INTERNATIONAL

 

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ARCHIVE FOR OCTOBER 2004

 

 

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Please always bear in mind that news and information from other countries can be important because -- irrespective of irrelevant things like which side of the road people drive on -- the laws of physics are exactly the same everywhere, and by checking data from around the world you will gain access to "best practice" and techniques which may not have been considered in your own country/community. Information is deliberately included here from "first world," "developing" and "third world" nations, as no one country has all the answers. Please note, also, that in some of the articles 'Drive and Stay Alive' writers will include glossary-type definitions for readers in different countries. For example, the word "pavement" in America means the road, but in Britain and elsewhere it means what Americans call the "sidewalk" so 'translations', in parentheses, may be given.

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  October, 2004: Irresponsible Auto Journalism

     In the world of auto journalism, the Detroit News often leads the way with the latest stories and with insider knowledge -- as indeed it should, given that it is located in the world's car making capital.

     But with that position of world leadership comes a big responsibility; after all, automobiles have killed more people in just over one hundred years than have all the wars in history, combined. According to the World Health Organisation, road crashes are now killing 1.2 million people each year and the situation is expected to get much worse between now and 2020.

     Yesterday (October 25), I sat down to read John McCormick's piece, "These car commercials are actually worth watching," and for the first four paragraphs I was getting into it and enjoying the initial themes, which were to the effect that not only can automobile commercials be clever and entertaining but also that powerful sports cars can be fun and should be celebrated as such.

     I agree!

     But then I got to paragraph five, and read: "If ever an ad took a swipe at all the safety Nazis and assorted kill-joys out there, this is it."....

Read our full response here.

 

 

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  October 31, 2004:  Hong Kong Promotes Road Safety  

     Hong Kong Road Safety Campaign Committee Sunday launched a two-month new round of publicity to promote a smart road use with a vision as "Zero accidents on the road, Hong Kong's goal."

     The message of the campaign is "Stay alert. Be courteous and obey the law."

     Chairman of the Committee Lawrence Yu... noted that Hong Kong enjoys a good road safety record compared with other cities in the world. However, despite a drop of 19.5 percent compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, Hong Kong still saw 124 deaths in road accidents inthe first nine months of 2004....

     The main cause of pedestrian accidents was crossing roads carelessly while accidents involving drivers were mainly caused by driving too close to the vehicle in front, speeding, careless lane changing and driving negligently.

     Each incident of death costs Hong Kong government some 1.9 million HK dollars (244,000 US dollars) to follow up. This is not to mention the serious and permanent damage caused to the family and friends of those killed....

Full story, from Xinhuanet

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  October 31, 2004:  Wild Boars Cause Highway Pileup  

     A pack of wild boars wandered onto a German motorway, causing a five-car pileup, injuring a motorist and leaving eight of the animals dead, police said.

     The cars on the Dresden-Berlin motorway hit the boars at high speed. One car flipped, injuring a 33-year-old female driver.

[Source: LA Times (Subscription needed)]

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  October 31, 2004:  Chandigarh Roads Are No Longer 'Safe' for Power-Happy VIPs  

     The roads of this city, which has the highest density of vehicles in India, are no longer "safe" for VIP motorists -- the traffic police are coming down heavily on offenders.

     This was evident at a special checkpoint put up by traffic police Saturday night on the busy Chandigarh-Panchkula highway. Despite throwing names and their weights around to get away from being issued a traffic ticket, some offenders realised that such efforts were a waste.

     All their actions were videotaped under a new policy framed by the traffic police to use the evidence against offenders in court. The police not only issued them traffic tickets, but in one case they impounded the vehicle of an "influential" person, said an officer.

     The motorist -- driving a brand-new Ford Ikon -- had sought to threaten the police personnel not to issue him a traffic ticket as he claimed to be related to a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court....

     The motorist's arguments with policemen led to the offences listed against him increasing.

     Besides the original offence of violating the speed limit, he was charged with arguing with police officials, creating a scene and refusing to sign the ticket.

     Finally, he ended up getting his vehicle impounded. The motorist, his wife and four children, including an infant, had to walk -- leaving the car behind....

Full story, from New Kerala 

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  October 31, 2004:  An Alleged Drunken Driver Kills 3, Including an Infant, in North Carolina

     A Fort Bragg man is facing felony charges for allegedly driving drunk and causing a deadly accident. State troopers have charged him after a deadly accident in Chatham County took three lives this weekend.

     Authorities said Randall Hickman, 30, of Fort Bragg, was driving drunk when his truck hit a car on Highway 421 Saturday.

     The three people in the car, including a 10-month-old baby, were killed.

[Source: NBC 17]

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  October 30, 2004:  Rival TV Stations Join Forces to Fight Drunk Driving  

NEW YORK -- The Television Advertising Bureau and the Ad Council have convinced rival station groups across the country to come together in a first ever campaign to curb drunk driving during the upcoming holiday season, Broadcasting & Cable magazine reports exclusively this week.

     Stations throughout the U.S. will put competition aside to participate in what TVB and the Ad Council call "Project Roadblock" -- an intense public service ad campaign that will build to a crescendo during the week between Christmas and New Year.

     "So far, Clear Channel Communications' 36 stations and Nexstar Broadcasting Group's 46 stations have enlisted. Individual stations from Belo Corp., Cox Broadcasting, Hearst-Argyle, Hubbard Broadcasting, Liberty, Tribune Broadcasting and Viacom also are participating. TVB President Chris Rohrs hopes to have several hundred stations by the time the campaign is launched," B&C reports.

     PSAs air free of charge, according to the industry weekly, which notes that the value of the air time participating TV stations will give up could exceed $100 million.

[Source: PR Newswire]

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  October 30, 2004:  Another Major Bus Crash -- 28 Die in Peru

     A passenger bus plunged more than 650 feet off an isolated mountain highway in the Andes, killing at least 28 people and injuring 28 others, officials said. The accident occurred just after dusk Friday near the town of Chuquibambilla, about 300 miles south of Lima...

     A further 28 were seriously injured and were being treated in Abancay, about 34 miles south of the accident site. 

     Police said heavy fog may have contributed to the crash.

[Source: The Star Tribune]

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  October 30, 2004:  Police in England Appeal to a Motorway Rescuer to Come Forward   

     A man who might hold vital clues to a serious accident on the M6 near Coventry has been asked to come forward by police.

     The motorist stopped at the scene of a crash two weeks ago and helped a badly burned woman out of her blazing vehicle.

     Police officers fear the man could be traumatised after the shocking incident and they want to help him with counselling if he needs it.

     The female driver is still in Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital recovering from 60 per cent burns...

     Her blue Rover 100 car is thought to have run off the carriageway after colliding with another vehicle, then flipped over on to its roof and burst into flames on the [side of the road]....

     The Good Samaritan who stopped to help the women is described as black. He was driving a white van.

     He left the scene before the emergency services arrived but police believe he could [also] hold vital clues about the cause of the crash.

     Insp Paul Andrews, of the Central Motorway Police Group, said: "We would like to see this man, firstly, to give him a big pat on the back for his help and also to find out if he can help us.

     "He may also be bottling up some issues after helping her, it was a very nasty incident.

     "He is as much a victim, even though he walked away from it."...

Full story, from IC Coventry

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 N.I.  October 29, 2004:  RAC Foundation calls for a Road Safety Supremo for Northern Ireland

     The RAC Foundation is backing calls for a road safety tsar to be appointed for Northern Ireland.

     Speaking at the Road Safety Council of Northern Ireland's annual congress today, Kevin Delaney, Traffic and Road Safety Manager for the RAC Foundation claimed that the number of people killed and injured on the roads was unacceptable and new thinking must be employed to tackle the problem....

     Speaking on the theme of "What Cost Road Safety", Delaney said that while road safety measures were expensive, the cost of a life is priceless in human terms and costly in material ones. 

     "The traditional three E's of enforcement, education and engineering all have associated costs and different benefits and consequences.

     "But as a nation we already spend huge sums of money investigating crashes, prosecuting drivers and compensating victims. Couldn't we spend that more effectively in attempting to change driver behaviour and attitude by better education, better training and better information?

     "As individuals, we also face a choice. Are we prepared to pay for safer roads that incorporate significantly increased safety margins, safer cars that provide crash protection not only for occupants, but also vulnerable road users and better driver training that treats driving as a 'life skill', training young people to drive, rather than simply to pass the driving test?...

     "Likewise school safety. In the U.S. they use yellow school buses to take children to and from school and they build safety legislation around them. Yes it costs a lot, but they believe the safety of their children is worth the cost....

     Delaney added that Northern Ireland should appoint a single person, or legal entity to be responsible for all aspects of road user safety, co-ordinating education, engineering and enforcement and arguing for a realistic road safety budget from a position of influence.

[Source: RAC Foundation]

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  October 29, 2004:  The Dangers of Driving Tired

An announcement and latest research on this deadly problem, complete with detailed safety advice.

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  October 29, 2004:  Driving Lessons After Dark

     The UK's largest driving school, BSM, are calling on the UK government to ensure that learner drivers have experience of night-time driving before they take their practical driving test.

     The call comes in the same week that MP David Kidney tabled a House of Commons question on the issue to Transport Secretary Alistair Darling.

     Although only about 15% of total vehicle miles are carried out between the hours of 7pm and 7am, about 30% of reported injury accidents take place in that same period.

     And the likelihood of being involved in an accident after dark is far greater for relatively inexperienced young drivers than for any other age group....

View the full article here

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  October 29, 2004:  Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards, 2004

Details here for this year's winners and also on where to send nominations for future awards.

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  October 29, 2004:  Motorcycling Statistics

     The Department for Transport has today published a Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics, bringing together for the first time information from a range of sources to provide a comprehensive picture of motorcycling in Great Britain.

View the press release, here, for further details.

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  October 29, 2004:  The Condition of Vehicles on South Africa's Roads 

     Gerrie Botha, Manager Road Traffic Management Strategy, National Department of Transport has given RoadSafe the following up to date figures that are mind-boggling! Of the vehicles on South African roads, 1.3 million are older than 20 years. (17.95%). Furthermore, on average 25% of buses, motorcycles and trucks, 28% of heavy trailers and 47% of caravans fall into this category. However, in Europe the average lifespan of a vehicle is 6.7 years.
     This is an alarming statistic, however, and we need to encourage all road users to continually maintain their vehicles if we are to make a positive impact on road safety.

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  October 29, 2004:  Electronic Stability Programme Training

     On 6 April 2004, Robert Bosch GmbH became a signatory to the European Union Road Safety Charter, thereby making a commitment to contribute to the universal goal of halving European road fatalities to 20,000 by the year 2010 through the promotion of its Electronic Stability Programme - or 'ESP'.

     ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) is an advanced braking technology which significantly reduces driving accidents -- particular side collisions caused by skidding -- by preventing a vehicle from losing control during sharp, accident avoidance maneuvers.

     An aspect of this promotion will be the 'ESPerience' programme - a driver and dealer salesperson training course available at eight race circuits around the UK to raise the awareness of ESP and its function in critical driving situations.

     The firm says the initiative is one of the biggest road safety commitments by an auto parts supplier in Europe.

 

  View a report concerning the levels of ESP use in Europe.

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  October 28, 2004: Electronic Stability Control is Found to be Effective

Its main effect is to reduce single-vehicle crash risk, including the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes

ARLINGTON, VA -- About half of the 28,000 fatal passenger vehicle crashes that occur each year involve a single vehicle. Equipping cars and SUVs with electronic stability control (ESC) can reduce the risk of involvement in these crashes by more than 50 percent.

Read this important report here.

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  October 28, 2004:  Many People Die Crossing Roads in Delhi While Pedestrian Subways Go Unused

     Call it infrastructure gone [to] waste or what you will, but 33 subways in the Capital are seldom used by those they were built for — pedestrians. Subways can bring down road accidents considerably, but footfalls continue to be negligible.

     About 48 per cent of fatal road accidents on Delhi's roads involve pedestrians. A majority of these happen while people attempt to cross roads and are run over. "If subways are used, many mishaps can definitely be prevented," joint commissioner of traffic police Qamar Ahmed said....

     Experts said apathy to subways was because of several factors, like faulty planning, lack of maintenance and security. However, residents are equally to blame. Many prefer to either jump over railings [or] over road dividers.

     "Though we plan to have a subway at a place most convenient to the public, they are often built elsewhere because of objection from shopkeepers and politicians. This is a cause of faulty planning," a senior MCD official said.

     However, the [condition of the] subways deters people from using them. "They are filthy, stinking and have become a hub for anti-social elements. They are unsafe, especially for women after dark, as they are poorly-lit," Arun Kumar, a PR executive said....

Full story, from the Hindustan Times

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  October 28, 2004:  17 killed and 12 injured in two road accidents in Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Seventeen people were killed and 12 were injured in two road accidents on Tuesday.

     Five people were killed and nine were injured when a coach collided with a truck near Kohat Tunnel, 35 kilometres south of Peshawar....

     Meanwhile, 12 people died and three were injured when a jeep plunged into a ravine on Tuesday on Torekoho Road, 80 kilometres from Chitral.

[Source: Daily Times]

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  Oct. 27, 2004:  Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Officially Opens TRL's new H.Q., Crowthorne House

     The Princess Royal (i.e. Princess Anne) had a packed schedule during her two-hour visit to the Transport Research Laboratory's new, purpose-built office and laboratory complex, today.

     After praising the significance and contribution of TRL's work in understanding transport issues, The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque to commemorate the official opening. She also presented awards to three members of staff in recognition of their outstanding contribution to transport research: David Lynam for his work in road safety, Richard Abell for his major role in understanding the construction and maintenance of long-life roads, and Graham Lawrence for his work on pedestrian protection from vehicles.

     Following the opening ceremony, The Princess Royal was taken to TRL's Impact Test Facility to watch a demonstration vehicle crash test which replicated a frontal impact at 64kph [40mph]....

     The Princess Royal was [later] introduced to TRL's groundbreaking work in accident reconstruction using laser scanning techniques. Last stop was TruckSIM, the UK's first Truck Driver Training Simulator....

     The event marked a fitting end to the successful relocation, as all involved look forward to the future of TRL in its new, state-of-the-art headquarters.

[Source: TRL News, November 2004]

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  October 27, 2004: Young Children are in Great Danger from Pedestrian Deaths and Injuries on Halloween

Drivers and Pedestrians Must See and Be Seen

     Children aged 12 and under are more than twice as likely to suffer death or injury from being hit by a car on Halloween than on other comparable days in October and November, according to a new analysis by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The Auto Club analyzed data collected by the California Highway Patrol.

     The analysis of death and injury statistics from 1994-2003 found children under age 13 are 136 percent more likely to be killed or injured as pedestrians between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Halloween compared to other comparable days in October and November. Over the 10-year period, this translates to 77 more children killed or injured. Adults and children aged 13 and over have a 45 percent higher likelihood of being hit by a motor vehicle on Halloween than on other comparable October or November days.

     "These numbers are startling because they show that despite efforts to make young children safe on Halloween, there is still a dramatic jump in deaths and injuries while they are walking from house to house," said Steven Bloch, Ph.D., senior research associate of the Auto Club and the researcher who performed the analysis....

     "This year [will] be particularly dangerous because Halloween falls on the Sunday when clocks are turned back from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time," Bloch said. "Young children out trick-or-treating are particularly at risk because they are usually out near dusk or later when visibility is lowest. Sunset will be occurring an hour earlier than we are accustomed to. The key for drivers and pedestrians is to 'see and be seen'."

Full story, with safety tips, here.

Related Story (out of sequence)

 

  October 28, 2004:  In PA, Highway deaths on Halloween rival those at New Year

     According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and PennDOT officials, the number of fatal accidents during Halloween [often surpasses] those occurring during the New Year's holiday. And alcohol is to blame for most of these accidents and deaths, they said.

     Between 1999 and 2003, figures for Pennsylvania showed that highway deaths during the Halloween holiday exceeded those occurring at New Year's for three of the five years.

Full story, from Pittsburgh Live

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  October 27, 2004: Road Safety: An 18 Percent Reduction in Fatal Accidents on Italian Highways

NAPLES -- The introduction of new road safety measures on Italian highways has led to an 18.8 pct reduction in deaths, and 22 thousand fewer serious or permanent injuries, according to statistics issued by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Pietro Lunardi.

     "These issues concern families and society at large. The data is preliminary, but this is just [the] beginning. We have to strive for more, we have to do more".

     On matters such as these the highway code appears to provide too few disincentives. Lunardi stressed the need for families to provide their teenage sons and daughter with the kind of education needed to avoid Friday night disasters.

     "Families need to educate their sons and daughters - Lunardi said - [...] towards pro-life values. Our lives and that of others is precious. That's our message."

     [During a meeting of 25 EU transport ministers], Lunardi stressed the significance of results achieved in Verona; the meeting focused on issues "on a much neglected issue, [...] namely road accidents. Transport Ministers have a very important task at hand, involving the safeguard of human lives. This involves an all-out commitment and EU ministers seem committed on that account. Verona will become an annual appointment on road safety."

[Source: AGI]

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  and    October 26, 2004: Lunardi:  A Driving Licence is Just Like a Gun Licence

VERONA, Italy -- The driving licence is to be considered just like a gun licence. That's the comparison made by Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi today at the European Council of Transport Ministers, held today at the Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona. 

     "In Italy" - he said - "7000 people are killed in road accidents each year, 150 are killed by guns. We need to be much more careful in issuing driving licences". 

     Such a declaration follows the one made yesterday by the minister himself: "Hit-and-run and dangerous drivers should have their licences taken away for life". 

     The cost of accidents affects the EU GDP by 2 pct, that's 105 bln euros, and this figure only regards accidents, because the cost of life cannot be assessed. 

     "Casualties caused by road accidents" -- said Karle Peijs, Transport Minister of the Netherlands -- "are too many, and damages total billions of euros. In a country such as Holland, which features a very safe road network, 110** people are killed every year. In the entire EU, about 60,000 are killed".

[Source: AGI]

 DSA Comment ** The annual fatalities figure shown for Holland is undoubtedly a typographical error. The number of people killed in road crashes there each year is around 1,000.

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  N.I.  October 26, 2004:  Road Safety Blitz in Northern Ireland

     More than 1,000 drivers were caught speeding in a new road safety blitz across Northern Ireland, police revealed today.

     Scores of motorists will also be prosecuted for drink or drug-driving following the week-long crackdown.

     With the death toll still alarmingly high, police chiefs said the Operation Viper campaign proved they were getting tough with those causing mayhem.

     Chief Superintendent Wesley Wilson said: “Sadly 123 people have been killed on our roads so far this year. Speeding, dangerous driving, driving while under the influence, can lead to tragedy.

     “We have promised that we will be robust and targeted in our enforcement. I believe the figures we have released today reflect that determination.”

Read the full story, with statistics, from The Scotsman

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  October 26, 2004: Rip Torn Fights Drunk Driving Charge

     'Men in Black' star Rip Torn was in court in New York Tuesday to fight drunk driving charges.

     The 73-year-old actor can be seen raging in a video released by police who arrested Torn after he drove into the back of a taxi.

     But, in court, Torn's attorney insisted the actor isn't drunk in the video footage, in which he staggers around arguing with cops and resisting arrest, but he is angry.

     Torn is expected back in court Wednesday.

[Source: World Entertainment News Network, via 94Country WKKJ]

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  October 26, 2004: The Kansas City Star has Fun at the Expense of the Governors Highway Safety Association

     Not to pick on the Governors Highway Safety Association, a worthy nonprofit association representing the state highway safety offices, but after two headline gaffes from them, we just couldn't resist sharing them in this space.

     The first one crossed our desk back in August and caught our attention with the headline, “State Highway Safety Agencies Cheer Historic Progress in Highway Deaths.” We didn't think that's what they really meant to say, and set it aside.

     Then on Oct. 19 another one crossed our desk, this one titled, “Speed Tops Priority List for New Highway Safety Leader.” Again, we doubt that driving fast is the priority; more likely the priority is to stop speeding on America's highways.

     Having said that, writing headlines is a tough job. But as one headline writer at The Kansas City Star said after reading the two, “Oh boy, those should be on Jay Leno's Headlines.”

[Source: The Kansas City Star]

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  October 26, 2004: First Group of Model Year 2005 Crash Tests and Rollover Ratings

     The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today released new crash test results for selected model year 2005 vehicles. The agency also released new rollover ratings for several 2005 pickups.

     The 2005 Subaru Outback sport utility vehicle was the only vehicle in the latest group to earn the top rating of five-stars for all seating positions in frontal and side impact crash tests. The 2005 Chrysler 300, and its corporate twin the Dodge Magnum, received the highest scores for a passenger car – five-stars for frontal crash in both seating positions and four-stars and five-stars, respectively, for side impact crash in the driver and rear seating positions.

     In rollover testing, the highest rated pickups were the 2005 Dodge Ram 4x2, the Chevrolet Colorado 4x4, and its corporate twin, the GMC Canyon 4x4, each receiving four-stars, a 17.9 percent chance of rollover, if involved in a single-vehicle crash. NHTSA uses both a five-star scale and a percent chance of rollover to rate a vehicle on its likelihood of rollover in a single vehicle crash....

Full report here.

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  October 26, 2004: Heart Attack Risk is Linked to Time Spent in Traffic

     If gridlock, stress and delays were not enough, scientists have found another reason for people to dread their daily commute. Sitting in traffic nearly triples the risk of suffering a heart attack a short time later, according to a study published last week.

     The heightened risk, which applies to drivers, bicyclists and people using public transportation, may be a result of exposure to airborne pollutants that inflame the lungs and damage arteries, but the emotional stress of trudging through traffic could also be a factor, the researchers said....

Full story, from the New York Times (subscription required)

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  October 26, 2004: Deadly toll of truck crashes

     Seventy-seven people were killed in truck accidents on the roads of New South Wales from January to the end of May this year.

     Executive officer for the Transport Workers Union Scott Connelly... said that to meet unrealistic deadlines, a frightening number of interstate truck drivers were speeding or resorting to substance abuse.

     Mr Connelly laid the blame at the feet of large companies that had adopted an aggressive strategy to contract out work to sole operators on reduced rates, which were the lowest they had been for 10 years.
     "It's the people whose goods are being moved by trucks that have a responsibility to set realistic schedules, realistic rates and provide adequate time schedules,” he said.

Full story, from YourGuide

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  *  October 25, 2004: Traffic Accident Kills 6 in Inner Mongolia

     HOHHOT -- Six people were killed in a traffic accident in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Monday, local police said on Tuesday.

     A Hongyan truck firstly collided with a farming tricycle from behind at 0:40 a.m. Monday in Dongsheng District of Ordos City when it was trying to overtake and then had a head-on collision with a Jiefang truck. The driver of the latter truck was seriously injured.

     A half hour later, a car ran into the collided Jiefang truck from back, killing all the five people in the car, including its driver, at the scene. And the driver of the Jiefang truck died in hospital later. The tricycle driver along with the passengers aboard were just slightly injured....

[Source: Xinhuanet]

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  October 25, 2004: Florida's Debris-Strewn Highways Are Deadly

                Study Finds Florida Is Second Deadliest State For Debris-Related Crashes

...A study by AAA found junk in the road causes 25,000 wrecks per year, resulting in 90 deaths a year. Florida is the second deadliest state because of these crashes. The study found that between 1999 and 2001, Texas was at the top of the list with 33 fatal crashes caused by road debris; Florida had 17 and Missouri had 13....

     In just a half-day over a couple of miles, workers picked up a trailer-load of debris from Interstate 95 near Cocoa Monday. Because of a rash of road debris-related deaths, the Highway Patrol gives top priority to road debris calls, responding to them like injury accidents....

     [Five people have been] killed in Brevard County alone this year by road debris.

Full story, from WESH

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  October 25, 2004: Road Safety Campaign Launched in Trinidad & Tobago

     A Traffic Safety Campaign, aimed at curtailing the slaughter on the roads has been launched in Chaguanas.

Full story, from the Trinidad & Tobago Express

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  October 25, 2004:  Pressure on Motorcyclists to Wear Lifesaving Colours

     Motorcyclists reluctant to wear "uncool" high-visibility jackets are to be targeted in a new drive to reduce winter accidents.
in the English county of Norfolk.

     Norfolk police are to highlight the dangers being run by bikers who prefer black leathers to bright clothes as part of the campaign timed to coincide with the clocks going back.
    
The 'Winter Visibility' initiative is set to run from Sunday, October 31 to Sunday, November 14 with the aim of reducing the number of accidents on Norfolk roads.

     So far this year 53 people have died as a result of 51 fatal road accidents in the county.

     Ten motorcyclists have been among those killed, despite two-wheeled motorised traffic making up just one per cent of road use.

     Others to have died include 20 car drivers, nine car passengers, nine pedestrians, two cyclists, and three lorry drivers.

     The number of fatalities increases dramatically with the change in daylight hours and the bad winter weather.

Full story, from EveningNews24

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Two Stories on a Similar Theme

 

  October 25, 2004:  The British Government Urges Children to Be Safe and Be Seen This Winter

     With the clocks going back [next] weekend and the weather worsening, children are being urged to stay visible on the roads as part of the government's annual Be Safe Be Seen campaign.

     The UK government is attempting to reduce child death and injury on the roads by 50 per cent by 2010 compared to the 1994-1998 average. In 2003 the number of children killed or seriously injured [was already down] by 40 per cent against the baseline.

Full details and the advice, here.

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      October 25, 2004:  As the Clocks Go Back, Honda Moves Safety Forward

     Honda has developed the world's first Intelligent Night Vision System which could dramatically cut night time pedestrian casualties. The system is already available on the Honda Legend in the Japanese market.

     The new system uses "far infrared" cameras to detect pedestrians in or approaching the vehicle's path and provides the driver with visual and audio cautions to help prevent accidents involving pedestrians.

Full report here.

 

 DSA Comment  This system is specifically designed to warn drivers about the presence of people but we contacted Honda and asked whether it could "see" deer -- given the huge problem that exists in the USA with vehicles hitting deer -- allowing for the fact that the animal's fur might create problems by shielding the amount of heat lost. Their reply came to me as a verbatim copy of an internal memo, but as it made us smile we are showing it in full, here:

Honda: "In principle, yes. The system will make a deer visible, because it detects heat radiation (in general - you would also see a hot exhaust system, a cup of coffee on the table of a street cafe, etc.). The insulation by the fur coat doesn't exactly help its visibility [but] will, however, not be good enough to hide it. The stealth deer is a few thousand years down the line of evolution...! 

     "However, the image recognition software only alerts the driver of persons because that is the shape it recognizes. A deer will not be recognized by the system [in that way]. Santa on the sleigh it pulls - yes!"

DSA:  Thanks, Honda. Now, everyone, buy a Honda and start looking for Santa!

(See a news article on the scale of the U.S. vehicle/deer crashes problem here -- October 9, below.)

 

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  October 24, 2004:  Traffic Interceptor Vehicles in Chandigarh Have Been Fitted With Voice Recorders

     ...Each traffic police interceptor vehicle is now equipped with a voice recorder. To be in the custody of the interceptor vehicle in charge, it will record the entire conversation with the violators while other men on the vehicle issue challans [i.e. tickets].

Full story, from Express India

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  October 24, 2004: One thousand dead in Iraq, 43,000 on America's roads

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. - Lately, the media has discussed and analyzed the war in Iraq because of the 1,100 men and women who have died in that war. I am the wife of a Vietnam veteran who also was a POW for seven years, and we both are true supporters of our troops and our country.

     However, I also am a victim advocate for victims of traffic crashes and have been involved with this ongoing tragedy for more than 20 years. My heart aches daily for the loved ones and children killed in tragic crashes on our roadways, most of which were preventable. Very few crashes are accidents. The recent crash involving the wonderful three young brothers killed by an alleged distracted impaired driver was a horrendous loss and was most likely preventable.

     Do you realize that approximately 43,000 people were killed last year on our highways? When and what will it take for the media to make highway deaths a priority? Do we have to wait until a celebrity or a public figure's family is killed.

     I hate the war, but there also is a war on our streets every day, and my grandchildren are riding on those streets. They need to be protected. Every American needs to take responsibility and drive as if their child was riding, every time.

     Driving behavior is out of control - not only because of cell phone usage while driving, but also drunk driving, eating while driving, distractions such as children while driving, nonuse of seat belts and so on. Distracted driving is the cause of so many deaths.

     I have been listening to the two presidential candidates discussing the war, domestic issues and so on, but I have never heard even one local or national candidate say, "I will do everything in my power to make our roads safer for all Americans."

     No one wants to talk about it until it hits home.

Sharon Gehrman-Driscoll (director/victim advocate for Minnesotans For Safe Driving).

[Source: Grand Forks Herald]

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  October 24, 2004: Unlimited Speeds on Germany's Autobahns May be Coming to an End

     ....Germany is the only country in Europe that allows motorists to drive as fast as they like on the highway. Racing down the autobahn is almost a national birthright here, a rare sip of freedom in an otherwise highly regulated, law-abiding society.

     But now the sacred right to drive like a bat out of hell is under threat. To the horror of [fast drivers], Germany has started debating whether to slap speed limits across its legendary highway system.

     With polls suggesting for the first time a slight majority favors speed caps, politicians from all parties have embraced the message that environmentalists have been pushing here for years: that slower driving would not only cut pollution and limit fuel consumption, but also save lives. Bills raising the [subject] have not yet been filed.

     Earlier this year, the perils of roadrunner driving were highlighted when Rolf Fischer, a test driver for Mercedes-Benz, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for running another car off the autobahn.

     At the time of the crash, which killed a young mother and her daughter, Fischer was traveling legally at 155 mph. His trial was widely covered and prompted many Germans to question the wisdom of letting ordinary people, never mind professional drivers, enact their Formula One fantasies on the autobahn....

     At the same time, Germany is under pressure from abroad to put on the brakes, with the European Union reportedly gearing up to impose speed limits on highways across the continent....

     German authorities already have used speed caps to make the autobahn safer. Last year, after an 80-mph limit was imposed on the busy stretch between Hamburg and Berlin, traffic-related deaths fell from eight to zero, according to a government study.

Full story, from the Houston Chronicle

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  October 24, 2004: Road Safety Shifts Up a Gear in New South Wales

     A new road safety initiative will be launched by the State Government in secondary schools next year.

     Shifting Gears is a new interactive education program designed to teach road safety to high school students in Year 9 and 10.

     Aimed at 15- to 16-year-olds, Shifting Gears [has been] designed to develop a positive attitude to road safety among school students nearing the legal age for obtaining a learner licence....

     Shifting Gears is the newest addition to the existing Road Safety Education Program taught in NSW schools and funded by the Roads and Traffic Authority.

     The program focuses on the complexity of driving, factors that contribute to crashes, risk behaviours, decision-making and personal responsibility when using the road.

     NSW Minister for Roads Carl Scully said teachers will now be able to deliver road safety education as part of a new syllabus for personal development, health and physical education subjects.

     "Shifting Gears gives road safety a high level of importance within the school learning environment and enables students to explore road safety issues using a medium that suits them," Mr Scully said....

     "Hopefully, this can help lower the over-representation of young people in the road toll."

Full Story from Your Guide (Tamworth)

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