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All contents copyright ©, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc., 2003 onwards, unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved. IMPORTANT: click here to read the DISCLAIMER
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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
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December 2005
Our apologies to our regular readers but our staff have been away, around the Christmas holidays. News articles will be retrospectively added where possible, for the days that we have missed.
Law enforcement officers around Florida kept the headlights on their
patrol vehicles lit Friday and were hitting the roads in force on the
eve of the New Year's weekend. Police,
deputies and troopers joined forces for the program, called Operation
Lights for Life. ___________________________
Harrogate Police and Fire service are continuing their tough
crack down on drink-drivers over New Year.
North Yorkshire Police are operating targeted static checks
across the county, “at any time, at any place” according to the
Head of Tactical Operations.
Superintendent Kevin Doyle added: “We see no reason why
people should be killed, injured or have their lives ruined by those
who drink and drive.
“As well as surprise static checks we are operating extra
patrols, and we guarantee that every driver involved in a crash will
be breathalysed and every driver stopped for a motoring offence will
also be tested. There will be at least one static check every day.
“Extended drinking hours will make no difference – North
Yorkshire Police officers will test every driver we speak to under
these circumstances, what ever the time of day or night. Protecting
life and reducing casualties is a 24/7 operation for us.”
Meanwhile the Fire and Rescue Service are taking a hard-hitting
roadshow round North Yorkshire throughout the campaign, which runs
until 2 January.
Firefighters are taking the mangled wreckage of a crashed car
to locations across the county. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chris
Anderson said: “The message could not be simpler – this is the
indisputable consequence of drinking and driving.... Full
story, from Harrogate
Today
[SMc] ___________________________
Turning 16 and obtaining one’s license has been a rite of
passage, which ranks right up there with apple pie and the American
way of life. To most parents, it is a mixed blessing of less time
spent chauffeuring and more time spent worrying. Worse yet was the
issue of when a teen driver obtained his or her license and wanted to
take your child out for the first spin. A parent became the devil
incarnate if he or she refused such a “generous” offer on behalf
of your mortified child....
Oklahoma was the 33rd state in 1999 to pass a “Graduated
Driver License” law. The “GDL” law got some teeth this past
spring. The latest version restricts teen driving between the hours of
5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with certain exceptions. For example, teens may
drive during other hours if they are going to work, school, church or
a related activity, or if a licensed driver is sitting beside the
teenager. The bill does not allow teenage drivers to chauffeur friends
around town. Teens with a GDL cannot drive with multiple passengers
younger than age 21 (other than a family member). If the teen driver
keeps a clean driving record over a one-year period, the restrictions
are removed....
As for the law itself, the good news is that it should decrease
the number of teen deaths. Statistics support this fact. In Oklahoma,
in their first year of driving, 25 percent of 16 year-olds will either
receive a ticket or be in an accident. In 2003, 671 drivers died in
this state in traffic accidents. Forty-five of those accidents
involved teen drivers who were 17 or younger. Another 10,711
non-fatality accidents involved drivers who were 17 or younger.
In states where tiered drivers licenses are in effect, the
rates of accidents and deaths, involving under-18 drivers have
declined. Oklahoma’s law is patterned after North Carolina’s law,
which was adopted in 1997. That state has seen a 27 percent drop in
car related deaths of 16- to 18-year-old drivers. Iowa, which adopted
a version of the law in 1999, has seen traffic violation convictions
and car related deaths drop by about 20 percent. These are not
insignificant numbers.... Full
opinion, from The
Edmond Sun [SMc]
___________________________
The RACV has pleaded with parents not to leave children locked in cars as Ballarat prepares for extreme summer heat. The call came after it was revealed 1300 RACV patrols were called out to assist people and pets [in such circumstances] across Victoria in the last 12 months. RACV chief engineer, vehicles, Michael Case said the figure equated to more than three rescues a day.... Mr Case said the interior temperature of a vehicle could rise by as much as 40 degrees Celsius in just 15 minutes. He said children could suffer heatstroke, dehydration, or even die as the mercury neared the lethal 60 degree mark. Mr Case said leaving a window open a few centimetres would not ensure protection. [He added that] parents who were tempted to leave children in vehicles while visiting shopping centres must think again. "In the past we have heard of horrifying stories where children ... have been locked in cars while parents attended to other business," he said. Ballarat Police endorsed the message after attending two reported incidents this week. Meanwhile, Ballarat Police Acting Inspector David Hermit urged people to be vigilant with temperatures forecast to soar above 30 degrees today and tomorrow. Full story, from The Courier, Ballarat. ___________________________
Northland's top traffic cop has drawn a line in the sand, saying he is determined to break the region's abysmal drink-driving record.... To counter the problem, police will continue a drink driving blitz in the region for at least another year. That's how long it will take to change deep-seated attitudes to drink driving in the region, says Northland's police roading inspector, Rob Lindsay.... The region's shameful drink-driving statistics had forced police to put stringent bail conditions on repeat offenders, Whangarei Senior Sergeant Alastair Ward told the Advocate in September.... Full story, from The Northern Advocate [SMc] ___________________________
Road safety campaigners yesterday slammed Homer Simpson. The cartoon star is regularly shown knocking back pints of Duff beer before getting in his car, often with his family in tow. Amanda Roberts, 43, of the Campaign Against Dangerous Driving, said: "The example they are setting by showing Homer in this light is more than careless, it is downright dangerous."... This year's festive ad campaign is under way to raise awareness of the [drunk-driving] problem. One in 10 UK drivers admits drink-driving. [Source: The Daily Record, Scotland] ___________________________
The Ad Council and U.S. Department of Transportation Expand Focus of Drunk-Driving Campaign to Buzzed Driving After more than twenty years of the highly successful “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign, The Advertising Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have expanded the focus of their Drunk Driving Prevention campaign to target “buzzed driving.” The new public service advertising (PSA) campaign is launching today to coincide with the holiday season, a time when drunk driving fatalities are at their highest.... In continuing their efforts to prevent drunk driving, NHTSA and the Ad Council have evaluated ways to extend the reach of the campaign, which has been accomplished by focusing on individual responsibility in an effort to reduce impaired driving. The “buzzed driver” is one who drinks too much and drives, but does not consider himself a hazard on the roadway or a drunk driver because he believes his drinking is “moderate.” The expanded campaign is designed to correct that perception, by instilling the notion that if you are “buzzed,” you’re too impaired to drive safely. It will inspire a dialogue about and recognition of the dangers of “buzzed” driving and, subsequently, motivate people to stop driving “buzzed.” “The Drunk Driving Prevention campaign is one of the most successful campaigns in our country’s history,” according to Peggy Conlon, Ad Council President and CEO. “Buzzed drivers don’t equate themselves with the drunk drivers that they would condemn, even though the statistics show that their behavior can be just as dangerous. I am confident that this new creative will continue to change the culture as it relates to alcohol consumption and driving and communicate to buzzed drivers that even a few drinks can have devastating consequences.” Created by Massachusetts-based ad agency Mullen, the new television and radio PSAs target men aged 21 to 34 because, according to NHTSA, 59% of the nearly 13,000 impaired driving fatalities last year were people age 21-34, with the overwhelming majority of them men. The PSAs feature people who are visibly drunk and should obviously not be behind the wheel of a car, and then show people who are “buzzed” and may not recognize that they are too impaired to drive. The ads conclude with the tagline “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” To view the PSAs, visit: www.adcouncil.org/campaigns/buzzed_driving/ .... Full story, from NAMC ___________________________
The holiday season, particularly New Year's Eve, is among the year's deadliest for drunk driving fatalities. Year-round, the statistics are bad enough: Every 30 minutes, someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash, and in Florida, more than a third of all accidents involve alcohol. This season, once again, the AAA Auto Club and Budweiser are teaming up to offer a convenient alternative [to prevent drunk driving]. Any adult in Florida who calls 1-800-AAA-HELP will get a ride home and their car towed, free of charge. AAA estimates the "Tow To Go" program, available through New Year's Day, has already kept nearly 5,000 potential drunk drivers off the road over the past six years. So if you don't know when to stop, at least know who to call, and keep the number handy. [Source: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel] ___________________________
Mercury Insurance Group and the San Diego Police Department have produced "Every 15 Minutes," a two-day program to teach high-schoolers the dangers of drinking and driving. The goal of both Mercury Insurance and the San Diego Police Department is to save lives. According to historical data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight teens is likely to drive after drinking alcohol this holiday season, and 30 percent of American teens in December will ride with a driver who has been drinking alcohol. Additionally, statistics show that in 2003, 27 percent of 16- to 20-year-old passenger vehicle drivers fatally injured in crashes had blood alcohol levels of 0.08 percent or more, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. December is designated "National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month" by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.... Full story, from the Insurance Journal ___________________________
The year 2005 has become the deadliest ever on the roads in southern Nevada -- and appears headed for a record statewide. Authorities are blaming population increases, aggressive driving, motorists distracted by cell phones, onboard DVD players and eating behind the wheel. As of Tuesday, 297 people died from traffic crashes this year in Clark County. That compares with 279 traffic deaths in all of 2004 -- according to the Nevada Department of Public Safety. Statewide, 393 had people died in car crashes as of December 15th -- with the number appeared headed over 400 for the first time. Last year, there were 395 crash fatalities statewide. About one in three was blamed on speeding, almost two in five on alcohol impairment and almost half on failure to use seat belts.... [Source: KESQ News Channel] [SMc] __________________________
Cape residents are being urged to help cut road deaths by a massive margin this year. Deaths on the region's roads this December have dropped by 25 percent from last year. However the month still has four more days to run and some figures are up - like the number of drivers arrested for drunken driving. But Community Safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane said on Tuesday that they were hopeful of a dramatic overall decrease in the number of road deaths.... Drugs had been seized at roadblocks around the province, as had nine stolen cars. "But the second major problem is speeding," he said. "Drivers are not hearing us when we are saying speed kills." The maximum speed recorded this week was 184km/h [115mph]. Last week it was 194km/h [121mph].... Full story, from Independent Online [SMc] __________________________
Limiting the number of passengers P-plate drivers can carry will reduce peer pressure, dangerous driving and deaths on country roads, says Ballarat Traffic Management Unit Senior Sergeant Murray Rowe. Sen Sgt Rowe's call for stricter measures comes as the State Government considers adding a year to young drivers' probationary period. Under the plans a restrictive P1 licence would be held for one year before a three-year P2 licence could be obtained. Currently P-plate drivers are on probation for three years. The government has taken submissions and will make a decision on law changes at a later date. Sen Sgt Rowe said he was [also] a strong advocate for restricting passenger numbers in the early years of driving.... [He also said that] ideally everyone would undergo advanced training but the biggest hurdle would be cost. "It would be a good Christmas or birthday present to do an advanced driving course," he said.... The Young Driver Safety and Graduated Licensing Discussion Paper is available at www.arrivealive.vic.gov.au Full story, from The Courier, Ballarat. __________________________
A father died yesterday and his three children and their mother were seriously hurt in the first accident of a catalogue of road deaths that saw the toll climb to 10.... Crash investigators are still carrying out inquiries but driver fatigue is being investigated as a possible cause.... Police are appealing for calm driving and patience at this dangerous time on the roads. Top Waikato traffic policeman Leo Tooman, who himself drove from Wellington to Hamilton yesterday, said the volume of traffic and mix of speed and slow-moving vehicles towing trailers was a recipe for disaster. "They're having a go when they shouldn't."... Full story, from the New Zealand Herald [SMc]__________________________
Ten people, including three children and four women, were killed and more than 20 were injured when a lorry collided with a bus on the Changanassery-Alappuzha road at Parackal near Perunna this evening. Of the injured, four were in serious condition and have been admitted to various hospitals. The ill-fated bus was on its way to Alappuzha when the accident took place, the police said. [Source: WebIndia] [SMc] ___________________________
Twenty-seven people died and sixty were injured when a loaded truck in which they were travelling skidded and landed in a ditch, a senior road safety official said on Tuesday. The accident happened on December 24 at Bakura junction in northwestern Zamfara State when the truck, carrying 87 people and 200 bags of grain, skidded off the road and ran into a ditch, Federal Road Safety Commission official Umar Liman told AFP. The truck was heading to a market in Illela, a town on the border with neighbouring Niger Republic, he said. The driver lost control, apparently due to exhaustion, he said. Twenty-seven of the passengers died, while 60 others were injured, 16 of them seriously, he said. Road accidents in Nigeria are often caused by indiscipline, speeding, drunkenness and the poor state of roads and vehicles. [Source: Independent Online]
Vehicle Crashes has Exceeded the Target for the Full Financial Year NORFOLK, Va (NNS) -- The Naval Safety Center reported, Dec. 27, that the Navy has exceeded its targeted limit of 29 Private Motor Vehicle [PMV] mishaps for the entire fiscal year (FY)—a critical statistic because nine months remain in the fiscal year. Two PMV mishaps late last week put the Navy over the number that would have allowed it to stay on track to reduce mishaps 75 percent by FY '08. “We are shocked at the numbers,” said Capt. Bill Glenn, Director of Shore Safety Programs at the Naval Safety Center. “A lot of dedicated people around the fleet have done an enormous amount of work to prevent traffic-related mishaps and deaths. We are looking at all areas of responsibility and ways to stop the terrible increase in the loss of our Sailors and Marines.” Fiscal year 2006 started off poorly with a series of motorcycle and PMV mishaps in October. After a short decline, mishaps continued their climb to the highest [level] in 17 years. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, four Sailors and Marines died, and mishaps continued to accumulate. In early December, the Chief of Naval Operation (CNO) Adm. Michael G. Mullen addressed this problem in NAVADMIN 315/05. “This is a trend we cannot tolerate and must correct immediately,” [Admiral] Mullen wrote.... The Naval Safety Center reminds everyone to have a safe holiday and get plenty of rest before hitting the road to visit family and friends. For more information on PMV mishaps, lessons learned, and tools to avoid mishaps, visit their Web site at www.safetycenter.navy.mil/ashore/motorvehicle Full story, from Navy Newsstand ___________________________
[Using just one American state for the sake of example] the annual cost of crashes for Louisiana is estimated at $5.6 billion, equating to just under $2,000 for every licensed driver every year. "Louisianans must pay more than they otherwise should for auto insurance because of our grim statistics," says Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley.... Full story ("Highway Mantra: Buckle up, Sober up"), from The Shreveport Times [SMc]
___________________________
P-plate drivers should face compulsory intensive training, an
overwhelming majority of Victorians believe.
Even those of P-plate age back the plan for extra training. The
only group opposed are 13 to 17-year-olds.
In a typical year, 120 people aged 18 to 25 are killed on the
roads and 2300 are seriously injured.
The Herald Sun Issues Survey 2005 shows 84 per cent of all
Victorians back the training plan.
About 63 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds agree. But 60 per cent
of 13 to 17-year-olds -- those preparing to get a driving licence for
the first time -- said P-platers should not have to do it.
The results come as the Bracks Government moves to introduce
tougher rules for P-platers to tackle the youth road toll.
Young drivers would spend an extra year on P-plates and hoons
would be forced to stay on them even longer under one proposal.
The P-plate period would be split into two stages, P1 and P2,
with extra restrictions imposed on P1 drivers.... Full
story, from the Melbourne
Herald Sun [SMc]
___________________________
Five deaths on the roads in the holiday period's first 48 hours
have police urging motorists to take more care.
The holiday period runs till 8am on January 4 and police say
motorists need to slow down to keep this year's holiday road toll
below last year's 11 dead. Three people had died last year by midnight
on Christmas Day....
National road policing manager Superintendent Dave Cliff said
the toll so far was "pretty disappointing". "People are
still travelling too fast."
Police were also issuing between 150 and 200 prosecutions a
night for drink-driving, about normal. However, it showed the
"don't drink and drive" message had not got through to some
sections of society....
Drivers were driving for too long without rest breaks. Unbroken
periods at the wheel after working long hours in the lead-up to
Christmas were a recipe for trouble. Drivers also had to be aware that
open-road driving at 100km/h required skills different from those of
the urban driving many were used to. Full
story, from Stuff.co.nz
[SMc]
___________________________
The California Highway Patrol is reporting preliminary
driving under the influence arrests and traffic deaths over the
holiday weekend statewide have already outnumbered last year's totals.
"It was a very busy weekend for officers across the
state,'' CHP Sgt. Wayne Ziese said.
According to Ziese, CHP officers arrested 1,092 suspected
drunken drivers between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. In 2004, 622
drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI during the same time period.
The CHP is also reporting that 27 people died as a result of
traffic accidents statewide over the holiday weekend, which is one
more death than what was reported in 2004 for the same time span.
The CHP will continue to monitor DUI arrests and traffic
fatalities through midnight and is advising drivers to slow down and
follow other vehicles at safe distances for the weather and road
conditions.
"Wet roadways added to a few accidents yesterday,'' Ziese
said, "We continue to remind folks as they travel along the bay
returning gifts or heading out to visit friends and family to drive
according to the conditions." [Source:
San Jose Mercury News]
[SMc] ___________________________
Young adults, between 16 and 24, are inexperienced and even
at times careless drivers. According to the National Safety Council,
each year nearly 6,000 teens are killed in car accidents and more
than 3,800 are drivers age 15-20.
To help prevent any local teens from becoming part of those
statistics, Manville resident Ray Walsh, a member of the National
Safety Council, is working to launch a program teaching the
consequences of unsafe driving.
The program, called "Alive at 25," is a course
developed by the National Safety Council to prevent traffic
fatalities, collisions and violations. It is the only such course in
the nation taught exclusively by off-duty law enforcement officers,
including state troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs.... Full
story, from the Manville
News
[SMc] ___________________________
This year AAA of Northern California is launching a new
program called "Tipsy Tow," and the concept is simple: If
you have too much to drink, just call AAA and you and your car will
be towed home for free. The program is open to everyone. You do not
need to be a AAA member to take advantage of this service to the
community.
AAA will offer the service to drinking drivers from 6 p.m. on
New Year's Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year's Day in Northern
California, Nevada, and Utah. Drivers, potential passengers, party
hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers can call: (800) 222-4357
(AAA-HELP) for a free tow home of up to seven miles. Just tell the
AAA operator, "I need a Tipsy Tow," and a truck will be on
its way.
The service will provide a one-way ride for the driver and
vehicle to the driver's home. If there are additional passengers who
need a ride, they will be taken to the driver's home as long as
there is sufficient room for them to be transported safety in the
tow truck. You cannot make a reservation. |
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