All contents copyright ©, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., 2003 onwards, unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved. IMPORTANT: click here to read the DISCLAIMER The main purpose of this web page is to let drivers, legislators, road safety experts, police officers, parents of young drivers, etc., have an easily accessible insight into what is happening in their own countries and elsewhere, and thereby possibly do something to help save some of the many wasted lives on roads everywhere. Page edited by Eddie Wren
If you or your organization have safety-oriented driving news for publication, click here to contact us.
Fair use notice of copyrighted material: This site contains some copyrighted material that in some cases has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance the understanding of road safety, both at a global level and by individual people such as drivers and the parents of young drivers. By doing this, we hope to help save lives. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., is a section 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, based in New York State, U.S.A.
______________________________
Improving road safety is the major focus of Transit New Zealand’s 10-Year State Highway Plan 2004/05-2013/14 for the Hawke’s Bay region, released today. Transit will spend $17 million improving and maintaining state highways in Hawke’s Bay in the 2004/05 financial year, up $1.5 million on 2003/04, said Transit regional manager Neville Harkness. The total amount to be spent in the next 10 years is at least $227 million. Full story, from Scoop ______________________________
Continental, a leading supplier of automotive safety systems, is providing Northern Michigan area dealerships with training on advanced brake systems, including antilock braking systems (ABS), traction control systems (TCS), electronic stability control (ESC) and active rollover protection (ARP). More than 70 dealer personnel participated in the training sessions, held at Continental's Brimley, Mich. Development Center, June 28 - 30. "We are proud to work with these local dealerships on this initiative," said Bill Kozyra, president and CEO of Continental Teves North America. "Safety is a priority to consumers when selecting a vehicle, and we want to ensure dealer personnel understand the significance of these vehicle safety systems and are able to answer any questions consumers might have about the safety features and benefits." Continental's mobile exhibit, "Safely There," also will be present at the training events to further demonstrate how additional safety equipment works, such as anti-lock brakes, traction control systems, ESC and active rollover protection, and the benefits of these systems. The 18-wheeler is outfitted with interactive driving simulators, a 3-D movie demonstrating the effects of ESC, as well as video testimonials from highway safety leaders. The exhibit is part of Continental's national consumer awareness campaign to educate drivers on the benefits of active vehicle safety equipment. Full article, from Yahoo Finance ______________________________
NASHVILLE – Operating farm equipment on roads in the Twin Counties can present hazards for farm workers, said Charlie Tyson, Nash County agricultural extension agent... During the safety seminar, Spanish-speaking farm workers learned about the laws governing farm equipment on the highways, Tyson said. Luis Salas, 27, a farm worker in Nash County, said he thought the safety seminar was helpful. "They gave us tips to decrease the chances of being in an accident – like using strobe lights and reflective tape on farm vehicles," Salas said. In a previous interview... farmer Ben Dew, Dew said "The main thing I want other drivers to know is that sometimes a person on a tractor, especially someone hauling a trailer, can't see you if you're behind them. I've had transfer trucks run up on me unexpectedly when I've been on my tractor. I know people get frustrated, but please don't run up on us like that." Full story, from the Rocky Mount Telegram ______________________________
CONCORD, N.C. -- NASCAR driver Scott Wimmer of High Point today urged North Carolina motorists to never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. Wimmer was involved in an impaired-driving crash in January, which led to his recent conviction of a first-time driving while impaired (DWI) offense. "Even a skilled driver should never get behind the wheel after drinking," Wimmer said during the statewide kickoff of "Joining Forces" at the Lowes Motor Speedway. The campaign, which combines the buckle-up message of "Click It or Ticket" and the anti- impaired driving theme of "Booze It & Lose It," begins today and continues through July 6. Governor's Highway Safety Program Director Darrell Jernigan commended Wimmer for his commitment to helping others make safe driving decisions. He also thanked Wimmer for recording a 30-second public service announcement, which has been provided to radio stations statewide and will be heard during MRN broadcasts of NASCAR races in North Carolina markets. In it, Wimmer says: "Take it from me, never drive after drinking, and buckle up on each and every trip. It's the only way to make it to the Winner's Circle." Full story, from U.S. Newswire DSA Comment: One can only hope that Mr. Wimmer does not turn out to be a hypocrite. As long as he doesn't, the good comments will be well deserved. ______________________________
Several road accidents were reported around Singapore following a massive blackout on Tuesday night that caused street and traffic lights to stop working. "I got scared because there was heavy congestion. The traffic light was not working and it's quite dangerous for the vehicles," said one driver. And pedestrians everywhere became extra careful. Recounted one: "It was very scary because as I was walking [across] the road, the oncoming cars couldn't see us." Power was restored island-wide within 2 hours after the blackout first hit at around 10pm. It was blamed on a disruption in the supply of natural gas from Indonesia. [Source: Channel News Asia] ______________________________
Specialists from Korea and the European Union called for enhanced safety measures in Korea during a forum yesterday.... "An American English teacher told me that everyday driving is like going to war in Seoul and a smart monkey could obtain a driver's license here," said Huh Eok, the executive secretary of the Children Safety Inspection Team at the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae. Nearly 100,000 people died in 2.6 million traffic accidents and 3.6 million people were injured during the past decade in Korea, he said. In terms of traffic accidents, Korea remains one of the most dangerous countries among the members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The average death toll per 10,000 cars reached 4.5 in Korea in 2002, compared to the OECD average of 1.9, Britain's 1.2 and Japan's 1.3. "The traffic safety measures should start from home," Huh said, urging Korean homes to have family meetings to discuss traffic safety. In Japan and other developed nations, many families hold meetings at least once a month and parents frequently instruct children on preventive measures for traffic accidents, he said. He also proposed what he calls the 10 Commandments of Traffic Safety for children. The first rule stipulates that people should not jaywalk or commit a dangerous act that might cause a traffic accident. Other guidelines also include wearing safety belts, observing the road markings and yielding to other drivers at least 10 times a day while driving.... Full article, from the Korea Herald DSA Comment: Hmmmm... "Other guidelines also include... yielding to other drivers at least 10 times a day while driving." The forum is obviously a good move for Korea, but what is the advice after a driver has yielded ten times?! ______________________________
Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation has issued a reminder for operators of individual electric or gas-powered motorized scooters, a reminder echoed by the Rhinelander Police Dept.: The scooters do not meet National Highway Traffic Safety Commission standards for motor vehicle safety. As a result, the scooters cannot be registered and cannot be operated on any street or sidewalk within a roadway's right-of-way. Full Story, from the Rhinelander Daily News ______________________________
ABU DHABI - The capital's traffic police has registered a record number of 10,552 traffic violations in a week, with speeding topping the list. According to the department, 7,981 tickets were issued to drivers found speeding during the week from June 19 to 15 [sic]. The Traffic Police in recent days stepped up its campaign to rein in errant drivers not only for speeding but also for careless parking in public places causing inconvenience to other motorists. According to statistics provided by the department, 2,067 tickets were issued for various violations, while 102 drivers were booked for not using the seatbelts, 209 for not keeping proper distance from the vehicle in front that led to accidents. Ninety were booked for driving without licence, 44 for red-light jumping, while 56 tickets were issued for using mobile phones while driving, and 60 vehicles were booked for not being fit to move on the roads. Full story, from the Khaleej Times ______________________________
Being a "safe driver" can look great on your driving record and also help your bank account thanks to insurance discounts. But while most people believe they are safe drivers, law enforcement officials and insurance agents may disagree. So what is a safe driver? A driver who has one or fewer accidents or tickets over three years is considered a safe driver by insurance companies - and may qualify the driver for safe driver discounts. Some companies offer added savings the longer you keep a clean record. Companies say that good drivers offer them the least amount of risk, so it is only appropriate to pass along the savings to them. Despite today's safer cars, almost three million people were injured and about 43,000 people were killed in car accidents last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The World Health Organization predicts the number of traffic deaths to increase by 65 percent over the next 20 years unless drivers step up their skills. While laws on speeding, seatbelts and even helmets have helped the problem, insurance companies hope discount savings talk will also get more drivers to pay attention to safety. [Source: Allstate] _____________________________
A stark new advertising campaign warning that it takes less than you might think for your driving to be impaired by alcohol was launched today by Road Safety Minister David Jamieson. The new Ł1.4million TV, radio and cinema campaign, which graphically depicts the consequences of having a small amount of alcohol, is aimed primarily at 17-29 year olds and will run over the summer. David Jamieson said: "Many people need to rethink how much they drink before they drive and this graphic campaign highlights the dangers of drinking even a small amount of alcohol. Far too many people are killed and seriously injured in road accidents involving drinking and driving every year. If you need to drive then don't drink - it's safer." The campaign also includes a new cinema and radio ad as well as leaflets and posters which reinforce the message that it's impossible to calculate alcohol limits. In 2002, 560 people were killed in drink-drive related accidents in the UK and 2,820 were seriously injured. 20,140 people were slightly injured. The new campaign aims to maximise the existing social stigma around drink driving and to increase awareness of the dangers of having a couple of drinks and driving. [The THINK! drink driving factsheet can be found at www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk ] Source: Dft News Release 2004/0075 -- 30 June, 2004 _____________________________
TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 500 -- Guidance for Implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan; Volume 8: A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Utility Poles provides strategies that can be employed to improve highway safety. View the pdf _____________________________
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General has released a report on the DOT’s Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program. The report found that the Department came close to meeting its highway-rail grade crossing goals; however, it also found that six states continued to have a large number of public grade crossing accidents; accidents continued to occur at public grade crossings equipped with automated warning devices; some public grade crossings with warning signs and pavement markings continued to have accidents; motorists caused most public grade crossing accidents; and grade crossing closures continued to occur, but at a slower pace. More _____________________________
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a report that examines the effects of first- and second-generation antihistamines on impairment. More _____________________________
The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute has released a report that examines performance of snow tires, both studded and unstudded, in terms of age, tread depth, tread rubber hardness, stud protrusion, and stud force. The report is in Swedish with an English summary. View the pdf _____________________________
The Land Transport Safety Authority have commissioned research that should be of great interest to road authorities in any regions which see an influx of overseas drivers, and also to anyone intending to visit New Zealand or other countries. _____________________________
Ahmedabad: After issuing several appeals to parents to restrain their below-18-years children from driving two-wheelers, the city traffic police has now decided to enforce the law. In the last two days, the traffic police fined and [impounded the] vehicles of 302 students who are below the age of 18 years and found driving a two-wheeler without a valid driving licence. Of this, 162 cases were registered on Monday and 140 on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Vikas Sahay said, "The drive will continue as it is to make the parents aware that it is illegal and hazardous for their below-18-years children to drive vehicles without a licence." The impounded vehicles are released after payment of a hefty fine which ranges from Rs 400 to Rs 600 [U.S. $9 to $13]. ‘‘The parents have to come personally to the detention station and get the vehicles released after payment of the fine. It is then that we appeal to them and try to make them aware about the hazards involved,’’ said a traffic police inspector involved in the drive. [Source: Ahmedabad Newsline] _____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners will present safety awards to Virginia state lawmakers at today's kickoff of Checkpoint Strikeforce - the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Mid-Atlantic campaign to reduce drinking and driving. At the kick-off event the Chairman will present State Safety Leadership awards to Virginia state legislators responsible for getting 25 new drunk driving bills passed in May. Chairman Engleman Conners applauded the new legislation saying, "Every person who gets behind the wheel needs to be 100% committed to safety. These new laws and Checkpoint Strikeforce send a very clear message to Virginia drivers: 'Don't drink and drive. We won't tolerate it'." The awards will be presented to Senator Thomas Norment, Senator William Roscoe Reynolds, Senator Kenneth Stolle, Delegate David Albo, Delegate Robert Bell, and Delegate Robert McDonnell in honor of outstanding leadership in promoting and adopting laws to reduce alcohol related fatalities in Virginia, especially those involving hard core drinking drivers. [Source: NTSB Advisory] _____________________________
LAHORE: The National Highway and Motorway Police (NHMP) Section N-5 central zone booked 39,044 vehicles and collected fines worth a total of Rs 10.375 million [US $178,000] during the month of June. The NHMP has recently launched a mobile education van operating between Lahore and Rahimyar Khan, to create awareness among the general public about the traffic rules and 184,316 people have been educated through this campaign, said NHMP sources. They [also] said the NHMP helped 16,338 passengers in different incidents on the Motorway. [Source: The Daily Times] DSA Comment: We are curious about how the NHMP could educate so many people about traffic rules in such a short time, using just one van. _____________________________
MINNEAPOLIS - A man was charged with drunken driving for the 23rd time in 20 years after allegedly leading state troopers on a chase through the southern metro area. State Patrol Capt. Jay Swanson said troopers arrested Raymond J. Sherman, 41, after dawn Thursday after using stop sticks to deflate Sherman's tires on state Highway 77. The chase allegedly started about 3 a.m. He said Sherman showed obvious signs of intoxication and was uncooperative. Sherman refused to give his name, Swanson said, but one of the troopers on the scene knew him. That trooper had arrested Sherman for his 22nd DWI in July 2002. Two years ago, Sherman told the trooper that "he would not go to treatment or quit drinking," according to the criminal complaint filed in that case. Sherman was later sentenced to one year for first-degree drunken driving and another year for driving with a canceled license. He was [only] in the Dakota County jail from Dec. 26, 2002, to March 29, 2004, according to jail officials.... Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar said she cited Sherman's drunken-driving history and light sentences when she testified at the Legislature in support of a new law making a fourth drunken-driving offense within 10 years a felony with a sentence of as much as seven years. The felony DWI law was less than a month away from taking effect when Sherman was charged in 2002, but Klobuchar said she would prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law this time. "I'm glad he came into my county because he was my example, and now he is going to see the effect of the new law," Klobuchar said. "After his 22nd arrest, he boasted that he was going to keep drinking and driving, and he has.".... Full story, from the Sun-Sentinel _____________________________
...Brewing mogul Pete Coors and Bob Schaffer, both seeking the Republican nomination for Colorado's vacated U.S. Senate seat, touched on the drinking-age issue during a debate last week, making some in Boulder contemplate what a change might mean for the college town. Coors said his position "hasn't changed at all" since telling USA Today in a 1997 article that he felt lowering the drinking age to 18 would encourage young people to drink more responsibly.... [But] years [after the 1987 change that raised Colorado's legal drinking age to 21], a political coalition, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Parent-Teacher Association, lobbied the federal government with undisputed statistics that showed when the drinking age changed from 21 to 18, the number of highway deaths for those age groups went through the roof. In addition, the numbers skyrocketed in conjunction with the timing of social events for high-school seniors -- proms, weekends and graduation. Full story, from the Colorado Daily _____________________________
With recently approved hand-held cell phone bans taking effect in New Jersey and the District of Columbia on Thursday, July 1, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the organization that represents state highway safety agencies, is reminding drivers that cell phones are not the only distractions they need to safely manage while driving. GHSA is also urging other states to refrain from passing hand-held cell phone legislation because the association believes these laws are not likely to have a significant safety benefit. Hands-free devices, while perhaps offering some added convenience to the driver, do not mitigate the intellectual distraction -- the conversation. Drivers are similarly distracted when using either a hand-held or hands-free phone. In fact, hand-held cell phone bans send the wrong message to drivers and gives them a false sense of safety as it encourages them to drive while carrying on a conversation, albeit on a headset. Last summer, GHSA joined AAA and its Foundation for Traffic Safety in announcing research from the University of North Carolina showing that reading and writing, eating, adjusting the radio, interacting with others in the car, grooming, as well as cell phone use, were major distractions. Employing in-car video cameras to observe how drivers behave, the study concluded that all drivers in the study had been distracted to some degree, 90 percent by something outside the car and 100 percent by something inside the car. Kathryn Swanson, Chair of GHSA, says, "The AAA research reaffirms that cell phones are the distraction that drivers love to hate, but in fact they are just one of many that drivers encounter on a daily basis. Anything that takes a driver's attention away from the task at hand can be potentially fatal, especially distractions that require a cognitive element." Swanson continues, "Driving is a complex task and full attention to the matter at hand is needed to reduce the chance of error. The best advice is for drivers to limit these distractions as much as possible: pull over to a safe location to eat, set your radio station/CD player before you start driving and do not use a cell phone, either hand-held or hands-free, while driving." [Source: GHSA] _____________________________
"After you unlock your car, you then blow into the breath-sensing device in the end of the key and it reads the blood-alcohol content of your breath and determines whether or not you're fit to drive, based upon a pre-programmed threshold that is set into the system," said Saab's Kevin Smith, describing the procedure for using it. Full story, from VOA _____________________________
The death toll in the accident in the Karoo in the early hours of this morning has risen to 16 with the discovery of the body of a baby girl in the veld next to the road. Twelve people were also injured in the head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a bakkie. [Source: SABC News] _____________________________
In the immediate wake of a car which in the DSA editor's opinion is one of the most beautiful four-door cars of all time -- the Maserati Quattroporte -- comes another stunning new addition to the marque, the Maserati MC12.
The MC12 was piloted by the MC12 development driver Andrea Bertolini for its second outing on the hill in the sunshine on Sunday. It is 37 years since the last victory for Maserati in international championship racing (1967, Cooper Maserati F1, South African Grand Prix) and this new road-going Grand Tourer is being developed into a GT racing version with its V-12 engine sprinting the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds. (And yes, the DSA editor admits that this story has nothing to do with safety but his excuse is that driving is about fun, too!) _____________________________
A recent series of tests conducted for The British Rubber Manufacturers Association by MIRA has shown that the stopping distance significantly increases and cornering performance deteriorates when tyre tread depth falls below 3mm (0.12 inches). Given that the current, UK legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, when the tyre is only performing at 60% of its full potential, safety professionals need to be aware of these findings. Further
information can be obtained from: Rogers Sanders at: roger.sanders@conti.de _____________________________
The latest TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) survey of car seat belt use was carried out in April and has produced some encouraging data. In all, some 27,675 cars were observed, carrying 7,833 passengers in the front and 4,003 in the rear. With regard to rear seat passengers, 66 per cent of those over the age of 14 years were wearing a belt, compared to 57 per cent in October 2002. The figure for those under the age of 14 has also risen, from 90 per cent to 92 per cent, in the same period. With regard to drivers and front seat passengers, rates have also increased. For drivers, the figure has risen from 90 per cent to 93 per cent between October 2002 and April 2004, and in the case of front seat passengers the figure has risen from 92 per cent to 94 per cent. In all age groups, seat belt wearing among females is higher than among males. One factor that influences the wearing rate is the speed limit. Rates remain higher on non-built up roads (where the speed limit exceeds 40 mph) than on built up roads (where the speed limit is at most 40 mph).
For more information on the survey and further road safety news visit: http://www.larsoa.org.uk/ _____________________________
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Southeast Region today launched its "100 Days of Summer HEAT" traffic enforcement campaign. The initiative combines the efforts of each State Highway Patrol, State Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, local sheriffs and police departments, focusing enforcement on three main traffic violations: speeding, impaired driving, and failure to use safety belts. "Never before has such a wide range of agencies from multiple states across an entire region combined their efforts to make our roadways safer," said Terry Schiavone, NHTSA Southeast Region Administrator. '"Because the summer months are particularly dangerous for travelers, law enforcement leadership in this region has come together to crack down on all motorists, including commercial motor vehicle operators, who are speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not wearing a safety belt." Highway safety agencies from each state in the region will join together in an unprecedented manner - State Highway Safety Offices, State Highway Patrol, State Motor Carrier Enforcement, local sheriffs and police departments - to enforce laws and collectively reduce fatalities on the roadways. "The fatalities and injuries that occur on our highways each day are totally unacceptable," said Jerry Cooper, Field Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). "FMCSA is delighted to join NHTSA, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and other state and local traffic enforcement agencies to hold unsafe drivers accountable for the safety risk they pose."... Full story, from the Winston County Journal _____________________________
Drivers would need a special licence to use four-wheel-drive vehicles under a new recommendation flagged this week by a federal parliamentary committee.... The report, prepared by the House of Representatives Transport Committee, found that the recommendation, together with introducing graduated licences for novice drivers and special licences for caravans [i.e. 'trailers'], would improve road safety.... Most stakeholders agreed that with the number of 4WDs on Australian roads increasing by more than 224 per cent – 150,578 nationally – over the past 10 years compared with total market growth of 63 per cent, better education was needed... A 2002 Australian Transport Safety Bureau report found the popularity of 4WDs was rising so significantly that they were starting to replace more traditional passenger cars on urban roads. The study found the incidence of fatal crashes involving 4WDs skyrocketed 85 per cent – from 101 deaths to 187 deaths – between 1990 and 1998. [But by] comparison, the number of fatal crashes involving all vehicles dropped 25 per cent in the same period.... WA 4WD Association spokesman Terry Machin said he supported the recommendation. He said the association was divided on the issue but he believed it would help save lives. "Just as motorcyclists have to upgrade their licence to ride a higher powered bike, I think it's appropriate that special vehicles come under the same category," he said. Mr Machin [also] said there was no real use for 4WDs on urban roads.... Full story, from News.com _____________________________
HCM City’s Transport and Public Works Department has listed six city routes where traffic accidents frequently occur. They are: Truong Chinh, Ly Thuong Kiet, Bach Dang, An Duong Vuong, Tran Hung Dao and March 2nd roads. The department also said the scarcity of police and traffic lights contributed to the accidents. [Source: Viet Nam News] _____________________________
Police are warning people about a scam that tells them to pay fines for fake traffic offences abroad. One man, from near Leamington Spa, received a letter from Gran Canaria after returning home from using a hired car on holiday in the region. Harbury resident Paul Hyde paid the 'fine' for committing an unnamed 'traffic violation' but later became suspicious and went to the police. He said: "I'm really vexed I should be so stupid, and mad with myself for being taken in by it. "I have written the money off, but I want to stop other people being taken in and making the same stupid mistake I made." The letter gave Mr Hyde just five days to pay fines and costs totalling 129 euros -- about Ł85.... Head of the economic crime unit Det Insp Dave Churchill said: "Obviously these fines should not be paid - this is a scam." He advises anyone who receives these letters to refer them to police in the Canary Islands by writing to Comisaria General de Policia, (Seccion de Deltos Patriomoniales), Calle Luis Doirest Silva No 68, 35004 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Full article, from The Courier _____________________________
All Traffic Police motorcycles are to be fitted with radar guns which will allow cops to nab speeding motorists almost instantly. Yesterday, Traffic Police commander Teo Kian Teck revealed the latest strategy to make Singapore's roads safer: Radar guns mounted on all patrol motorcycles.... Right now, police rely on speed cameras at designated locations, hand-held radar guns and laser cameras, mounted laser cameras on overpasses, and patrolmen clocking a motorist against their own speedometers.... The number of tickets issued for speeding has risen sharply, from 35,361 in 2002 to 48,667 last year. And in the first three months of this year alone, more than 13,000 motorists were booked for speeding.... The motorcycle-mounted radar guns will give the motorist's speed almost instantaneously. This means speeding drivers will not have time to react - the most important change of all, because it could motivate motorists to drive more carefully all the time, and not only when someone is watching them. Full story, from The Straits Times _____________________________
Reckless middle-aged "born again bikers" with a taste for smashing the speed limit on rural routes have been blamed by the government for the highest annual death toll on Britain's roads since 1997. The number of people killed on the roads rose by 77 to 3,508 last year. According to the Department for Transport, casualties among pedestrians and car users were static or falling, but deaths among motorcycle users jumped by 84 to 693. Motoring organisations said last year's unusually hot summer fuelled a boom in biking among affluent people in their late 30s and 40s. Full story, from The Guardian For the full article on Britain's 2003 casualty toll, click here. _____________________________
Criminals planning to use roads in the Avon and Somerset force area are being warned by police: “We are watching!” The force’s use of the ANPR system – Automatic Number Plate Recognition – is being stepped up a gear in a bid to disrupt the movements of offenders.... Avon and Somerset Constabulary first acquired ANPR in May 2000 and was [then] one of only 15 forces to use the technology. Linked to the Police National Computer, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency at Swansea, the ANPR system can read around 5,000 vehicle registration plates per hour.... Identifications can take place very quickly, allowing officers to stop a vehicle and question its occupants.... Full article, from the Avon and Somerset Police newsroom [Glossary note: the British 'registration plate' or 'number plate' is the same thing as an American 'license plate'.] _____________________________
for .08 BAC Laws -- Delaware is the Last State to Put Dubious Principles Before People's Right to Stay Alive U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced incentive grants totaling $47.8 million to 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for improving highway safety by lowering the legal threshold for impaired driving to .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The fiscal year 2004 incentive grant recipients from the U.S. Department of Transportation include all the states except Colorado, Delaware and Minnesota. These states had 2 percent of their federal highway construction funds withheld as of Oct. 1, 2003.... “The people of 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have shown that they will not tolerate alcohol-impaired drivers on their roads,” said Secretary Mineta. “We urge Delaware to complete our work by enacting tougher laws reduce alcohol-related crashes, injuries and fatalities.”
DSA Comment: Delaware performs slightly worse, in terms of the per capita death rate, than the average for the whole of the USA. Delaware has a rate of 15.5 deaths for every 100,000 members of the population (and lies in 26th position among all states) compared to an overall rate of 14.8 for the USA as a whole. Click here to view results for every state. _____________________________ </ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 30, 2004: 
June 29, 2004: 
June 29, 2004: 
June 29, 2004: New 
June 28, 2004: 
June 28, 2004: 
and 
June 27, 2004: 
June 26, 2004: