|
||||||||||||||
|
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, safety professionals, police officers, parents of young drivers, etc., have an easily accessible yet wide ranging insight into road safety best practice globally, and through this be in a better position to help save some of the many lives wasted in road crashes everywhere. Page edited by Eddie Wren
We recommend that you repeatedly use your 'Page Down' key to quickly scroll through this often-huge page, so that you may select the countries or topics that interest you.
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.
|
||||||||||||||
November 2005
The Volvo Car Corporation is taking a decisive new step toward "Active Safety" (helping drivers avoid vehicle collisions) with its new Volvo Driver Alert system. The technology is designed to monitor a vehicle’s progress on the road and alert the driver if it detects signs of fatigue or distraction. The system does not take control of the vehicle; the system helps drivers make the right decision.... Driver Alert monitors the vehicle’s movement to determine if the vehicle is being driven in a controlled way. This method is unique among vehicle manufacturers and it is designed to be reliable in a variety of circumstances.... Volvo Cars intends to make the Driver Alert system available in Volvo vehicles within two years. __________________________
With nearly 80,000 highway deaths every year, the road transport and highways department feels safety has been put on the backseat for far too long. It is in the final stages of setting up of a commissionerate for safety, a regulator that will not only take policy decisions but also monitor the working of vehicle manufacturers, road constructing agencies and consumers. A committee under the cabinet secretary constituted a sub-committee headed by TERI's senior fellow S Sunder, which is expected to submit its recommendations by January 2006 regarding the focus of the commissionerate. L K Joshi, secretary in the shipping, road transport and highways ministry, says: "The sub-committee is looking at safety commissions across European countries before we decide on what kind of regulator needs to be set up." .... Another indication of the increasing focus on safety issues is the committee on infrastructure headed by the Prime Minister that recently cleared a proposal by which 1% of the cess [funds?] coming to NHAI would be used for study and research of road safety issues and developing state-of-the-art systems.... Full story, from the Times of India [SMc] __________________________
"Reckless" P-platers have been involved in a spate of serious driving offences in the past week, police say, including one caught speeding at 200 km/h and another who had a blood alcohol reading of 0.241. Sergeant John McIntosh, from the Maroondah Traffic Management Unit, said P-platers were legally required to have a blood alcohol concentration of zero.... Another P-plater returned a reading of 0.174 per cent on the Eastern Freeway. The high alcohol readings came after a P-plater was detected travelling at 200 km/h on the Maroondah Highway near Healesville on Thursday night, and a 20-year-old P-plater was found driving at 145 km/h on Friday night in Box Hill. "They (young drivers) are blase about life in general. They seem to think they are invincible," Sergeant McIntosh said. "A lot of teenagers are not getting the message about speed and alcohol," he said.... Full story, from The Age [SMc] __________________________
Seeking to call attention to the need for everyone on America's roads and highways to drive more safely, Road Safe America have announced an initiative to establish Drive Safer Sunday as a national observance every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. "The death of almost 43,000 people a year in more than 6 million highway crashes in America has been called an epidemic by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, and rightly so," said Stephen C. Owings of Atlanta, whose son, Cullum, was killed in 2002 when his car was crushed from behind by a speeding tractor-trailer truck. "At Road Safe America, we believe it's time to set aside a special day of the year for everyone on our highways and roadways to focus simply on driving more safely." Drive Safer Sunday is planned eventually to spawn a major national public safety campaign that can be embraced in many ways by numerous local, state and national non-profit organizations, civic, business and social clubs around the nation. More details here. __________________________
Three fatal traffic wrecks in a 24-hour period during the Thanksgiving holiday period shared two chilling similarities: young drivers and high speeds. Five people died in wrecks authorities say were caused by drivers 18 or younger. Five remained in hospitals late Friday, two in critical condition.... Dr. Rob Foss, a research scientist at the UNC Highway Safety Research Center, said young drivers have a greater chance of getting into a crash because they're more likely to take chances, and less able to deal with unexpected driving situations. "That lack of experience and that impulsiveness of youth is really a double whammy," Foss said. "You're more likely to do things that will get you into trouble but then you also are less equipped at getting yourself out of trouble once you're in it."... Full story, from The Charlotte Observer [SMc] __________________________
.....Vincent Ponoesele, the Director of Lesedi Engineering and Construction Company... told the audience on Saturday at a road safety commemoration at Artesia that the police attributed road accidents in the Kgatleng District mainly to speeding, failure to obey road signs and drunken driving. Ponoesele said 553 road accidents were recorded between January and September this year and 43 per cent of them occurred along the Gaborone-Francistown road. Last year, 805 accidents took place along the same road. He also said the police have indicated that most accidents occurred during weekends between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.... Kgosi George Thwane of Artesia said the residents were more at risk of being involved in road accidents because they cross the road and the rail line everyday to and from farms. He stressed the need for the improvement of Botswanas roads to woo investors and encouraged students to take road safety measures seriously. This years Road Safety Day was commemorated under the theme: "Safe Roads to 2016". Full story, from the Daily News __________________________
The Government is to institute traffic regulations to enhance road safety, control accidents, reduce increased road carnage and save lives. The proposed mandatory vehicle inspection programme (MVIP), being sponsored by the Ministry of Works... will be incorporated into the road safety policy.... The [previous] Inspectorate of motor vehicles was suspended following reports of massive corruption and irregularities by its officers.... Addressing a consultative workshop for stakeholders on Wednedsay at the public works training centre, Kyambogo, Patrick Samanya, the commissioner for transport regulation, said, “A total of sh300m is lost due to accidents annually, due to mainly vehicles in poor mechanical condition, bad and roads.” Full story, from The New Vision, Kampala __________________________
Expatriates in Kuwait must be University graduates and draw a salary of not less than $1,370 (about Dh5,000) a month in order to obtain a driver's licence, the interior ministry said yesterday. The new rules, which are effective immediately, are designed to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads which are suffering serious bottlenecks. Expatriates seeking a licence must also have legally lived in the country for at least two years, according to the ministerial decree.... "It is a practical decision no more, no less," Lieutenant Colonel Adel Hashash, head of Public Relations Department at the ministry, told Gulf News. The decision will encourage low income groups "to use public transportation", Hashash said, adding that the decision was not new but an amended version of a three-year-old rule.... However, Gulf News found out that residents of the UAE were sceptical about the practicality of the Kuwaiti decision. Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of the General Traffic Department of Dubai Police, yesterday told Gulf News that he respects the decision, but questions whether the transportation system is advanced enough in Kuwait to implement such a decision.... Full story, from DaijiWorld __________________________
A safety campaign aimed at educating Hispanic immigrants on U.S. traffic laws got a green light recently to operate in San Antonio when the Texas Department of Transportation approved a three-year, $340,000 grant to fund the project. The program, known as the Madrina-Padrino Public Safety Project, was designed by the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association to educate recent immigrants and other Hispanics on local traffic safety customs and laws. The program also is aimed at increasing awareness among law officers on the special needs of Hispanic immigrants to improve relations. "This project is instrumental in that it will work with a group considered most at risk for motor vehicle driving fatalities and injuries," said Camerino Salazar, project coordinator for the University of Texas Health Science Center's South Texas Injury Prevention and Research Center.... Full story, from MySA __________________________
The trucking industry helped persuade Congress to include funding in the highway law that passed last summer to expand patrols targeting those who drive unsafely around big trucks. And it's just enlarged a program that teaches people about the risks of driving near tractor-trailers to include teen and elderly drivers. This weekend — the busiest of the year for trucks — the industry is hoping increased attention to the problem will cut the number of lives lost when passenger vehicles and big trucks collide. Thanksgiving weekend tops all other major holiday weekends for highway deaths. Last Thanksgiving weekend — from Wednesday night until Monday morning — 571 people died in crashes. Up to 13% of fatal crashes typically involve big trucks. The intensified push follows years of often-fruitless efforts by the trucking industry to fix a poor image it says is undeserved. Truckers have long been a target of safety advocates and legislators who favor tougher vehicle inspections and stricter rules on how long they can drive between rest periods. But drivers of cars and light trucks cause at least 70% of the fatal car/commercial truck crashes, according to federal and private studies.... Full story, from USA Today [SMc]
DSA Comments In our opinion, long-distance truckers are among the most underpaid individuals in America, given the rigors, the importance and responsibility of their work. None-the-less, it does need to be said that by comparison with other developed countries that have achieved significantly lower crash and fatality rates than the USA, America's rules for drivers' hours of service are far too lax. Even if -- as alleged above -- the majority of truck-involved crashes are caused by the drivers of smaller vehicles, that still leaves hundreds of people in this country who do still die in crashes caused by truck drivers, and excessive hours of service are without doubt a significant component in this situation. Indeed, at DSA we would suggest that it is NOT truck drivers who want to retain long working hours, it is actually the truck fleet owners who want to do so in order to maximize profits. If safety is important, there is an emphatic need for truck drivers to receive a better hourly rate of pay and to work fewer hours each day. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. ___________________________
When I made arrangements to go for a driving test with Young Drivers of Canada, I was thinking, "This will be a piece of cake." Because I only had an hour, we didn't do the actual 90-minute road test with instructor Norm Bailey. But the short time I drove around Lindsay was enough to knock the wind out of my somewhat full sails. As centre director of the Peterborough and area Young Drivers of Canada, Mr. Bailey didn't actually score me, but he didn't miss anything I did wrong, either. "See that guy up there who's signaling a right turn?" he asked as I approached a driver ahead on Albert Street. "What do you think about that?" "Who cares about signals," I answered. "That means he's probably going to go left." "Excellent," said Mr. Bailey. "That's exactly how you should be thinking." As we drove around Lindsay, he instructed me to turn here, or there, or change lanes. He told me to drive through the parking lot of the Lindsay Square Mall. "Do you know a lot of bad collisions happen in parking lots because people drive too fast through them?" he asked. All the while he was chatting, and I wondered just how much he would observe about my driving. I was about to find out.... Full article, including some defensive driving tips, from Lindsay This Week, Ontario. [SMc] __________________________
Speed cameras have seen the number of accidents fall sharply throughout East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire – while fines have cost motorists £2.5m. Accidents resulting in injury have halved at 68 sites where cameras have been for the past two years, with a 40 per cent decrease in the number of people killed or seriously injured. The figures are even better at 13 new mobile sites with a 75 per cent fall in the number of people killed or seriously injured and a 61 per cent reduction in injury collisions. In several sites, including the two new cameras at Shiptonthorpe on the A1079 and one at Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, there have been no casualties at all. And the Humberside Safety Camera Partnership now says it could be in a position in a year to 18 months' time to reducing enforcement at some sites while continuing to monitor speed.... Full story, from the Yorkshire Post Today [SMc] __________________________
As the new licensing laws in England & Wales come into force, new figures from the government and the RAC suggest almost half of all pedestrians killed in road crashes between 10pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays are more than twice over the drink drive limit. The research also shows that for the 301 pedestrians killed with a known blood alcohol concentration (BAC), 38% were above the drink drive limit (80mg/100ml) with 25% more than twice over the limit (200 mg/100ml). Pedestrians in the 25 – 29 age group who died were most likely to have higher alcohol concentrations. Two thirds were over the drink drive limit, with almost half twice over the limit. The RAC has previously called on the Government to undertake more research to find out the best ways to alert pedestrians to the dangers of drinking and walking, involving healthcare professionals and road safety organisations and to investigate any structural changes which can be made to roads, crossings and pavements to safeguard them.... __________________________
Transit New Zealand is to extend a wire median barrier along the coastal part of Centennial Highway. Funding for the the barrier has been approved by Land Transport New Zealand: the wire will stretch from Pukerua Bay hill to the Fisherman's Table restaurant, south of Paekakariki. Construction of the barrier will start early next year and should take about a year to complete. A 700-metre barrier is already in place. Land Transport New Zealand says the extended barrier will be only along the coastal part of the highway because that's the most dangerous section. Dr Chris Lane, of Kapiti Emergency Services, estimates there have been 29 deaths in the past 20 years on the 3.8km [2.3 mile] stretch of Centennial Highway, where the barrier is to be installed. He wants it to be extended along the whole highway and says all emergency services staff in the area will breath a huge sigh of relief when the barrier is finally put in place. In September, Wellington Coroner, Garry Evans, released his findings into the deaths of seven people who died in three crashes on Centennial Highway last year. He recommended the present barrier be extended urgently to prevent more people dying on the road. [Source: Radio New Zealand] [SMc] __________________________
No fewer than 18 persons including two children are feared dead following a road accident which occurred at Corner Maisaje in Lafiya Lamurde along Numan – Bombe road just as 12 others were seriously injured during the accident, which occurred yesterday. Eye witnesses... said a trailer loaded with cement product lost its control after one of its tyres burst and ran into two on-coming 505 Peugeot station wagons. The two station wagons were said to be on their way from Yola to Jos and Kano respectively when the incident occurred smashing them off the road into [a] pit.... Full story, from This Day [SMc]
DSA Comments There are three questions that spring immediately to mind from this incident: -- Did the tyre burst because it was badly worn or had been previously damaged? -- In third-world and developing nations where the people are generally very poor, how can incidents involving bad vehicle maintenance be effectively curtailed? There is also the condition of the roads to be considered, but clearly that is a matter for government willpower and finance, as opposed to being an individual responsibility. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
Nineteen people were killed and several others injured in a bus-truck collision in central Venezuela on Wednesday, said Venezuelan Deputy Director for Land Transportation Ivan Noguera. Noguera told reporters that the cause of the crash, which happened on a highway across a valley in the Miranda state, had not been finally determined. But he said the heavy rainfall hours before the accident could be blamed for the tragedy. Firemen, the National Guard and other rescuers were sent to the spot of the collision. According to a local fire brigade officer working at the scene, signs on the spot showed that because of over-speeding the bus lost control and swerved into the opposite lane, colliding with the truck carrying Coca Cola products. The people injured in the accident have been hospitalized. Police are conducting further investigation into the accident. [Source: CRI] [SMc] __________________________
The Central Youth Union Secretariat has asked nationwide youth unions to actively engage in operations to maintain traffic order and safety as well as to prevent and control speeding, especially during the ongoing SEA Games and upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) festivities. The Secretariat said that youth union members should co-operate with traffic police to raise public awareness of traffic regulations and take measures to control motorbikes operating in excess of speed limits. [Source: the Viet Nam News Agency] __________________________
Interstate police will be given special powers to report drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol on South Australian roads as part of a new road safety campaign. The fifth Operation RAID is being launched today in the Riverland and will run from tomorrow until December 15. It will target drink- and drug-drivers in the lead-up to Christmas and involves police from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT.... Full story, from ABC News __________________________
[In Hong Kong], members of the public are invited to attend a Friday evening Transport Department forum to give their views on the safety improvement plan for the Mong Kok section of busy Nathan Road.... The department last month proposed three improvement options for public consultation: * expanding part of the roadside footpaths; * banning motorcycles, cars and trucks from entering that section; and * banning all vehicles except buses from entering that section. Full story, from the Hong Kong Government news page __________________________
The Wyoming Highway Patrol will be participating in two nationwide campaigns this Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, to make roadways safer. The first campaign is known as "Operation CARE'', in which officers will use strict traffic enforcement to obtain voluntary compliance with those traffic violations that contribute to motor vehicle crashes. The second is the "You Drink & Drive - You Lose'' campaign which is aimed at getting drunken drivers off the road. __________________________
The European New Car Assessment Programme has announced that the Citroën C6 is the first car to be awarded the maximum four stars for pedestrian protection. The executive-sized car is also awarded five stars for adult occupant protection and four stars for child protection, showing that occupant safety need not be compromised to protect those outside the car. Euro NCAP has been pressing for better pedestrian protection for many years to try to drive down avoidable deaths and injuries to vulnerable road-users. The C6 detects when a pedestrian has been struck and activates a pop-up bonnet to give greater clearance between the bonnet and the rigid parts of the engine. It is the first such system to be assessed by Euro NCAP but it is expected that other similar systems will be introduced soon. The Seat León [pronounced 'See--at'] is awarded three stars for pedestrian protection, reflecting a growing emphasis by some car manufacturers on pedestrian safety. The Jeep Grand Cherokee scores zero points for pedestrian protection and is awarded no stars in that category. Claes Tingvall, Euro NCAP Chairman said: "It is very gratifying that Citroën have achieved four stars for pedestrian protection. A few years ago, some manufacturers claimed that it was impossible. Now, it is clear that manufacturers who are committed to all-round safety can protect those outside the car without compromising the safety of those inside...." Full article, plus Euro NCAP crash testing results for 15 different cars, available here.
related story
The all-new Jaguar XK has won the Education and Training Award. The XK is engineered to meet all worldwide impact requirements. Enhanced safety features play a major role, both for passenger and pedestrian protection, and the latter includes the introduction of one completely new, industry-leading feature – the pedestrian deployable bonnet [USA: 'Hood']. Jaguar is one of the first manufacturers to meet Phase One of new European safety legislation using an active deployable bonnet system. The new standards are designed to help mitigate the severity of injuries to pedestrians in the event of a collision with a car. Legislation in the European market requires manufacturers to commit to a two-phase introduction of a range of active and passive safety improvements on all new cars to improve the protection of pedestrians in case of accident. In the unfortunate event of a pedestrian impact, the deployable bonnet on the new XK automatically ‘pops’ up a few inches, to increase space between the engine and the bonnet. This helps to isolate the pedestrian from hard points in the engine compartment - and takes place in less than a tenth of the time it takes to blink an eye. An advanced sensing system is mounted in the front bumper to help discriminate between a pedestrian collision and any other possible front-end collisions. In addition to this innovative feature the car has standard fitment of a wide range of leading edge active and passive safety systems. [Source: PMIRSA List of Awards for 2005] __________________________
Injuries or road crashes have traditionally been regarded as random unavoidable events or "accidents." Within the last few decades, however, a better understanding of the nature of injuries and crashes has changed these old attitudes, and today these road crashes or accidents are viewed as largely preventable events. The slogan 'Road Safety is NO Accident' suggests that road safety does not happen accidentally, but requires deliberate efforts by government and its partners as well as political will. While road traffic accidents (RTA) take a very large toll of human lives every day and appear to be an increasing phenomenon in Bangladesh, significant focus and progress toward prevention and control has been very limited.... The South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions account for more than half the death of all road traffic deaths in the world. Projections show that between 2000 and 2020 road traffic deaths will increase by more than 80 per cent in most South-Asian countries and that includes Bangladesh. Without appropriate action now, by 2020, road traffic injuries are predicted to be the major contributor to death and disability in Bangladesh and the pedestrians, cyclist and motorised two-wheeler and three-wheeler riders are the most vulnerable road users. The economic cost of road crashes and injuries is enormous. Estimates suggest that they cost between 1 per cent and 2 per cent of gross national product (GNP) in a country like Bangladesh - more than the country receives in development assistance.... The countries that have been most successful [in combatting traffic crashes and casualties] have also been those that have engaged many different groups from government, civil society, non-governmental organisations, the media and industry in coordinated programme on road safety and a good example is [the] Swedish Vision Zero to road safety. In Bangladesh, at the first step, we have to accept that road traffic accident is a preventable event and needs an immediate response against it. And then, a variety of approaches can be used to tackle road safety. These include legislation, enforcement and education related to speed, seat belts, child restraints and helmets as well as visibility. Full article, from The Independent __________________________
The Road Safety Council will consider a range of radical road safety options aimed at reducing the drastic road toll for young drivers in the NT. At the core of the push to toughen laws is that young drivers spend a mandatory 120 hours behind the wheel before they can get their P-plates. Young drivers on their P-plates would also have restrictions placed on night-time driving and the number of passengers they could carry as part of the proposed amendments. The Department of Health's representative on the Road Safety Council, Steven Skov, has put together some compelling statistics to back his push to tighten laws to compel young drivers to increase their skills on the road before gaining their unrestricted licence.... Full story, from News.com.au [SMc] __________________________
Traffic safety experts say cell phones and teens are becoming an increasingly dangerous combination on the highway, and now the National Transportation Safety Board is urging states to ban cell phone use by drivers younger than 18. "We know that when you're learning a skill, you should not be distracted while you are doing it," said Mark Rosenker, acting chairman of the safety board. "Anything that takes away from the total focus of learning how to drive is a distraction."... A federal study found that last year 8 percent of all U.S. motorists, or about 1.2 million drivers, used cell phones while operating their vehicles at any given time. The study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the percentage of drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 who talked on handheld cell phones increased from 3 percent in 2002 to 8 percent last year.... Full story, from Reno Gazette Journal [SMc] __________________________
The Government has failed to introduce key road safety measures despite the rising death toll on the state’s roads, it was claimed today. Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael’s spokeswoman on transport, queried the Government’s reluctance to introduce random breath testing with the latest figures showing 10 people had died in collisions since Friday. “The threat of random breath testing is a proven way of improving driver behaviour,” Ms Mitchell said. “Minister (Martin) Cullen has long claimed that he cannot introduce random breath testing because of advice from the Attorney General, even though breath testing is a key road safety strategy.” Ms Mitchell said granting gardai powers to carry out completely random breath testing would have civil liberty implications but other countries had overcome this problem by providing safeguards.... Full story, from Ireland Online [SMc] __________________________
Maine State Police plan additional enforcement efforts during Thanksgiving week. Col. Craig A. Poulin said the department's aircraft would be augmenting the patrols of state troopers this week. Poulin said traffic is expected to be heavy in many locations around Maine, and he urged drivers to be well rested, plan ahead and adjust speeds during heavy traffic and inclement weather. "Motorists driving at the posted speed limit during storm conditions does not mean they are in control of their vehicle," he said. "Ice, snow and rain reduce a driver's visibility and ability to stop."... [Lauren V. Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety] said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projects that 567 highway deaths may occur nationwide during this year's four-day Thanksgiving weekend. "That is why the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety has joined Maine State Police and local and county law enforcement to strongly encourage seat belt use this weekend and year-round," Stewart said.... Full story, from Waldo Village Soup [SMc] __________________________
Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch have pre-filed a bill in the General Assembly to stiffen penalties for drivers who refuse a chemical sobriety test, who now lose their license for only three months, compared with six for a drunk-driving offense. That “loophole,” they said in a news release, has helped earn Rhode Island the “shameful distinction” of leading the nation in the share of Breathalyzer refusals and the share of total highway deaths involving drunk drivers. “Why we fare so poorly in these two indices – which are, tragically, interrelated – should surprise no one: Our law governing DUI Breathalyzer-refusals is much weaker than the laws of most states, and drunk drivers in Rhode Island know it,” Carcieri and Lynch said in a joint letter to Senate and House leaders that accompanied their bill. “These offenders don’t need a law degree to understand that by refusing to submit to a Breathalyzer test when they’re pulled over, they will receive a much lighter punishment than if they submit to testing.” The bill would raise the penalty for refusal to a loss of license for nine to 12 months and, at the judge’s discretion, a requirement to attend DUI-related driver education classes. Second- and third-time offenders would face a criminal conviction, suspension of license for one to three years or revocation, community service of up to 60 hours, and fines up to $1,000.... Full story, from Providence Business News [SMc] __________________________
Pope Benedict wants drivers to be careful. During his traditional Sunday blessing at the Vatican, the pope decried highway deaths and urged motorists to be more "prudent and responsible." He said he was praying for all those killed or injured in traffic accidents, and their families. It was the second time Benedict had referred to road fatalities. He made his first appeal in June, urging motorists to take care as they embarked on their summer holidays. [Source: WBOC TV 16] [SMc] __________________________
(This is an annual event held on the third Sunday of each November.) Initiated by RoadPeace in 1993, this day is being observed in more countries and on more continents each year. In the UK, religious services and secular events will take place, and the RoadPeace annual concert will be held at the Amadeus Centre, London W9, on 18 November, 2005, at 7pm, in memory of all road crash victims. See pdf leaflet about the history of World Day and the list of UK Special Remembrance Services for road crash victims. See also the websites of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (available in English, French, German, Italian and Dutch) and the Association nationale des Victimes de la Route website (from Luxemburg, in French, and different to the above). __________________________
I have been appalled at how frequently East Tennesseans lose their lives The days are gone when we could blame our high accident rate on mechanical failure, bad weather, heart attacks, highway engineering or overcrowded highways. We have to face the unpleasant fact that the problem is our ordinary, everyday East Tennessee drivers whose knowledge of traffic laws is lacking, whose driving skills are being outpaced by the new sophistication of highways and traffic controls, and whose willingness to obey simple safety rules has been compromised by a lack of adequate traffic law enforcement. This alone has made East Tennessee an unusually dangerous place to drive.... Full opinion, from Kingsport Times News [SMc] __________________________
...In one terrible tragedy on the East Coast, a 16-year-old with some 46 charges pending involving 20 stolen vehicles and more than a half dozen high speed pursuits in less than a year, struck a vehicle while running a red light in a stolen car, killing the driver. This occurred less than 48 hours a court appearance on some of the charges mentioned above, during which the boy's mother pleaded for him to be locked up before he hurt someone. She said she had tried everything and could not control him. A few days later, another death -- this time one of the four teen-age occupants of a vehicle that, by all reports, was racing with another when one of the drivers lost control and crashed.... While driver training is a provincial issue, there is a national problem with respect to teen drivers and injury and death. The main point of the TIRF Study is that the Canadian population as a whole, not just the legal system, has not taken this issue seriously and certainly has not given it enough thought and attention. Road crashes are the leading killer of teenagers, but the TIRF poll found the majority of Canadians are not concerned about young driver safety. In a survey of more than 1,200 Canadian drivers, TIRF found less than one quarter believed young drivers are a "serious or extremely serious" problem. On the other hand, the vast majority, almost 84 per cent, said impairment through alcohol and drugs was the most serious safety issue involving teens.... As a parent we can try to ensure our young driver get the best training possible -- it is a very small investment. We can also ensure we monitor and participate in their early driving for the first few hundred hours, allowing a gradual accumulation of knowledge and experience. And if they deserve it, we hope the legal system will help drive the point home that driving is a life-giving or taking activity. Full story, from Winnipeg Free Press [SMc] __________________________
More teenagers die in car wrecks than by any other means. There are things you can do. There's no question that teenagers, as a group, are frighteningly bad drivers. Mile-for-mile, teens wreck their cars four times as often as older drivers, according to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Car crashes are the most common way, by far, for teenagers to lose their lives. Every year, 5,500 to 6,000 teens die in car crashes, a rate that has been fairly constant for the last ten years. It's easy to understand why. Teen drivers are inexperienced. To make matters worse, teenaged drivers are, simply, teenagers. They are easily bored and overconfident. There are things that can be done to reduce the devastating toll of teen car crashes, though. Unfortunately, the method that has been used for years -- driver education classes -- does nothing to reduce crash rates, according to a number of studies cited by the Institute. In fact, some types of driver training can actually make things worse, they say.... While driver ed classes, like those taught in most high schools, can teach the basic skills of driving a car, several studies have shown no difference in crash rates between teens who took driver ed classes in school and those who did not, according to the Institute. In fact, by helping young drivers get their licenses earlier, driver ed classes may actually be causing more wrecks than they prevent. Newly licensed drivers are less likely to crash the older they are. Even waiting a year or two can make a difference, according to IIHS statistics. Classes that teach more advanced driving skills, such as skid recovery, are also counter-productive, according to the IIHS. Male drivers who take these classes actually have higher crash rates, the IIHS says. This may be because the classes increase the driver's confidence that he can handle risky, high-speed maneuvers of the sort that another driver might simply avoid.... While it may not be popular with teenagers, the one thing that does seem to work at reducing teen crash rates is restricting driving privileges. Most states have now done away with the old fashioned system in which a learner's permit was followed quickly by a full, unrestricted license.... Police tend to focus on other priorities, such as seatbelt use -- which is low among teens -- and drunk driving, said Capt. Travis Yates of the Tulsa, Okla. police department. Yates moderates the Policedriving.com Web site and writes a regular column on police driving for the Web site PoliceOne.com. "You don't need the law, you need active parents," said Yates. Even where laws don't exist or aren't strict enough. parents can drive a harder bargain. "Maybe your state doesn't have a passenger restriction," Ferfuson said. "You should have one of your own." Believe it or not, your children will probably listen. Asked "Which people could be best at getting you to drive more safely," 75 percent of teenagers said "A parent," according to a survey by the Allstate Foundation. "A friend," selected by 53 percent, was the second-most-common response. Full story, from CNN (Money) [SMc] __________________________
Florida law enforcement agencies are warning travelers to buckle up or pay up this Thanksgiving. From Nov. 18-30, during one of the year's heaviest traffic seasons, the Click It or Ticket campaign will focus police efforts on safety while cracking down on seat belt violations, officials said. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Paul France said the safety considerations are particularly timely in Lee County, which has seen traffic deaths rise to record heights.... The Florida Department of Transportation supports the program, which is run several times a year during holiday weeks, said spokeswoman Debbie Tower. "We want to see the numbers continue to increase for people wearing safety belts," she said. "It can be a simple habit — a life-saving habit." Full story, from The News-Press [SMc] __________________________
Thirty-eight people, including four children, died when a tanker carrying toxic ammonium chloride smashed into bus in north-western Mexico. Most of the victims suffered severe chemical burns and some had ingested ammonium, a senior investigator said.... The dead included four children, 10 men and 24 women, according to the report. Forensic examiners were trying to determine the exact cause of death. Two men and two women were injured and were being treated at local hospitals; there was no immediate information on their conditions. The bus was operated by a company providing passenger service on local routes. The driver of the tanker, who died in the crash, apparently lost control of his vehicle on a curve - possibly as a result of brake problems - and crashed into the rear of the bus. Both vehicles then tumbled off slopes on the side of the highway. The bus flipped on to its roof, while the fall broke a valve on the tanker, causing the truck's load of 25 tons of ammonia to spill, according to the accident report. Full story, from The Scotsman [SMc] __________________________
Comptroller of the Department of Road Traffic Jack Thompson expressed concern on Wednesday over the number of traffic fatalities already recorded for this year when compared to 2004. He also expressed alarm over what he called a considerable increase in fatalities in Grand Bahama, which more than doubled the number recorded at the end of 2004. Statistics show that by the end of last year, 50 persons died in The Bahamas as a result of traffic mishaps. With more than a month remaining in 2005, that number has already increased by eight, bringing the national total to 58 fatalities.... He also said that he remains concerned about the amount of alcohol consumed by the public during the Christmas season and the history of Bahamians to drive while drinking. In January, the Department plans to launch an aggressive 12-month road safety campaign aimed at curbing the national fatality rate. Full story, from The Bahama Journal [SMc] __________________________
The number of people killed on Irish roads will increase this year at a time when most other EU states are seeing a sharp drop in road traffic fatalities. New EU figures on road deaths across Europe show an overall reduction of more than 5% in the numbers killed so far this year. Despite a series of high-profile road safety campaigns, deaths on Irish roads are currently set to increase by 3%.... The findings will prove disappointing for Transport Minister, Martin Cullen as they mean the Government is moving further away from achieving its Road Safety Strategy of reducing the number of deaths on roads in the Republic to less than 300 by 2006. In contrast to Ireland, some countries have witnessed dramatic declines in road fatalities this year with Denmark, Spain, Latvia, Austria all recording reductions of more than 10% in the numbers killed. Britain, which already has one of the best road safety records in Europe, has witnessed a 12% reduction in the number killed and seriously injured. However, some countries including Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Finland and Portugal have seen increases in road deaths ranging from 2% to 4%.... Statistically, the most dangerous roads in Europe are found in Latvia and Lithuania where drivers are more than four times likely to be fatally injured than in the safest country, The Netherlands. Other countries with high rates of fatal accidents are Greece, Cyprus and Poland. Full story, from the Irish Examiner [SMc] __________________________
Keen to encourage higher rates of seat belt use, particularly in countries with relatively low current usage, the TRL and the FIA Foundation developed a best practice manual to provide seat belt campaigners with one stop information and advice. Yesterday, the Seat Belt Campaign Toolkit, including the manual received royal recognition in the form of a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. Presenting the award to the TRL and the FIA Foundation, Prince Michael said: “I have been impressed by the unstinting work of so many individuals often struggling with limited resources to bring the world’s attention to the terrible toll of death and injury on our roads. This excellent toolkit will do so much to make their job much easier – it is a testament to the deep knowledge and commitment of the TRL authors and the FIA Foundation.” The seat belt toolkit consists of two elements; a best practice advice manual and a CD ROM of campaign materials, including cartoons and animated films based on a family of crash test dummies. The manual, researched and written by TRL, brings together in one document comprehensive and practical information covering every aspect of the introduction, use, enforcement and technical control of seat belts. 125 pages long, this high quality publication is easy to use as a source of reference and widely applicable and relevant across cultures and continents. The Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards recognise achievements and innovations that will improve road safety. Each year the most outstanding examples of international road safety initiatives are given public recognition through the scheme. [Source: TRL Press Office - 23/2005] __________________________
An innovative Pennsylvania State Police traffic safety program that blends technology and targeted enforcement has earned national recognition for reducing crashes and saving lives, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today. Governor Rendell said the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration presented a 2005 National Roadway Safety Award to the Pennsylvania State Police for its Problem Specific Policing/PROphecy program. Pennsylvania was one of only nine states recognized nationwide, he said. "Pennsylvania is using this program to save lives," Governor Rendell said. "It has helped State Police cut fatal crashes by a remarkable 7 percent between 2002 and 2004. State Police commanders are using this computer software to quickly identify problem areas and deploy troopers to target dangerous driving behaviors. The result is fewer fatal crashes." State Police Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller said that under the Problem Specific Policing approach, troopers use the global positioning systems in their vehicles and a computer software application called PROphecy to map and categorize traffic crashes. "The maps pinpoint trouble spots by time, day of the week and location," he said. "The data helps our commanders assign personnel when and where they are needed. Also, troopers hit the roads knowing what driving behaviors - such as speeding, drunken driving or tailgating - are causing the problems." Miller said State Police began using the PROphecy program in May 2003 and the number of fatal crashes investigated by State Police dropped from 744 in 2002 to 689 in 2004.... [Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor] __________________________
What follows is an excerpt from the article 'Two sides of the crash issue', from Fleet Owner. [Brian O’Neill, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety].... pointed to the 25 year lag time in the U.S. between when antilock braking systems (ABS) were first proposed for trucks (1971) compared to when they became mandated by law (1997); the slow adoption of new under-ride guard protection statutes for trailers, a measure first proposed in 1967 and finally mandated in 1998; and efforts to mandate automatic hours of service (HOS) recording devices that date back to 1971 and have only now begun to receive acceptance. “In each case, Europe adopted those technologies at a much faster pace than the U.S.; they are doing a decidedly better job in terms of truck safety,” said O’Neill. He admitted that Europeans do not record highway accident data to anywhere near the detail as in the U.S., so drawing conclusions about the effect such technology has had on reducing truck-car fatalities is nearly impossible. Full article, from Fleet Owner
DSA Comments The writer's reference to "Europeans [not recording] highway accident data to anywhere near the detail as in the U.S." seems to us to be biased journalistic license. Certainly in some European countries crash data and accident investigations have been at least as good and as detailed as any in the world, for decades. As for "automatic hours of service (HOS) recording devices" (known as tachographs in some countries) these were made compulsory in Britain and elsewhere by the start of the 1980's, and -- as a young traffic patrol police officer -- I was involved with many other colleagues in the interpretation of the data and the enforcement of this legislation. And from that experience I will state sincerely but firmly that any inference that European truck safety developments have not had an overwhelmingly beneficial effect is utterly facile and I suspect that in all probability any such claim will also be politically motivated. Despite deservedly leading the world in so many vital fields, the USA has long been one of the very worst developed nations in terms of road safety, and this article illustrates that truck safety is just as poorly addressed in America as the overall traffic safety issue. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
Russia needs tighter control over the issuing of drivers' licenses, after 35,000 people died in car accidents in the country in the past year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday at a State Council Presidium meeting. "During the past year in Russia, more than 200,000 road accidents have been registered, in which about 35,000 people have been killed and 250 wounded," the president said. "The number of vehicles in the country grew by 9.2% from 1997 to 2004, while the number of road accidents in this period increased by more than 30%," he added. "Deliberate violations of traffic rules by drivers and pedestrians cause most traffic accidents," the president said. Material damages from road accidents during the past four years total more than 2% of Russia's GDP, Putin said. "The country, economy and Russian families lose hundreds of billions of rubles." He also said traffic security should be a separate branch of state policy. "We need proper management and interaction mechanisms in this sphere." Putin instructed the government to prepare proposals to amend laws to toughen punishments for intoxicated drivers. However, he said, toughening punishments and raising fines alone would not improve the situation on Russian roads. He proposed instilling "a respectful attitude toward law and the rights of other people." He added that mass media and educational institutions should be involved in changing attitudes.... The Russian leader said an automated system to register traffic rules violations and make drivers pay fines should be created in the country, [Transportation Minister Igor] Levitin said, citing France, where cameras register violations and then drivers are sent photographs and notifications about fines. Full story, from the RIA Novosti News Service __________________________
a performance driving experience with safety in mind For the first time in the video game industry, a car company has built a driving game around its entire brand with the release today of “Volvo Drive for Life,” a game published by Microsoft for the Xbox game system. Prior to the launch of “Volvo Drive for Life” on Xbox, companies –– including Volvo –– had participated in video games by inserting their products into an existing game platform. The new Volvo video game was designed to immerse the user in Volvo’s most important core value, safety –– while participating in an exciting gaming experience. Everything within the game, from the cars to the surroundings, is modeled from scratch to create test tracks and driving environments that illustrate the strengths of the active safety features of each vehicle represented in the game. Players will experience firsthand the benefits of Volvo’s world-class safety features such as Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), Four-C Chassis, and Roll Stability Control (RSC), while testing their skills in the challenging game environment. “The Volvo Drive for Life game is a significant yet fun shift in how we communicate our message of safety and present our cars to current and potential customers,” said John Neu, Volvo Cars of North America’s manager of CRM & eBusiness. “It details our safety in a way no brochure could ever describe or any commercial could ever visualize. We look forward to seeing the public’s response to this work.” [Source: Volvo] __________________________
Here at Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., we have received an open letter from the Canada Safety Council to the Ontario Minister of Transport, Harinder S. Takhar, M.P.P. The letter refers to a "tragic crash in Ottawa this past Saturday that took the life of a 13-year-old boy," and points out that "under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, there are no restrictions on the number of passengers who can ride in a vehicle; if all seatbelts are in use, additional passengers are legally allowed to go without." It adds that the CSC "consider this to be a loophole and a contradiction, and, as such, a threat to public safety.... "Wearing a seat-belt can mean the difference between life and death. National restraint use surveys show that about 90 percent of motorists in urban areas and 85 per cent in rural areas wear seat-belts. That means between 10 and 15 percent are unbelted. Yet almost 40 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in this country were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. In 2003, this 40 percent figure accounted for over 1,000 of the 2,700 who died in motor vehicle collisions.... "We encourage your Ministry to act at the very earliest in reviewing seat-belt use in the province. We strongly recommend that current regulations should be amended to limit the number of passengers who can ride in a vehicle to the number of seat-belts...." Drive and Stay Alive wholeheartedly supports the CSC standpoint on this issue. [Source: Canada Safety Council] __________________________
Through a 50-year commitment to research and development in vehicle safety technologies, Renault has emerged as a benchmark in road safety. Renault is the only carmaker to offer best-in-class safety across its whole range – from Clio III to Vel Satis – with eight vehicles achieving maximum five-star ratings in the Euro NCAP crash tests. For Renault, the objective of superior safety applies across all vehicle occupants, adults and children, in all seats. So Renault goes further than the criteria measured by Euro NCAP, fitting its rear seats with special systems to achieve the best possible passenger protection.... Full press release here (with important explanations and data regarding rear-seat safety) __________________________
__________________________
Older drivers believe voluntary driving refreshers could help renew their abilities to tackle potentially dangerous situations on the road, according to a new survey for the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists). More than seven out of ten older drivers would like refresher courses to include a brush-up on driving on busy motorways. And more than six out of ten mature motorists would value tips on driving on unlit roads at night, and on negotiating junctions. Support for the opportunity to renew motoring skills is revealed in a survey of 1,000 drivers aged over 50 from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, carried out for IAM. Although many feel safer about their own driving than they used to, they feel less safe about other drivers. Many would welcome the opportunity to take a voluntary driving session which would refresh their confidence to deal with situations where judgments about speed, distance and reaction times are vital to safety. [Source: IAM] __________________________
A global fund to drive down road deaths has been announced ahead of a world traffic safety summit in London. The fund will receive initial donations of five million dollars (about £2.87 million) from the World Bank, five million dollars from international road safety charity the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) Foundation and one million euros (about £675,000) from the Dutch government. As many as 1.2 million people are killed in road traffic accidents worldwide each year and the toll is forecast to double by 2020. The fund - a global facility to be managed by the World Bank - aims to generate increased funding and technical assistance for global, regional and country level initiatives designed to enable low and middle income countries to implement their own road safety programmes. The announcement coincides with a meeting in London this week, hosted by the FIA Foundation, of a new United Nations taskforce to develop a response to the "hidden epidemic" of road crashes. The FIA Foundation said more than 80% of those killed in road crashes worldwide live in middle and low income countries, while road crashes are estimated to cost between 1% and 5% of a country's gross domestic product. More than 2.5 million lives could be saved and 200 million injuries avoided if fatality rates in poorer countries were reduced by a further 30% by 2020. David Ward, director general of the FIA Foundation, which includes the AA and the RAC, said: "We are proud to support this new global facility. "This initiative will alert governments to the need for urgent co-ordinated action to prevent a global catastrophe. "Will the international community really stand back and allow millions to be killed and maimed every year, when we already have available the solutions and tools to prevent this hidden epidemic which causes so much poverty and human misery?" [SMc] [Source: The Scotsman] __________________________
Almost £50 million [U.S. $87 million] is to be ploughed into trying to cut the number of deaths and injuries on London’s roads. The investment is a drive to meet the Mayor's proposed new target of reducing death and injury on the capital's roads by 50% by 2010. London is introducing speed-awareness courses for the first time in the capital for some motorists caught just over the speed limit. Some older camera sites will also be replaced with vehicle-activated signs warning drivers of excessive speed. New digital speed cameras will be introduced at up to 10 sites initially, with up to 56 further digital cameras likely to be installed.... The purpose of speed awareness courses is to educate drivers of the dangers of speeding and to change behaviour and attitudes. Full story, from 24dash [SMc]
DSA Comments This is indeed an interesting development! [amended on November 16] Like the majority of OECD- or other developed-nations, Britain has an ambitious target to reduce deaths and serious injuries within the next few years. In Britain's case that target is a 40 per cent cut in "killed or seriously injured" [KSI] by the year 2010 (and not the 50 per cent referred to in the above article). But given that Britain has had the lowest per capita death rate of any developed nation more times in the last 20 years than any other country, a 40 per cent goal is no small task. London, however, has already exceeded the 40 per cent goal five years ahead of target and Ken Livingstone, the ever-controversial Mayor of the capital, has thrown down the gauntlet by setting the capital's sights even higher. (Yes, yes, yes.... I know we are mixing metaphors, but delight has clouded our grammar!) As they would say here in America: Go for it, Ken! Whatever other political agendas may or may not be involved in this course of action, we just wish that more politicians had the benevolence and strength of character to take a solid stance on the carnage that hides behind that seemingly almost innocuous phrase of "road accidents". [Our thanks to one of our regular readers, Chris Collins, Road Safety Project Officer, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, for additional information on this subject.] Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
The American Trucking Association [has] renewed efforts to improve seat belt use among truck drivers with calls to 25 state governors to adopt safety belt laws. Bill Graves, ATA’s president and CEO, told attendees at the 2005 International Truck and Bus Safety and Security Symposium in Alexandria, Va., that although seat belt use among passenger vehicle operators had risen to 82 percent, only 48 percent of truckers use them, according to a 2004 U.S. Department of Transportation study. Of the hundreds of truckers killed in crashes every year, most were not wearing their seat belts, according to DOT accident statistics. “This is a major issue within the motor carrier industry,” Graves said. Graves said that as governor of Kansas, he was often criticized when he brought up seat belts by people who said he was infringing on their personal right of choice. “I think that’s hogwash," Graves said. "You don’t have a right to be involved in an accident and be ejected from your vehicle and not go home to your wife and children. You don’t have a right to drive up health care and insurance costs for the rest of us because you didn’t wear your seat belt.” Full story, from eTrucker __________________________
A woman driving an
Oldsmobile sedan in Wisconsin three years ago had the misfortune to be
in the path of a Dodge pickup. The truck, much bigger and heavier, hit
the car broadside and left the woman partially paralyzed. Emergency
workers had to cut the roof off to get her out.
Now, she's out of work and on
disability, says the Medical College of Wisconsin, which can't release
her name because of privacy laws. Had the 51-year-old woman been in a
truck, she might still be able to work. Trucks — including pickups
and SUVS — pose a far graver risk to cars than to other trucks,
government data show. Jeffrey
Augenstein, a trauma surgeon who studies car crashes at Miami's
Ryder Trauma Center, calls the mismatch between cars and trucks a
"very significant problem." Automakers meeting here today are expected to approve a new standard for the beams that prevent cars from sliding under SUVs and pickups. They're also expected to approve the development of tests to ensure earlier design changes reduce risks when cars and trucks collide.
But discord within the industry could still derail the process, as it
did until recently.
Automakers had promised former National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration chief Jeffrey Runge three years ago that they'd draft
voluntary rules to protect people in car-truck crashes. But Ford Motor and DaimlerChrysler began to balk after they saw how much their early commitments would cost, according to industry officials involved in the effort who discussed the matter with Ford. Their resistance nearly killed the industry effort to develop standards to help reduce the 5,500 lives lost last year in car-truck crashes.... [Source: USA Today] [SMc] __________________________
Parents will have to pay for the folly of underage children driving their vehicles into accidents. The registered owner will be hauled to court along with his or her child and charged with negligence in the care of their vehicles. The Road Transport Department has decided to come down hard on underage children and their parents in the light of the recent incidents involving young drivers. RTD enforcement chief Solah Mat Hassan said the authorities will no longer entertain "excuses" from parents that they had no knowledge of their children taking their vehicles for a ride. [Source: The Malay Mail] [SMc] __________________________
All schools in northern Shanxi Province were ordered to launch a safety examination after a wild truck [sic] killed 19 students and one teacher jogging along a highway on Monday morning. The schools were prohibited to organize students to do exercises along the main streets or highways and they were also ordered to carry out a safety examination for the school facilities, according to the provincial education department. In addition, teachers are required to pay special attention to the students' safety in outdoor activities, according to the department. A heavy-duty truck veered to one side on a village highway in Qinyuan County at around 6:00 a.m. Monday, hitting a group of students and teachers who were jogging back to their school, said Nan Xinyan, a spokesperson with the county's traffic police headquarters. Eighteen people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital. Another 17 injured were receiving treatment in the hospital, said Nan. Nan said the students and teachers were from the Qinyuan No. 2 Middle School and further investigation into the cause of the accident is still going on. [Source: China View] [SMc] continuation of story (out of date-sequence)
Eight-hour nonstop truck driving is the direct cause of the traffic accident which killed 20 students and one teacher in Shanxi Province, said a local official Tuesday. The tragedy happened at around 6:00 a.m. Monday morning when a heavy-duty truck with a trailer veered to one side on a village highway and dashed into a group of students and teachers jogging on the road. Eighteen people were killed on the spot and three others died later in hospital. Another 16 injured were hospitalized. Li Xiaobo, the 31-year-old coal carrier, told police that he drove the vehicle and left for Qinyuan County, where the accident took place, from nearby Licheng County at around 10 p.m. Sunday. "Li said he felt sleepy after a long time driving," said the official from the county publicity office.... The accident has aroused immediate attention from the central government. The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Education have dispatched officials to the county for investigation. The provincial education authorities have issued orders preventing students from jogging or doing exercises on the streets or highways and demanded a safety examination in all the schools. [Source: China View] [SMc] __________________________
Millions of Britons who regularly drive for their work are potentially lethal 'crash magnets', whose risky behaviour at the wheel makes them much more likely than other road users to cause accidents, new research reveals. Employees who spend long hours driving to meet colleagues or clients cause some 1,000 deaths a year, almost a third of the UK's annual toll of 3,221 road deaths. They break speed limits, get fined, pick up penalty points and crash more often than other drivers.... Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said some accidents involving work drivers occur because staff are put under greater pressure by their employers. 'Ten years ago, a salesman may have had to make six calls a day; now it's 10. So when you get in your car, there's more of a temptation to put your foot down,' said King. 'An employee may hit congestion, be late for a client and miss a sale as a result.' Full story, from The Observer [SMc] __________________________
Oregon’s five-year-old law that increased restrictions on teenage drivers has helped reduce the number of fatal car crashes in the state, according to a study completed earlier this year for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 1998, two years before the new rules were enacted, there were 1,196 fatal or injury crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. In 2000, when graduated licensing began, the number dropped to 898, and by 2003 it was down to 751. Sweet Home Police Chief Bob Burford said his officers believe the laws have provided parents with extra leverage when talking with their teenagers about driving.... The law also tightened restrictions for drivers under 18 years old. If they get two traffic violations, two crashes or one crash and one violation, the state can restrict driving privileges. If a driver under 18 gets a third traffic violation or crash, the state can suspend the license for six months. Full story, from the Albany Democrat-Herald [SMc] [Key words: GDL, Graduated Driver Licensing] __________________________
When you walk the streets of New York, watch out for an increasingly deadly, four-wheeled menace. Sport-utility vehicles - like the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder and Ford Explorer - mowed down one out of every five pedestrians killed in the city last year. And the gas-guzzling monsters are killing more pedestrians each year, the Daily News has found. As an increasing number of hulking SUVs hit New York streets in the last five years, their share of pedestrian deaths almost doubled, federal data reveal. "If SUVs can't be made safer, they shouldn't be on the road at all," Lorraine Gibson said after her husband, John Arnett, 57, was run down by a Grand Cherokee last week outside their Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, home. "No one should be driving them if they can't be safer," said Gibson, 55. "They are running over and killing innocent people. It took a good man's life." Pedestrians are more than twice as likely to die when they're hit by a big, boxy SUV than by a smaller sedan, an analysis of national crash data reveals.... The traditional boxy SUVs tend to hit pedestrians in the head and chest, and then throw them backward to the ground - causing serious, if not fatal, injuries, studies show. Honda and Volvo are reshaping the front of their SUVs to give them a lower, more aerodynamic profile. That makes pedestrians hit by the redesigned SUVs more likely to fall onto the hood. To help cushion the violent blow, the two automakers also are leaving several inches of empty space between the hood and engine.... Full story, from New York Daily News [SMc] __________________________
Despite a highly publicized new law to protect pedestrians, the number of people killed in crosswalks [i.e. pedestrian crossings] has increased 43 percent this year and the state could be on pace to have its highest number of pedestrian traffic deaths in five years. With six weeks to go in the year, 30 people have been killed while walking along streets and highways, just one short of last year's total of 31 pedestrian deaths, according to statistics compiled by the state Transportation Department. What's more, 10 of the pedestrian deaths have occurred in crosswalks, up from seven for all of 2004. If the trend continues, the state is likely to again end up with one of the worst pedestrian death rates in the United States. Over the past five years, Hawai'i was ranked seventh in the nation, with an annual average of 2.1 [pedestrian] deaths per every 100,000 residents. State Transportation Director Rod Haraga said he's worried Hawai'i might even end up with the highest rate in the nation this year. The increase in crosswalk fatalities comes despite a law passed this year that was designed to stem the deaths and injuries by giving pedestrians more legal protection.... Full story, from The Honolulu Advertiser [SMc] __________________________
As the Japanese version of a Honda Accord pulls up to a blind intersection, the navigation screen flashes the urgent message "Caution: Oncoming Vehicle!" A moment later, a motorbike whizzes past, its electronically transmitted warning having potentially saved it from a collision with the car. The demonstration at Honda's test center outside Tokyo previews what is shaping up as the next phase of automotive safety: vehicles that talk to each other and the highway system itself. They silently send or receive warnings from other cars in close proximity. Or they pass information back and forth to sensors along the roadway that become part of a real-time database. They tell of their approach to an intersection, warn about hazards ahead or keep an inattentive driver from running a red light, all with the goal of preventing accidents. Around the world, major automakers from General Motors to BMW see the idea of a transportation system that can communicate as a major safety breakthrough.... Full story, from The Poughkeepsie Journal [SMc] ___________________________
I wonder how many drivers could say, hand on heart, that they've never broken a speed limit? Many have never been caught, but that's no reason to feel smug. Tedious as it might be to slow down to 30mph in an apparently deserted [town or village street], limits have been set for a reason. A car travelling at any speed can be dangerous if the driver is careless and even the most careful drivers cannot anticipate the unexpected. The first fatality in a motor accident was 44 year-old Bridget Driscoll of Upper Norwood, killed by a car travelling at four miles an hour. This was in 1886 and the unfortunate driver had been driving for all of three weeks. He said in his defence that he had rung his bell and shouted "stand clear!" but to no avail. Drivers can't possibly predict what pedestrians are going to do. A careless or excited child can suddenly rush across the road, any one of us could step out in front of a car when we're deep in thought.... Talk to advanced driving instructor Paul Ripley and he'll tell you that just two seconds is all you need to avoid an accident and even save your life. Whether you're driving "too fast" is not determined by speed limits alone. Danger arises from "excessive speed for the prevailing conditions." That's a matter of judgement and experience, but if in any doubt, slow down. Mr Ripley would remind you to keep a minimum time gap between yourself and the car in front of two seconds in good, dry conditions. That gap should be at least doubled when it's wet.... There's some good information (applicable in any country) in the full article, from the Ealing Times __________________________
On 3 November, in Nantes, France hosted the third annual meeting of the cities taking part in Europe’s CIVITAS programme, an initiative aimed at developing alternatives to private car use in towns and cities in order to reduce congestion and pollution. Vice-President Jacques Barrot, the Commissioner for Transport, spoke at the meeting to reaffirm the Commission’s support for the programme and announced his intention of sharing positive results with any interested cities.... As of 2007, the Commission intends to select further groups of demonstration cities, with special emphasis on cities in the new Member States and the accession countries, which are witnessing rapid increases in the rates of car ownership and a falling-off in the use of public transport. Local authorities therefore need help to develop and test appropriate transition strategies designed to maintain high rates of public transport use, walking and cycling. [Source: 'Clean urban transport: the European Commission wants to build on the results of the CIVITAS programme' press release, issued on November 11, from the EU]
DSA Comments One can only presume that "developing alternatives to private car use in towns and cities" will, by definition, also be a major safety benefit to areas with high concentrations of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.
Certainly not 'Q.E.D.' relative to the above story, but relevant:
Roads bosses in Glasgow were today urged to improve safety at a city centre junction after the latest in a number of crashes. Fire crews had to free two passengers after a taxi collided with a car and overturned. It was the fifth serious accident in three years at the corner of Blythswood Street and Waterloo Street -- but workers say they see at least one smash a week. Now they want traffic lights installed before someone is seriously hurt.... The city centre junction at Argyle Street, Union Street and Jamaica Street has the worst safety record, with 36 injuries over the last three years. Full story, from the Glasgow Evening Times [SMc] __________________________
__________________________
Three students, all girls, were killed and five others were injured seriously, when the jeep in which they were travelling was brushed by a mini truck between Thippepalli and Nuthimadugu villages in Kambadur mandal of the district on Thursday. According to the police and information reaching here, the jeep packed with about 40 passengers, mostly high school students, was on the way to Nuthimadugu from Thippepalli village. As the jeep was jam-packed most of the students were hanging on the jeep by keeping their feet on [a rod] specially fitted for the purpose. As the jeep packed with passengers was half way through the destination [sic], a mini truck coming in the opposite direction moving at a high speed rubbed the students hanging onto the jeep forcibly. The truck driver did not get down the road to give sufficient passing way to the jeep.... Full story, from The Hindu [SMc] __________________________
Rollover crashes lead to more deaths in those kinds of models than other cars. The two-door Ford Explorer that rolled over on the Howard Frankland Bridge and sank in Tampa Bay is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road, according to insurance industry data. And although no one is sure how many such models are still in use, the number is likely in the tens of thousands, insurance industry sources say.... Only the two-door Chevrolet Blazer, a similar midsized SUV, has a higher rollover death rate - 251 per million. The average for all passenger vehicles is 28 rollover deaths per million. Because of its higher center of gravity, a more narrow, trucklike foundation and relatively light weight, the two-door Explorer Sport is at much greater risk than most other vehicles, including other SUVs, analysts say.... Insurance industry analysts also point to a contributing factor automakers have nothing to do with. Most older model SUVs, especially two-door models, are likely on their second or third owner, a driver who is often more prone to risk than the original owner.... "There may be more young, inexperienced drivers driving them," Rader [a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety] said. "Which can have an effect on the death rate."... Full story, from the St. Petersburg Times [SMc] __________________________
The number of signatories for the European Road Safety Charter is rising at a tremendous speed, and there are now more than 100 new companies, organisations and associations listed on the Charter web page. Furthermore, there are several hundreds in the process of finalising their action plans for saving 25,000 lives on our roads. Recent new members include: -- Associazione Sostenitori Amici Polizia Stradale (Friends of the Traffic Police Support Association) The Charter tour is also well under way. There have already been meetings held in Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, London and Berlin, and a meeting will be held in Warsaw, Poland, on 22 November, 2005. If you wish to attend meeting or know somebody who might be interested in participating, please write a confirmation e-mail: charter@paueducation.com with the personal details of the attendee. The presentation event is free of charge and will take place in the city's Commission representation office. [Source: European Road Safety Charter Newsletter; 10 November 2005]
DSA Comments Drive and Stay Alive is proud to be a signatory to the European Road Safety Charter (relative to our global work), though to the best of our knowledge we are the only such signatory to be based outside Europe. We would certainly encourage organisations with any interest in the safety of the public, or perhaps of a workforce, to consider membership as a matter of some priority. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
NHTSA Says Convertibles Can't Share Standards With Fixed-Roof Vehicles Federal regulators want stronger vehicle roofs to protect people in rollover crashes, but they have no plan to protect occupants of convertibles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it cannot hold convertibles, including retractable hardtops, to the same roof-crush requirements as vehicles with fixed roofs. The agency also has decided against convertible-specific rollover rules, such as requiring roll bars. There has been a sharp increase in convertible offerings in the past decade, and existing roof-strength rules exempt convertibles. Several import automakers have added rollover safety equipment voluntarily. Although concern has mounted over rollover deaths in SUVs, convertible rollover deaths are a non-issue for NHTSA, the insurance industry and some automakers. The 94 fatalities attributed to 87 convertibles that rolled over in 2004 accounted for fewer than 1 percent of about 10,000 U.S. rollover deaths last year. "We've been asked the convertible question many times, and we don't see a higher pattern of injury losses," said Kim Hazelbaker, senior vice president of the Highway Loss Data Institute, a research organization for auto insurers. Safety lobbyists and regulators say convertibles' low center of gravity makes them less prone to rollover.... Full story, from AutoWeek [SMc]
DSA Comments It is, of course, true that convertibles' low center of gravity makes them less prone to rollover, and it is also reasonable to suggest that convertibles, including retractable hardtops, either cannot or should not be held to to the same roof-crush requirements as vehicles with fixed roofs. But that certainly does not mean that they should have no rollover safety standards at all. And there are two additional points to be made:
Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
Michigan's House recently said it wants to lay down a new law to make it safer for teens and the rest of us to share the road. It has to do with cell phone use, and to us it doesn't go far enough. The state House voted to penalize teen drivers who talk on their cell phones while on the road. The House voted 78-27 to approve a bill that would require drivers under 18 to pay a $50 fine if they are caught talking on their cell phones or using Palm Pilots and other wireless devices. The bill now goes to the Senate.... At least 11 states and the District of Columbia restrict cell phone use among young drivers, and some ban hand-held cell phones completely, according to the [National Transportation] Safety Board. The states with restrictions on wireless communication while driving are Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Texas.... Rep. David Law, a West Bloomfield Republican who sponsored the bill, pointed to the National Transportation Safety Board's recent vote to recommend states ban novice drivers from using any wireless communication devices.... We [i.e. the Petoskey News-Review] would have voted against this bill, not because it unfairly targets teens, but because it ought to target everyone. Cell phone or other hand-held device use while driving is dangerous, period. It ought not to be permitted, whether we're addressing regular cell phones or the so-called “hands-free” devices. Talking on a phone while driving is completely unnecessary at best, a deadly distraction at worst. We all somehow survived in the days before cell phones and Palm Pilots. We are confident the world - and any individual's business or personal life - won't come to a screeching halt should cell phone use by drivers be banned.... Full opinion piece, from the Petoskey News-Review [SMc]
DSA Comments Even though the NHTSA has long since recognized the fact that all cell phone use by drivers is dangerous (i.e. not just hand-held cell phones) it is saddening to see that the NTSB can only manage, in the stated recent vote, to "recommend states ban novice drivers from using any wireless communication devices". In this article it is the Petoskey News-Review, and not the NTSB or the Michigan House, who have got things right. It is equally saddening to add that at the recent International Conference on Distracted Driving (October 2005, Toronto) there were no representatives present from either the NHTSA or the NTSB. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. __________________________
A probationary period for all those who pass their driving test has been suggested as a possible way to curb road deaths among Cumbrian youngsters... Eden councillor Tony Brunskill has started a campaign to reverse the trend with the support of retired senior police officer John Owen. Under the scheme, new license holders cannot carry passengers for six months. [Source: Lakeland Radio]
DSA Comments This proposal/scheme is, of course, entirely sound and has been progressively implemented in other countries such as the USA and Australia. What one must also hope is that in countries with lamentably low standards of driver training and driving test -- notably the USA -- the reciprocal idea is implemented and the much higher driving test standards of countries such as Britain, Germany, etc., are put into use. It is only by means of countries seeking out global best practice, within the various fields of road safety, that the maximum number of lives will be saved. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. ___________________________
Longer drinking hours in Ontario have resulted in a significant increase in alcohol-related fatal crashes in Windsor, a University of Western Ontario study has found. The four-year study, led by Dr. Evelyn Vingilis, a professor of family medicine at Western's Schulich School of Medicine, also found a significant drop in Detroit crashes. Ontario extended the hours for alcohol sales in 1996, to 2 a.m. from 1 a.m. Vingilis said Windsor's increase and Detroit's drop in alcohol-related casualties might be due to fewer Canadians crossing the border to drink. Detroit authorities have reported a drop in drivers with Ontario licence plates, she said.... Full story, from The London Free Press, Ontario [SMc] __________________________
For the first time the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the performance of minivans in side impact crash tests. The tests simulate crashes in which SUVs or pickup trucks strike the sides of minivans. These are the kinds of crashes that can occur at intersections when a vehicle runs a red light or stop sign.... Federal test doesn't reflect many real-world crashes: The federal government also conducts side impact tests for consumer information but uses a barrier that was designed in the 1980s when cars represented most vehicles on the road. The height of the barrier's front end is below the heads of the dummies that measure injury risks in side-struck vehicles. The federal test doesn't assess the risks of head injury from impacts with vehicles like SUVs and pickups. Full story, from The Auto Channel [SMc] __________________________
Last week a Philadelphia fire engine sat parked in a repair shop, a plastic milk crate placed under the steering wheel as a makeshift seat. While the truck looked absurd, Philadelphia firefighters are more concerned about faulty parts they can't see, such as transmissions and brakes. They contend that out-of-service and aging vehicles in the department's fleet pose a potential safety threat to both the public and firefighters themselves. More than 16 percent of the Fire Department's front-line engines awaited repairs in a Fleet Management garage last week -- 11 of 68 front-line trucks. Front-line engines are the trucks sent out on runs immediately after residents call in emergencies to 911. In addition, 19 of the Philadelphia Fire Department's 24 reserve fire engines are awaiting repairs or being utilized in the front line.... About 60 Fire Department vehicles, including front-line engines and ambulances, are behind in their preventive maintenance, according to a list updated by the city's department of Fleet Management two weeks ago. Fire engines are scheduled for preventive maintenance every four months. But the list shows that some front-line trucks were last tuned up April 12, 2004; May 13, 2004; June 1, 2004; and Aug. 7, 2004. Both the Fire Department administration and Fleet Management adamantly deny the repair logjam poses a safety threat.... Full article -- Burning Issue -- from Philadelphia Weekly __________________________
___________________________
The Allstate Foundation has released a comprehensive report on teen driving, featuring an in-depth study of teen attitudes complemented by recent discoveries from adolescent-development experts. The debut of the report, Chronic: A Report on the State of Teen Driving, also marks the Foundation's launch of a new multi-year program addressing the leading public health threat to teenagers: teen motor-vehicle crashes.... Recent research into adolescent brain development may explain why established teen driver-education programs have not been more effective in reducing teen crash statistics. "Advances in MRI technology have allowed us to prove the brain matures over a much longer period of time than was previously thought," said Dr. Jay Giedd, a leading neuroscientist based in Potomac, Md., specializing in teen brain development. "Areas involved in multi-tasking, impulse control and the ability to envision consequences - areas crucial for driving - are still developing until age 25." These scientific findings help decipher attitudes teens have about driving, as further reflected in a recent teen survey conducted by The Allstate Foundation. A sampling of teen attitudes that emerged from the study include: "I'm faced with a lot of distractions...." "If I'm sober, I'm safe...." "Speeding is normal...." Full Article from Insurance Journal [SMc] __________________________
....Educating students about traffic safety is a priority following a
Sept. 29 fatal accident, when UI freshman Sarah Channick was struck by
a bus. There have been five bus-pedestrian accidents, and three fatal
accidents involving pedestrians, on campus since February 2004. __________________________
Britain [maintains its] pledge to cut the number of deaths on Europe's roads. The pledge was [reaffirmed] by all 25 European member states at a conference in Italy. It aims to see improvements in road safety across the EU in support of the EU target to reduce road deaths by 50% by 2010. The conference, called Lifelong Learning for Road Safety, was co-hosted by Britain, as European Union president, and Italy. Its theme was the need to promote improved road safety for all road users.... In Britain, 56 people per million of population are killed on the roads, where a fatality is classed as a death within 30 days of the accident. The average for the 25 EU countries is 96 per million of population. [The international norm being deaths per 100,000 - DSA.] Latvia has the highest rate at 220 and Malta the lowest at 33. Full Story, from This is London [SMc] __________________________
Twenty-nine people were killed in road accidents on the 10th day of Ops Sikap IX yesterday, the highest single day death toll in the current festive traffic operation launched on Oct 27. Twenty-four of the dead were motorcyclists and pillion riders. The rest were two car passengers, a taxi passenger, a lorry driver and a pedestrian. The daily accident report issued by Bukit Aman police showed the deaths occurred on federal roads (14), state roads (8), highways (4), municipal roads (2) and other type of road (1). The latest deaths bring the total since Oct 27 to 174. Of the 867 road accidents recorded yesterday, most occurred on federal roads (349) followed by municipal roads (229), state roads (189), highways (56) and other types of roads (44). Police also issued 7,404 summonses yesterday, bringing the total for the 10 days to 93,715. Full Story here [SMc] __________________________
Every year, thousands of people are killed on our roads and many more are maimed. These cause inestimable human suffering and represent a serious socio-economic burden. Unfortunately, the thousands of deaths caused by road accidents per year cannot and do not receive the attention of a single aircraft crash. Sadly, many of these accidents and their consequences are avoidable. There is no doubt that Nigeria has one the poorest road safety records in the world, today. The irony is that a large proportion of these accidents are associated with journeys related to joyous festivities especially those related to end of year celebrations. This ought not to be. The nation has faced enough tragedies already this year and all hands must be on deck to forestall any other avoidable accident.... There is an urgent issue of road safety, which affects all of us, this festive season. It is that of adhering to best practices in road safety to counterbalance the effects of increased traffic envisaged during coming days and weeks. Without doubt, good driving habits must be encouraged more than ever before in order to reduce, or at least minimise the socio-economic burden of road traffic accidents in our nation. Article, from Daily Independent [SMc] __________________________
Lincolnshire’s road safety team is to be the model for the Government’s new approach to speed enforcement after exploding the myth that the only way to cut road deaths is to put up more cameras. The county has one the best records for reducing casualties, despite freezing the number of cameras. Road deaths and serious injuries fell by 18 per cent in Lincolnshire last year, more than double the national rate of improvement.... Ministers want all partnerships to follow Lincolnshire’s policy of having camera officials, highway engineers and police road safety officers all working in the same building. When a road is identified as having a high casualty rate, a member of each group inspects the site. This ensures that all the alternatives are fully considered before any decision is made to install a camera. A spokesman for the partnership said: "Having everyone sat together reinforces the attitude that cameras are only one of many solutions to the problem of speeding. In most other regions these people work in completely different offices.... Lincolnshire makes widespread use of speed indicator devices, which detect a vehicle’s speed and flash it up on a screen. These devices do not make any money but research has shown they can be more effective than cameras.... Full story, from The Times [SMc] __________________________
Membership has plunged among traffic safety associations as drivers are questioning the purpose of the groups and if their fees are actually being used to make roads safer. The mission of these associations, known as ankyo, is to organize campaigns to prevent traffic accidents and raise public awareness in traffic safety in cooperation with the police. Aside from the fees, which are paid voluntarily by drivers when they obtain or renew their licenses, the associations earn a commission by assisting in police duties for license renewal procedures or in the management of parking meters. But a lack of transparency in accounting has prompted criticism against ankyo. In addition, the majority of workers in these associations are retired police officers, raising speculation the groups exist just to give retired officers extra income.... Full story, from The Ashahi Shimbun ___________________________
Evidence accumulates year by year that inflating frontal airbags in newer vehicles are causing few deaths and injuries. From a high of 68 deaths attributed to inflating airbags in 1995 model vehicles, only 1 such death occurred in a 2004 model (a 56-year-old woman in the front passenger seat). No deaths were caused by inflating airbags in 2002-03 models. This information is from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s ongoing investigations of crashes in which airbag-related deaths are believed to have occurred. Fifty-eight of the 68 airbag deaths in 1995 model year vehicles were infants and children. There have been no deaths of infants in rear-facing restraints since 1997 models and no child deaths since 2001 models. The reduction in adult deaths can be attributed largely to airbag redesign (those in 1998 and later models inflate with less power). Other contributors include increasing belt use and education encouraging shorter drivers to sit farther from the steering wheel. Much of the fatality reduction among children has resulted from education to ensure that kids travel in a back seat, away from frontal airbags. De-powering airbags also has reduced deaths and injuries among infants and children riding in the front passenger seat. [Source: Woman Motorist] [SMc] ___________________________
Federal motor vehicle safety standards and various safety technologies saved a reported 328,551 lives from 1960 to 2002. This estimate is from a 2004 report by C.J. Kahane conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Even though frontal airbags are a relatively new technology, they’ve already saved an estimated 12,074 lives since 1994. One of the oldest technologies in Kahane’s study, the safety belt, was by far the most effective. Belt use was responsible for saving an estimated 14,570 lives during 2002 alone (59 percent of the total). Belts in all seating positions were estimated to have saved 168,542 lives during 1960-2002. Lap belts have been common in cars [in the USA] since 1962. Two other important safety technologies are energy-absorbing steering assemblies and improved door locks. The steering assemblies saved an estimated 53,017 lives during the study years. Back in the 1960s these were stiff and unyielding in frontal crashes. But by the late 1970s a federal motor vehicle safety standard required steering assemblies to be designed to compress at a controlled rate, cushioning the impact on drivers’ chests in frontal crashes. Advancements in door locks, latches, and hinges are estimated to have saved a total of almost 30,000 lives by keeping doors closed during crashes to reduce the risk of ejection. The locks, latches, and hinges are especially beneficial in rollover crashes.... Full story, from Woman Motorist, courtesy of www.iihs.org
DSA Comments It should go without saying that every life saved is priceless, and yet when one divides the suggested total of 328,551 lives saved by 43 (the years involved, 1960-2002) this achievement comes down to 7,641 lives per year. On one hand this is no mean achievement, but on the other it begs the question whether enough has indeed been done. During the period 1992-2001, the USA managed to reduce the total number of people killed in road crashes each year by just four percent. Meanwhile the other 21 relevant member-countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] managed an average a reduction of more than 25 percent. [Table here.] America performed the worst during that ten-year period and is still in the bottom three of the 30 member-countries, year after year [further table here]. Of course not all reductions in fatalities come from better vehicle engineering -- that is just one factor -- but the question remains: While all other developed nations have targets to reduce the total number of annual deaths by at least 40 percent and commonly 50 percent, the USA has no such target. Why not? [Article here.] Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. ___________________________
South Dakota teen drivers are involved in a disproportionate number of fatal crashes, state records show. While drivers under age 18 accounted for just more than 5 percent of all drivers last year, they were involved in 6.5 percent of fatal crashes, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. [Source: Sioux Falls Leader -- 'Fatal Crashes Have Parents Stressing Dangers on Road'] [SMc]
DSA Comments If the above figures are accurate they could actually represent relatively good news for South Dakota. From everything we have ever seen at Drive and Stay Alive -- from research and statistics around the world -- it is typical that teenagers are involved in double the expectable, proportionate numer of road deaths. In other words, if as stated above they "accounted for just more than 5 percent of all drivers last year", we would have expected them to be involved in around 10 percent of fatal crashes. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. ___________________________
Almost all U.S. states have laws that phase in driving privileges for young beginners in three stages — a learner’s permit, an intermediate license with driving restrictions, and then full licensure. Some states recently beefed up the restrictions in the first two stages, and four states adopted three stage licensing for the first time. The specifics of the new restrictions differ, but they’re all intended to reduce crashes involving beginners.... Full story, from Woman Motorist [SMc] ___________________________
The motorcyclist death rate in Florida has increased about 25 percent, from 31 to almost 39 fatalities per 1,000 crash involvements, since the state weakened its helmet use law in 2000. An estimated 117 deaths could have been prevented during 2001-02 if the law hadn’t been changed. These are the main findings of an Institute study that compared death rates in motorcycle crashes before the law change (1998-99) and after (2001-02). The findings are consistent with a recent federal study of the Florida law and with an earlier study of the effects of the law change conducted by University of Arkansas researchers (see Status Report, Aug. 1, 2004; on the web at www.iihs.org). The law in Florida used to apply to all riders. The weakened law, which took effect in July 2000, exempts riders 21 and older who have at least $10,000 of medical insurance coverage. Helmet use in Florida was observed at close to 100 percent before the law change but fell to only 53 percent afterward.... Full story, from Woman Motorist [SMc] ___________________________
The Road Transport Safety Agency (RTSA) needs K2.7 billion to address operational problems at the Zambia Transport Information System (ZAMTIS) offices on Lumumba road, chairperson William Harrington said.... Full story, from The Times of Zambia, via allAfrica ___________________________
Euro NCAP [the European crash testing organization] is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a high level conference, on 29 November 2005. Professor Claes Tingvall (Euro NCAP Chairman) will introduce a prestigious list of speakers from Europe, Japan and the USA. The conference will review the history of consumer information programmes and explain how they have raised the public awareness of car safety and created a competitive market for car makers. Full press release (and programme) here. ___________________________
Young drivers would face a nighttime curfew and restrictions on the number of passengers they can carry, under radical proposals being considered to reduce the road toll. Provisional drivers aged between 17 and 24 could also be banned from using mobile phone hands-free kits while driving, or from getting behind the wheel of powerful cars. The [Queensland] State Government yesterday released a discussion paper calling for public feedback on what steps can be taken to better protect inexperienced drivers. Premier Peter Beattie said he expected some of the proposals, including curfews, to be controversial and admitted some could be unworkable, but said the Government wanted to hear the views of parents, young drivers and other motorists. "Young people tend to have a very good understanding of road rules and tend to have good reflexes, but what many lack is the experience to know how to handle all the situations that arise while they are driving," [Mr Beattie said]. .....Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg accused the Government of dragging its heels over the proposed laws, saying most of the reforms were recommended by the parliamentary Travelsafe Committee nearly two years ago.... Full story, from The Courier-Mail [SMc]
DSA Comments Radical? Hardly. This article serves to highlight the fact that not enough research -- particularly international research -- is done when "new" ideas are discussed by politicians and the media. 'Graduated Driver Licensing' [GDL] frequently includes various combinations of the above requirements and is becoming increasingly common, not only in Australia but also in the USA (where much work has been done along such lines). As for Mr Beattie's comment that "Young people tend... to have good reflexes," he should certainly have been aware that Australian research has shown that inexperienced drivers tend to 'freeze up' in a crisis situation and the alleged 'good reflexes' of youth sadly become inoperative and therefore represent a highly misleading belief. To quote an Americanism: "Come on guys; get with the program!" The four limitations suggested above are all to be recommended. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc. ___________________________
Two of the three people killed on South Australian roads on Tuesday were not wearing seat belts. Frustrated police said yesterday the latest deaths meant over the last year almost one in four people killed on rural roads were not wearing seat belts. "We do know in the last 12 months, 18 people out of the 80 who have died in the country were not wearing seat belts," Supt Graham Lough, of the Traffic Support Branch, said. "We have had 18 people die who could possibly have been living now if they were wearing seat belts. "So it's crucial if you are in the country or anywhere driving, you must wear a seat belt."... Full story, from News.com.au ___________________________
The Canada Safety Council (CSC) supports the Ontario Trucking Association's campaign to mandate speed limiters on trucks operating in Ontario, in order to limit truck speeds to a maximum of 105 km/hour. CSC strongly agrees that limiting truck speeds will improve road safety in Ontario.... Problems associated with speeding vehicles are well known and have been well documented. There is general consensus among police, public health and safety officials that speeding is a major factor in traffic collision severity and that reducing speeding will save lives and prevent injuries. CSC is also a strong advocate and supporter of truck industry safety initiatives, some of which often precede legislative action. In the case of speed limiters in Ontario, CSC supports the OTA's call for government legislation to mandate their use for commercial vehicles operating in the province.... We strongly encourage the Ontario Trucking Association and its members to proceed with the campaign to promote and mandate speed limiters on trucks. We are convinced that mandating speed limiters, especially at this time, will be most successful - the end result being a reduction in the number of road collisions across Ontario with an accompanying reduction in greenhouse gases, another public health and safety concern. We also encourage OTA to pursue a national agreement through the Canadian Trucking Alliance on the mandatory use of speed limiters right across the country.... The above are excerpts from an open letter from Emile Therien, President, Canada Safety Council, to David Bradley, President, Ontario Trucking Association, dated November 3, 2005.
associated subject
Seeking to call attention to the need for everyone on America's roads and highways to drive more safely, Road Safe America today announced an initiative to establish Drive Safer Sunday as a national observance every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. "The death of almost 43,000 people a year in more than 6 million highway crashes in America has been called an epidemic by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, and rightly so," said Stephen C. Owings of Atlanta, whose son, Cullum, was killed in 2002 when his car was crushed from behind by a speeding tractor-trailer truck. "At Road Safe America, we believe it's time to set aside a special day of the year for everyone on our highways and roadways to focus simply on driving more safely." Drive Safer Sunday is planned eventually to spawn a major national public safety campaign that can be embraced in many ways by numerous local, state and national non-profit organizations, civic, business and social clubs around the nation.... Full story here, from Yahoo News [SMc] ___________________________
Seven aides of Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State were, yesterday, crushed to death in a motor accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.... As the news spread at the Government Secretariat workers wept. The governor immediately retired to the Government House and cancelled all engagments for the day.... Meanwhile, 14 other people yesterday lost their lives in a motor accident on the Enugu-Nsukka Road.... The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had last week raised alarm over the high frequency of accidents on the road and called for its immediate dualisation [i.e. for it to be changed from being an undivided highway to divided]. President-General of the organisation, Prof. Joe Irukwu, had said that the incessant mishaps on the road had been due to the dilapidated nature of the road, adding that at least three major crashes had taken place on the road and which in the process claimed several lives in the last few months. Full story, from Vanguard [SMc] __________________________
Sixty-two road deaths in four days! And Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy has every reason to be utterly disappointed with the relatively high death toll despite the Ops Sikap IX campaign aimed at reducing road fatalities during festive seasons which started on Oct 27. "I am not satisfied as long as there are road deaths because the main cause of accidents is human error or carelessness," he said Tuesday. "These people return to their villages to celebrate Hari Raya, parents await the return of their sons and daughters to celebrate but what comes back are not those who are alive but dead bodies. This is very saddening," he told reporters.... Chan said despite thousands of enforcement officers stationed at high-risk, accident-prone areas to monitor the attitude of motorists, the death toll was still very high.... Full story, from Bernama [SMc] __________________________
A hard-hitting illustration of the waste of human life through road accidents has opened in Manchester today. A Death Clock represents the scale of road fatalities in 'No Accident', an exhibition put together by the charity, RoadPeace. Victims are remembered through visual and audio depictions of their lives and graphics and timelines emphasise the lives cut unnecessarily short by road crashes. Testimonies to the dead can be heard through a 'phone exhibit' and huge granite-like memorial boards will bear the faintly discernable names of the dead.... A recent report by the European Transport Safety Council reveals that 50,000 people are killed and 3.5 million injured every year on Europe's roads. The financial cost to European society is a staggering 200 billion euros; the cost of human pain and suffering is impossible to quantify. The exhibition runs until December 9. Full story, from 24dash.com [SMc] |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
and GLOBAL
November 30, 2005:
November 28, 2005: 
November 28, 2005: 
November 27, 2005: 
and GLOBAL
November 25, 2005:
and GLOBAL
Nov. 23, 2005: 
November 13, 2005: 
November 13, 2005: 
November 4, 2005: