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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
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.
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A push to make North Wales roads safer was paying off police said yesterday. Fewer people were killed in crashes on the region's roads last year a Department of Transport survey showed. There were 42 deaths in 2005, down from 58 in the North Wales police force area the previous years. The number of serious injuries also dropped from 280 to 200 over the same period, while the number of slight injuries fell by 15% from 2,865 to 2,447.... Full story, from ic Wales [SMc] __________________________
Drivers ages 16 to 20 are involved in 20 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States, but make up just six percent of the driving population, according to a report released yesterday, ahead of the July Fourth holiday weekend. The District is ranked as the deadliest jurisdiction for youth-related traffic accidents, with nearly a third of its fatalities involving at least one driver younger than 21, the report says. The report was issued jointly by the National Safety Council and the physician-led traffic safety advocacy group Coalition to End Needless Death on our Roadways (END).... Full story, from The Washington Times [SMc] __________________________
Montana this weekend sheds its distinction as the only state that does not restrict teen drivers through so-called graduated driver's licenses. A law that was passed by the Legislature last year and takes effect Saturday requires greater adult oversight of young drivers. The law also restricts when, and with whom, teens may drive. Supporters say the new restrictions have reduced traffic accident and death rates among teens in other states. "It seems like most of the parents really like it once they find out what is going on," said Patrick McJannet, operations chief for the state Motor Vehicle Division.... Full story, from Billings Gazette [SMc] __________________________
The steady reduction in the number of fatalities on British roads seems to have stalled. In total, 3,201 people were killed last year, a reduction of just 20 in the figure for 2004. There was better news for children with pedestrian children deaths down 18% and overall children road deaths down 15%. However, the number of cyclists killed rose 10% to 148, partially due to their increased overall numbers. Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation said "Campaigns aimed at children and motorcyclists seem to have paid off. Perhaps we now need to also focus on improving cycle safety and encourage car manufacturers to prioritise pedestrian safety as well as occupant protection." [Source: Reuters UK] [SMc] __________________________
On a recent night, Massachusetts State Trooper Rubin Colon stopped a driver on Route 128 going 120 mph, another at 114 mph, one at 107 mph and two others at 94 and 98 mph. That was a typical night. ‘‘Everybody seems to be in an extreme rush,’’ said Colon, who routinely sets the cruise control on his personal car at 69 mph. ‘‘I feel like a turtle out there.’’ Speeding on the nation’s highways is at ‘‘epidemic proportions,’’ said Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, the states’ voice on highway safety.... Full story, from The Patriot Ledger [SMc] __________________________
Pasa las llaves (Pass the keys). That is a phrase that law enforcement along with other agencies across southern Arizona want people to live by in situations where a person may be thinking about drinking and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. On Wednesday, the Arizona Governor's office of highway safety announced the kickoff of it's latest initiative to combat impaired driving, with a special emphasis on designing effective programs to reduce impaired driving within the Hispanic population. Full story here, from azstarnet.com __________________________
__________________________
Traffic crash mortality rates in the U.S. declined by 44
percent between 1969 and 2003, dropping from 26.4 per 100,000
person-years in 1969 to 14.7 in 2003. Behaviors that contribute to the
risk of traffic-crash mortality include alcohol use by drivers and
pedestrians, not wearing a seat belt, lack of an air bag, not wearing
a motorcycle helmet, and not wearing a bicycle helmet.
Of these five risk factors, decreased alcohol consumption and
increased use of seat belts were associated with substantial
reductions in crash mortality from 1982 through 2001, according to new
research by investigators at the Harborview Injury Prevention &
Research Center (HIPRC). The increased presence of air bags and use of
motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets were associated with smaller
reductions, the researchers found.
"Changes in Traffic Crash Mortality Rates Attributed to
Use of Alcohol, or Lack of a Seat Belt, Air Bag, Motorcycle Helmet, or
Bicycle Helmet, United States, 1982--2001" is published in the
June 2006 issue of Injury Prevention. The researchers studied data
from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality
Analysis Reporting System, which collects information on all crashes
on public roads in the U.S. that result in a fatality within 30
days.... Full story, from UW Office of News and Information [SMc] __________________________
Buying a car for a teen driver can be expensive in a number of
ways. Obviously, the car itself costs real money. Then there are
insurance costs and the eventual repair and maintenance costs.
Trying to save money on the car itself can cost you in other
ways. You also have to consider reliability and, most importantly,
safety.
That can be particularly complicated since you'll probably want
to consider used vehicles for their lower purchase and insurance
costs. That means you'll have to consider not which car but what model
year you want to look for....
...Among Consumer Reports' recommended cars for teen drivers
are the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Mazda3, all of which are engaging,
quick, and enjoyable to drive. Full
story, from CNN International
[SMc] __________________________
Road accidents cause more deaths than malaria and TB and should
be treated as a global disease, according to the road safety
campaigners. It is calling for the UK Government to give an extra $1.5
million to aid global road safety and to support a $300 million
10-year plan to tackle the 1.2 million killed each year on the roads.
A Make Roads Safe fact file also shows that 50 million are
injured each year while 500 children are killed every day in global
road accidents. 85% casualties occur in low and middle income
countries and road deaths in these countries are forecast to double by
2020.
Former NATO Chief Lord Robertson of Port Ellen and an
international Commission including 7 times Formula One world champion
Michael Schumacher have issued a warning that failing to act on road
deaths - which are second only to HIV/AIDS as a global killer of young
men - will jeopardise key development goals on health and poverty.... Full
story, from ITV Motoring
[SMc] __________________________
In her annual report for 2004/2005 the Scottish Traffic
Commissioner Joan Aitken says that it is an exciting time to be TC in
Scotland, a place where traffic and transport issues are rarely off
the news pages and never off the public policy agenda.
There is an appetite for innovation and an incessant need to
overcome practical impediments to moving people and freight around....
She was sorry to say that during the year they had seen
operators fall foul of thinking they could sell their licences. That
reflected on their repute. Licences were not transferable and those
who responded to trade press advertisements suggesting that they might
be able to trade their licence margins did so at their peril.... Full story, from Transport News Network [SMc] __________________________
The Dubbo Rescue Squad and PCYC are encouraging young Dubbo
drivers to make a difference in their lives by helping drive down the
tragic road toll among the State's youth. Youth programmer Senior
Constable Rod Fardell said about 30 young people aged between 16 and
25 attended the Making a Difference (MAD) youth driving program at the
Dubbo Rescue Squad headquarters on Tuesday night. During the program
the young drivers heard from the Dubbo Rescue Squad, local highway
patrol and Andrew Murray, who suffered serious head injuries after a
traumatic road accident. The program also aims to promote a
"hands-on" approach by using the 'Jaws of Life' to open a
vehicle, checking the speed of vehicles with radar and driving a
scooter with special alcohol goggles.... Full story, from Dubbo Daily Liberal [SMc] __________________________
Road deaths are a "global epidemic" and world leaders
must do more to tackle the problem, a safety report has said.
Around the world one child dies every three minutes in a road
accident, added the report launched in London by the Commission for
Global Road Safety.
Failure to tackle road fatalities will jeopardise key
development goals on health and poverty, said the commission's
chairman, former UK defence secretary and ex-Nato chief Lord
Robertson.
The report showed that around the world 1.2 million people are
killed and 50 million injured each year on the roads, 500 children are
killed every day and 3,000 people are killed each day with 85% of
casualties in low and middle-income countries. Road deaths in these
countries are forecast to double by 2020.... Full
story, from The
Guardian [SMc] __________________________
A string of motorcycle deaths on Northwest Georgia roads,
including two in Gordon County, point out the need for increased
vigilance now that more of the two-wheeled vehicles are on the road,
law enforcement personnel and motorcyclists say.
“Motorists need to be especially alert because motorcycles
may be easily overlooked in the traffic flow due to their smaller
size,” Gov. Sonny Perdue said April 20, as he declared May
Motorcycle Awareness Month in Georgia.... Full
story, from Calhoun Times
[SMC] __________________________
Following a number of tragic incidents involving young Asian
male drivers a new project has been looking to educate youngsters on
driving safely.
The Kick Start Safe Driving Project has been aimed at young men
from 15-19 years from the Asian heritage community.
Youngsters aged between 15 and 19 are given 10 driving
simulator lessons and the 17-19 year olds are get 20 driving lessons.
The project started in the first week of April and concludes
this month.
Fareeha Ishtiaque, Community Development Officer at the Healthy
Living Centre, Blackburn said, "The main aim is to enable young
people to understand factors which could adversely affect driving.... Full story, from Asian Image [SMc] __________________________
Teen drivers in Illinois with learner's permits will likely
soon have to spend double the number of hours driving under adult
supervision.
The new guidelines for young Illinois drivers would raise the
number of adult-supervised hours from the current 25 to 50.
The guidelines will become law June 26th, unless Governor Rod
Blagojevich vetoes the package. That's not likely -- the measure
passed the House and Senate with just one dissenting vote.
However, some experts say the new guidelines are still not
enough to have the necessary impact on improving teen driving. They
point out that Illinois' learning permit period of three months is
among the shortest in the country. [Source:
ABC7Chicago]
[SMC] __________________________
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety today released an
important new analysis of crash data involving teenage drivers. The
surprising finding is that teen drivers are killing other people in
much greater numbers than they are killing themselves. Highway safety
programs to date have largely focused on the effects of these crashes
on the teen drivers themselves, but this analysis shows that programs
need to focus on the impact on others as well.
According to the AAA Foundation's analysis, between 1995 and
2004, crashes involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers claimed
30,917 lives nationwide. Of those, 11,177 (36.2 percent) were the teen
drivers themselves and 9,847 (31.9 percent) were passengers of the 15-
to 17-year-old drivers. The remaining deaths comprised a surprising 32
percent of the total deaths, and included 7,477 occupants of other
vehicles operated by drivers at least 18 years of age, 2,323
non-motorists and 93 others/unknowns.
These findings change the face of the teen driving issue,
because it is not just those with teenagers that are at risk-the
safety of all members of the driving public is jeopardized unless we
reduce the number of teen driver crashes. The analysis also reinforces
the uniqueness of the teen driving problem as older drivers, for
example, tend to only injure themselves in crashes.... Full story, from Woman Motorist [SMc] __________________________
Although alcohol-related
traffic fatalities have been on the decline in recent years, the
certainty of highway deaths due to alcohol impaired drivers is so
predictable each holiday period many state highway patrol departments
each year issue highway fatality "projections" that will
turn out to be uncanningly accurate.
In spite of all the
warnings, public awareness and educational programs, stiffer penalties
for violations, and efforts by law enforcement agencies across the
nation to be more visible and diligent in protecting the highways,
people will still make the decision to get behind the wheel of their
vehicles while intoxicated.
The sad fact is motor
vehicle wrecks are the leading cause of death in the United States for
persons under age 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Reports.
Alcohol-related accidents
are so prevalent, it is estimated that 40 percent of all persons in
the United States will be involved in a traffic mishap blamed on
alcohol at some point in their lives. Forty percent!... Full
story, from About - News
& Issues [SMc] __________________________
Teens expecting to drive and talk on the phone at the same time
may want to pull over to do their talking.
On Friday, teenagers holding either a level one or level two
driver's license will be prohibited from using a handheld cell phone
or text messaging device while driving a car....
A level one permit is otherwise known as a instruction permit.
A level one driver must have a driver 21 years of age or older with
them, among other requirements.... Full story, from WOAY-TV [SMc] __________________________
Donte Haynes admits he might not have rammed a Mercedes last
year if he hadn't been talking to his buddy on a cell phone while
driving home from soccer practice.
But still, Haynes said, keep his hands off his phone entirely?
Every time he's behind the wheel? That's rather extreme, the Cary High
School senior and his buddies agreed.
"That's the time most of us talk. And text message. How
else do we keep up?" said Zack Cockerham, also a Cary High
senior, trailing off to take a call on his cell phone.
If child advocates and some state legislators get their way,
teenagers will have to keep their eyes on the road and their hands off
the cell phone keypad. Otherwise, a legislative proposal would force
offenders to pay a $25 fine and spend an extra six months at the
current level of his or her restricted license.... Full story, from News & Observer [SMc] __________________________
At the beginning of May Douglas Alexander was appointed as the new
Secretary of State for Transport. He replaces Alistair Darling. You
can read Mr Alexander's letter
of appointment from Prime Minister Tony Blair which outlines some
of the Government's transport priorities. [Source:
Parliamentary Advisory Council for
Transport Safety (PACTS) June update] __________________________
The Conservative Party's economic competitiveness policy group
suggested today that left turns against a red light could be allowed
as part of measures to tackle congestion and improve productivity in
London. PACTS is concerned this could increase risks to vulnerable
road users and has issued this
press release. (From
the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety [PACTS]
update for June)
DSA Comment:
It might be very prudent and wise to follow America’s lead in
many disciplines but road safety is certainly not one of them. By
comparison with the vast majority of Highly Motorised Countries [HMCs]
the USA has a particularly poor record in the rate of people killed in
road crashes.
Just because somebody from the British Conservative party might
have been to Florida on vacation it does not mean that what they
witnessed of the Americans’ insistence on maximum convenience should
in any way be interpreted as something that also provides enhanced
safety. It categorically does not!
Eddie
Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.
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