount of
information there is, especially relating to road safety and the
International section. Nice to know how other countries are coping with
motoring problems.
Alan
Goodwin, BC, Canada (March
2005)
I
read through the webpage
for young drivers, and all in all it was good. My only gripe,
however, is that the content is mainly based on American things. I
understand why this is but it just makes it less interesting to
me.
'Azza'
Gooner, Australia (March 2005)
Editor's
reply: Thanks, 'Azza'. Yes, we do confess that it is hard to
maintain a balanced multi-national coverage and we strongly invite
drivers from all over the world -- particularly young drivers -- to send
us URLs for any good websites they find, so that we may review them and
add them to the DSA site where appropriate.
Meanwhile,
please have a look at our International
Road Safety Links page.
Eddie
Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.
I
am a sorta new driver (22 years old) and I appreciate this site. Can I
make a donation with my credit card through pay pal, or do you have an
online donation site? I'm a
proud American, but it seems like the Europeans are light-years ahead of
the US on road safety. Everything from how we deal with drunk driving to
how our laws allow SUVs and light trucks to proliferate is bad. Good
luck with your efforts.
Vinay
Tripathi, USA (March, 2005) [Donations
page here, and thank you, Vinay, for your generosity]
While
doing some research for an article, I came across your site.
FANTASTIC!!!! What a great job you are doing! I recently started my own
traffic safety blog -- http://roadbrains.blogspot.com
. Only three articles on it so far. Anyway, traffic safety is a key
issue that crosses all political dividing lines. I was very pleased to
find your site. Let me know how I can help. Thanks.
Ken
West, USA (February, 2005)
[In
response to an exchange of e-mails about a dreadful problem with which
this lady approached DSA]
Thank
you so much for your email. Even if there is nothing you can do, your
kind words and understanding mean a great deal to me. Thank you.
Loan-Anh
Tran Kao, Texas, USA (January 2005)
[For
those of you that wish to see the devastating effects of what may best
be described as corporate or political intransigence -- especially if
you live in Texas -- click
here.]
Thanks
for your hard work in keeping road safety a priority!
Mick
Farmer, Uganda (January 2005)
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January
24, 2005
(To ignore this particular
message and go to the more usual comments, click
here.)
After
19 months of existence, now with more than half a million
site hits per month, and Drive and Stay Alive has just received
its first uncomplimentary comment. But it has always been our policy
that we would publish criticism as well as praise, so here it is:
"I think your website does a diservice to the public.
You state things as fact, when nothing is further from [the]
truth. We continually see the eroneous numbers purported as fact
when in fact they are not." [sic]
The writer then makes reference to "the 17,000 lie"
and to MADD, which would imply that he/she is referring to NHTSA
figures which state that there are around 17,000 alcohol-related
road deaths in the USA each year.
The
DSA Response: We have no reason whatsoever to
doubt the NHTSA figures, given that they do specify
"alcohol related" and not just "drunk driver
related," so it is the writer of the above comment and not
the NHTSA with whom we strongly disagree.
We have taken the liberty of not reproducing the one other
sentence in the original message as posting it here would merely
give publicity to a pro-drink-driving organization with which we
also strongly disagree.
To those who believe that the dangers of drunk driving are
overstated, we can only suggest that you view the DSA
table showing legal BAC limits for over 80 countries. The
fact that only one country is believed to have a limit higher than
the 0.08% legislated in the USA, Britain and 19 other countries
is telling, but not as telling as the fact that at least 59
other countries have limits that are significantly lower than
0.08% (not including countries that are known to have a zero BAC
limit specifically for religious reasons). Drive and Stay Alive,
Inc., would suggest that the ratio of three-to-one, among governments
of the world, in favor of BAC limits of 0.05% or less, is a
weighty factor in this entire debate.
Eddie
Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.
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We
get the up to date International Road Safety News at single place
through this website. Road Safety efforts taken by all concerned
agencies in Mumbai, India, should also be taken into account as due to
Aggressive Road Safety Campaign road accidents, injuries and fatalities
due to Road Accidents have reduced which were otherwise on increasing
trend. My best wishes to the all concerned for launching and updating
this valuable website in the interest of Road Safety.
K.T.Golani,
Regional Transport Officer, Eastern Region, Mumbai, India.
(January, 2005)
At
last, a real resource within the driver training world. I came across
your site as I was looking for well written articles which would
compliment my driver training and trainer training website....
Colin
Scott, Director of Training, Driving Innovation Ltd., United
Kingdom. (December 2004)
Thanks
so much for your detailed reply....
Andrew
Kintu, Sweden (December 2004)
I
am absolutely thrilled with your website; it is very very interesting.
In fact it must be one of the best I have ever looked at, there is so
much information there for everyone, from the novice to the most
experienced of drivers....
Annette
Gamble, IAM Observer and Trainee ADI, England (December 2004)
I
find your site the right way to warn people to drive carefully....
J.L.M.
van Baal, Euro
Road Cruise, The Netherlands (December 2004)
I
found your website very helpful because I have a driving phobia...
'Kali',
California (November 2004)
(DSA
note: anybody in this predicament please see our Fear
of Driving FAQ page)
I
added your site to my list of links. You've put together an
excellent site.
Bernie
Wagenblast, editor of the Transportation
Communications Newsletter, U.S.A. (November 2004)
I
truly enjoy your website -- what a great reference tool! Very
impressed with all you put on there.
Kristin
Backstrom -- S2W --
Safe Smart Women, Inc., U.S.A. (November 2004)
Your
DSA website is quite informative. I've looked it over quite a few times
and have spent hours going to your links... I
travel to Europe often and when I'm there I use limousine service.... a
number of the London chauffeur services advertise that they use only
retired policemen, so you and the other policemen must be top drivers.
Martin
Brooks, U.S.A. (November 2004)
At
last I am encouraged to find a website editor in America who is
passionate about and truly understands what "Advanced Driver"
really means. Attending a two day "High Performance" or
"Advanced Driving" school on a track does not make
"Advanced Drivers". They may have learned some new skills, but
the real problem is understanding the difference between 'driving' and 'car
control' at the highest level.
Please continue to be passionate about your vision and quest, to reduce
the simply appalling annual number of USA traffic fatalities.
Gordon
Booth -- Chief Instructor, Drivetrain USA (Oct. 2004)
You
are doing a fantastic job with the site. The detailed information is
something I rarely see available to the public. I sincerely hope that
you continue the success of bringing this information to the public and
driving professionals.
Captain
Travis Yates -- Team Leader with the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Police Law Enforcement
Driver Training Unit and editor of: www.policedriving.com
(Oct. 2004)
On
behalf of volunteers and members of Prompt Assistance To Victims Of Road
Accidents (PATVORA), a Nigerian based road accident victims’ caring
NGO, I wish to acknowledge your efforts in addressing the problems of
global development, especially through your website... We at PATVORA,
appreciate your work on road safety.
Chude
Ojugbana, Nigeria (Sept. 2004)
I
am so much surprised, and I am so, so glad to get a valuable reply from
you, sir...
...
I really need your warm cooperation, help to fight in [these] road
safety sectors. I need your valuable advices from you, my friend. may
you [live] in peace. all of your family also in peace.
'Jewel',
Himalaya Road Safety, Bangladesh (Aug. 2004)
Congratulations
for your article about BAC... I referred to your "International
Blood Alcohol Limits" web page. Of course this web page is very
useful, and serves not only to compare the BAC's, but to analyze if this
factor makes one country more safe than other concerning alcohol drink.
Jesús
Gómez, Technical Consultant in Traffic Safety Education, Automóvil Club del Ecuador -- Aneta
(Aug. 2004)
I
find your website an amazing source of information, particularly from
around the globe.... you might be interested to know that [we] have
driver safety training for staff who drive on company business.
Mark
T. Rhodes, GlaxoSmithKline. (July 2004)
I
have looked at your website and find it to be very interesting with some
potentially useful articles in there for us -- it is also bang
up-to-date. You may be aware that we also have website at www.highways.gov.uk
John
Bagley, Divisional Director, Network Strategy North (UK Highways
Agency) July 2004
I
was... thinking [about] how modernization is costly to our daily life,
specially in my own country with so many accidents. I clicked on Google
and found your very informative site. I was in total shock [about] what
goes on in the rest of the world and the preventive measures that are
taken.
The site is very good and informative. I will suggest to many of my
friends to look it over and learn something.
Dov
Eckstein, Jerusalem, Israel (July 2004)
Just
browsing the internet for some facts on driving and I came along your
site. I like how the statistics are there and not biased completely by
the writer to get his own point across. "Kuji" (July
2004)
Many
congratulations on the [CARSP] award for your web site. I have just taken a look
and can't believe how much information (and all so relevant and up to
date!) you have in one place.
Sarah
Bailey, press office, Transport Research Laboratory (TRL),
England (June 2004)
[In
response to information supplied by DSA, on request, about the dates of
auto shows in USA, during 2005]: "Good
morning, Eddie [and] thank you!!! Have a good day! Best
regards from Rome."
Francesca,
Kuoni Gastaldi Tours, Italy
...May
I congratulate you on a very informative web site. I am a final year
student at Dundee University and am currently working on my dissertation
on shock advertising. I was wondering if you would have any information
or opinions that would help me with my studies in the area of shock
tactics used in road safety advertising... [DSA comments were
supplied]
Barry
Strachan, Dundee, Scotland
A
great website. Very informative for someone in the motor industry. I
visited your website recently and was very impressed with its contents
and presentation.
Sheran
Fernando, Ceylon Motor Traders Association, Sri Lanka.
It's
a terrific website... I just spent about 30 minutes browsing those [road
safety news] stories...
Bob
Buckel, publisher. The Azle News, Texas.
V...V...
Good
M.G.Karrunanithi,
Award Trust, Nungambakkam,
Chennai, India.
I
have only just come across this site and have found it both informative
and entertaining.
Acting
Senior Sergeant Clint Wilson; Traffic Branch, Victoria Police, Australia.
I
must say this is one of the best sites for information on all aspects of
driving. It is easy to navigate. Its also very informative. Thank you
for doing this website. If it can help save just one life then your
purpose has been served.
Dee,
New Hampshire, USA
Since
my sister gave me your URL, I have been visiting your website. It is
simply tremendous!... I have bookmarked, because it's one of the most
useful sites I have ever seen.
Elin Woodger Murphy, an American living in England.
Having
taken some time to fully understand the nature of the Web site, I can
see that you must have been very busy trying
to locate and collate all the information. It appears to
me to be very professional and yet contains humour
and wit. I have to say that I am very impressed as I am sure most
of the people who read it are.
John
Thorburn, Penrith, England.
"I
found your discussion on mirror setting to be a valuable addition to the
debate on how to set mirrors..."
Kelly
Taylor -- Automotive Editor, Winnipeg Free Press, Canada.
[View
the DSA article here]
"I
found your website extremely informative and well presented. Thank
you."
Marianne
Williams, Maine.
"Thanks
for answering my question." [A question sent to DSA via
'Contact Us']
Fred
Stewart, Tennessee.
"I
think your site is absolutely great. It is an excellent site for parents.
I can guarantee parents appreciate the efforts of one like you who puts that
info out and make it so readily available. Apart from 'Parenting A Teen,' I
belong to another group of parents struggling with our young, as well.
May I mention your web site on their message board?"
Loey G.,
the Yahoo 'parentingateen'
bulletin board.
"Good
luck -- you are doing a real service to traffic safety."
Keith
Bradsher, New York Times
(Author
of "High and Mighty -- SUVs: The World's Most Dangerous Vehicles")
"I
think your website is excellent and I look forward to reading your
newsletter..."
Max
Robinowitz,
MD
(pathologist
and former consultant to a state medical examiner's office)
"Fantastic website. I will be using it for
gathering information for the Defensive Driving Courses that I instruct
through the National Safety Council..."
Robert Latham.
"I've
had a look at your web site, and I have to say I'm impressed with its
breadth and scope..."
Ken Smith,
Queanbeyan, NSW, Australia
(Fellow of the Australian
College of Road Safety)
"The site looks wonderful to me. That particular
study [i.e. on cell phones] is very interesting. It is the only one I
know of that has found a measurable degree of difference in driving
performance between hands-free and hand-held... I hope your book is a
huge success. Regardless, I'm sure it will help save many lives."
Amy
Seager, Ohio.
(Click
here to read about the pointless loss of Amy's daughters, Kimberly
and Kathy, in a cell-phone related crash)
"Great
advice that you give everyone.... Thanks for the prompt reply [to my
e-mail query]" Valerie
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