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  August 31, 2006: WHO Takes Taiwan As Model In Helmet Law Implementation
     The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published a road safety manual citing Taiwan as a model because of the government's success in implementing helmet laws for motorcyclists.

     In the brochure titled: A Road Safety Manual for Decision-makers and Practitioners published Aug. 29, WHO experts said wearing a helmet is the single most effective way of reducing head injuries and fatalities resulting from motorcycle and bicycle crashes.

     About 3 million people in Taiwan ride motorcycles to work every morning and the first thing that these motorcyclists do before riding off is to put on their helmets, an action that was extremely uncommon prior to 2000, when the authorities made wearing a helmet mandatory for motorcyclists and scooter riders.

 Full story, from CNA     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Cameroon: Neglected Road Safety Signs
     Road authorities from the Ministry of Public Works technical services noted that once a road has to be constructed, the first thing considered is the safety and comfort of those who will be using the road. As such all rules and regulations regarding road safety are put in place to make sure users ply the road with ease. Experts say constructing a road is already a means of making it safe for use. But to reinforce the safety of roads, road construction engineers make sure that all road signs are put in place; for example, signs announcing areas of work along the highway, dangerous bends, schools, markets, bridges, hilly and slippery areas, as well as zebra crossing for pedestrians can be helpful.
     Experts from the Public Works Ministry lament that many people do not know the significance of road signs and drive just the way they like. On certain areas along the Douala-Yaounde highway, it is noted that users could drive at a speed of at least 110 kilometres. One driver confessed that at times he could drive at a speed of 160 kilometres, way above the speed limit recommended by road constructors. Such actions have often resulted in ghastly accidents.

Full story, from All Africa     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: South Africa: Road Safety Initiatives To Be Evaluated Ahead of 2010
     South Africa is to roll-out its new road safety and traffic management initiatives and review their performance twice a year leading up to the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, according to the new National Road Safety Strategy 2006 announced by the Department of Transport Wednesday.
     The strategy is to be immediately implemented by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the provinces and local authorities throughout the country.
     The plan emphasises the importance of creating an enabling environment for a successful 2010 Soccer World Cup while fulfilling the undertakings specified in the bid process.
     The strategy also highlights the contribution that road safety and road traffic management could make to the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).

Full story, from All Africa     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Truck Drivers To Face Tougher Rules To Prevent Fatigue
     Authorities are close to agreeing on tougher driving rules for the trucking industry after a meeting yesterday.
     The proposed laws aim to reduce driver fatigue, and are expected to be introduced into state and federal parliaments next year.
     SA Road Transport Association executive director Steve Shearer says the legislation will reduce the amount of time truck drivers can work continuously - from 14 hours to 12 hours - unless they follow a fatigue management program.

Full story, from Yahoo! Finance Australia     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: School Buses Fail Safety Checks in Scotland

    Two Clackmannanshire school buses have been taken off the road after failing police safety checks.  One of the vehicles was found with faulty brakes and the other failed a check on its emergency exit.

     Police said they were disappointed to come across un-roadworthy school buses during the first week of the new term.

     Checks carried out on lorries and buses across Clackmannanshire resulted in a further seven vehicles being found with mechanical defects.

Full story, from BBC News     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Ireland: Road Safety Authority Welcomes Drop In Deaths
     The Road Safety Authority has welcomed the news that the number of people who died on the country's roads so far in August is below average.
     Seventeen people died in road accidents so far this month, making it the lowest number of deaths for the month of August this decade.
     However, the total number of people who have died this year is 257, which is an increase of nine on the same period in 2005.

 Full story, from RTE News     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Relation of Parent-Teen Agreement On Restrictions To Teen-Risky Driving Over 9 Months
     Teenagers who share their parent's understanding of parent-decreed driving rules are less likely to take risks behind the wheel, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Maryland.
     "Very often a parent will give advice and admonishments and guidance, but the teen driver may not always hear exactly, or process, what the parent tells them," said lead study author Kenneth Beck, Ph.D.
     "Teens that strongly agreed with their parents on permitted driving conditions were more likely to be driving in a safer, riskier-free way nine months later," said Beck, a professor in the Department of Public and Community Health at the University of Maryland.

Full story, from News-Medical     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Mississippi: OSHS Students Rewarded For Safe Driving
     By rewarding good driving habits, the Ocean Springs police department hopes to encourage teenagers to follow the rules of the road.
     Officers say car accidents are the number one killer of young people ages 15 to 20. So to help prevent tragedy, officers set up safety checks at the high school. Its part of a new campaign reminding young people that decisions they make behind the wheel can make the difference between life and death.

     Everyone who wore a seat belt, and had a driver's license, parking permit and proof of insurance got a reward.

     "We think this is a more positive way, or approach, to the idea of safe driving," said Sgt. Fowler.

Full story, from WLOX ABC 13     [SSC]

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  August 31, 2006: Toyota to Build First US Safety Center
     Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's largest carmaker, will build its first U.S. center for crash-testing and safety research, enhancing its ability to design autos solely for North America, according to a person familiar with the plan.
   The safety center will be built for an undetermined additional amount as the second phase of a $150 million engineering facility near Ann Arbor, Michigan.
     “Toyota for decades has been trying to create a more autonomous capability in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey Liker, an engineering professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. U.S. crash-testing would allow Toyota to speed the development of new models because it wouldn't have to rely on prototypes built and tested in Japan, he said.
     Toyota is following rival Honda Motor Co. in adding crash tests to its U.S. manufacturing, engineering and research operations.

Full story, from Bloomberg     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006: Number of Road Accidents Picks Up in Tanzania

     Following pressure raised by social groups and members of parliament expressing doubts over the effectiveness of speed governors in reducing accidents, the government has ultimately admitted that the devices have failed to resolve the problem.
     ”The speed governors did not reduce road carnage in the country,” said the Minister for Infrastructure Development, Basil Mramba, as he answered a question from the special seat legislator, Nuru Bafadhili.
     As authorities and stakeholders are striving hard to find permanent solutions to road accidents, road safety experts point their fingers at untrained drivers and irresponsibility on the part of many stakeholders in the industry.

 Full story, from IPP Media     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006:  Road Accident in Morocco Leaves 17 Dead

     Seventeen people were killed and 26 others wounded, in a road accident that took place in Stat, Morocco, on Wednesday morning.

     Of the wounded people, 12 were reported to be in critical condition, the Moroccan News Agency said, adding that the accident took place when a bus carrying 50 passengers overturned while on its way to Casablanca due to over-speeding and the driver's carelessness.

[Source: Bahrain News Agency]     [SMc]

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  August 30, 2006: Kentucky: Traffic Safety Campaign Begins

     Yesterday morning at a press conference, Rescue Director Dan Durham and Taylor Regional Hospital Trauma Coordinator Carol Wright launched the start of an effort to help Taylor County drivers "Arrive Alive" at their destinations.

     In the coming months, residents in the community will hear more about "Arrive Alive Taylor County," the community traffic safety team begun in January. The team includes representatives from the hospital, rescue, law enforcement, media, the state Transportation Cabinet, alcohol and drug awareness agencies and more.

    Several issues are factors - driver inattention, speed, alcohol and drug use, seat belt usage and more. But it all boils down to one thing - educating ourselves about safety on the roadway.
     And so that's what the group will focus on - education.

 Full story, from Central Kentucky News-Journal    [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006:  Ford S-MAX Awarded Top Euro NCAP Safety Rating

     Ford's new sporty S-MAX has achieved a class-leading five star rating under the Euro NCAP crash test protocol.

     Together with Focus, Ford now offers two vehicles that achieved a maximum rating in Euro NCAP. With two stars and 13 points, Ford S-MAX also achieved a competitive result for pedestrian protection.

     "Through our comprehensive safety approach we are continually improving the active and passive safety of our vehicles," said Gisbert Gaeb, manager vehicle safety, Ford of Europe. "With the new S-MAX, we have further enhanced our Intelligent Protection System (IPS) by introducing a driver's knee airbag in combination with a sophisticated collapsible steering column and an ultra stiff body structure. This five-star performance in the Euro NCAP tests clearly underlines our no-compromise strategy to safety."

Full story, from Car Pages     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006:  Regional Patrols 'Could Cut Road Deaths'

     Police chiefs are discussing plans for a new super force of traffic officers to patrol the district's motorways and major routes.

     The new Yorkshire-wide traffic team - which would cover routes such as the M62 and M606 - would represent the biggest shake-up of road policing in decades.

     The move, which could cut carnage on the district's roads, comes just days after the T&A launched a major campaign urging drivers to take more care and cut the high number of road deaths.

     Our Be Safe Not Sorry campaign is urging road users to do their bit to contribute to road safety and it has won widespread backing from the police, fire service, ambulance service and Yorkshire Air Ambulance....

Full story, from This is Bradford     [SMc] 

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  August 30, 2006: School Bus Safety Is Not Just Child’s Play

     After a summer off with no school buses to look out for, drivers may be unaware they are back on the roads and oblivious to the danger drivers can put children in. A lot of responsibility lies on the bus driver to make sure children get to and from school safely, but the extent to which they can protect a child only goes so far.

     Two veteran bus drivers and the Drivers Training Safety Director spoke to The Macomb Eagle on what students, parents and teachers can do to stay safe while riding the bus, and what drivers can do to help keep children safe.

     The first person to see a child after he or she is sent off in the morning and the last person to see a child after school is the bus driver. Do you know who’s taking care of your children?

 Full story, from Eagle Publications    [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006: Illinois: Panel to Examine Teen Driving

     Secretary of State Jesse White announced Tuesday that a task force will consider new restrictions on teen drivers, beyond recent state laws aimed at reducing the number of fatal traffic accidents involving young people.

     White said the 27-member panel of legislators, educators, law officials and safety experts will hold hearings in Chicago, Carbondale and Springfield in the next 45 days and come up with recommendations that may be taken up by state lawmakers during the November veto session.

     "The longer we wait, the more lives that can be lost," White said at a Chicago news conference. "Perish the thought as to how you would feel if it was your child or my child because we delayed this process."

 Full story, from State Journal-Register Online     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006: Ford to Double Russian Car Sales in 2006

     Ford's  car sales in Russia will double to an estimated 120,000 units in 2006, half of them produced locally, the head of the Russian unit Henrik Nenzen said on Wednesday.

     Foreign car sales in Russia have been booming over the past five years as incomes rise amid record world prices for Russia's main export commodities of oil, gas and metals.

     Ford is the market leader in Russia. It became the first foreign company to open a large plant in the country near the Western city of St Petersburg. But as demand for its cars rises it has to import vehicles from abroad for domestic sale.

 Full story, from Yahoo! News     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006: Ireland: Councils May Face Legal Action Over Flawed Road Safety Plans

     More than 20 local authorities have been given a month to remove dangerous flaws in their "inadequate" safety plans for temporary road surfaces or face legal action.
     The enforcement notices, copies of which have been seen by The Irish Times, require councils to implement Health and Safety Authority (HSA) recommendations on the use of warning signs and speed restrictions along temporary road surfaces. The notices were sent out earlier this month.

     The move follows a nationwide HSA investigation into the management by county councils of speed limits and signage at temporary surfaces. The investigation started shortly after the Kentstown school bus crash in Co Meath last year in which five schoolgirls died.

     HSA inspectors visited 104 sites across each of the 29 main local authorities last September amid increasing concerns over traffic safety measurers at temporary road surfaces. Sites directly under the council's control and those where a contractor was at work were visited.

 Full story, from The Irish Times     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006: Most Buyers Spurn Stability Control
     Most new car buyers are missing out on the "golden bullet" of safety systems, according to figures collated exclusively for The Australian. Electronic stability control is fitted to just 3 per cent of new cars bought for $20,000 to $40,000, research by automotive data specialist Jato Dynamics shows.
     More than 55 per cent of all new car sales and one-third of models fall into this price bracket, including many compact SUVs, fleet staples and increasingly popular small cars.
     But despite greater availability of stability control, or ESP, in this price range most buyers opt for models that lack the system.

Full story, from The Australian     [SSC]

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  August 30, 2006:  Helmet Laws Justified (Again)

     The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vindicated Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm last week. Ditto Republican state Reps. Roger Kahn of Saginaw Township and John Moolenaar of Midland, both of whom were on the losing side of a senseless vote this year to repeal the state's motorcycle helmet law....

     ...Overall highway deaths rose 1.4 percent last year, the agency said, for the first time in 20 years. The 43,443 people who died on U.S. roadways in 2005 was the highest number killed since 1990.

     Leading the list of culprits for the increased highway carnage: Motorcyclists not wearing helmets....

Full story, from The Saginaw News     [SMc]

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  August 29, 2006: Ford Makes Safety Standard
Responding to the changing demographics of today’s driving population, Ford Motor Company is researching two advanced next-generation safety belt technologies that could help further reduce the number of annual vehicle fatalities, which are at their lowest levels since 1994.
One of Ford’s possible next-generation safety belts incorporates a four-point “belt and suspenders” design in lieu of the familiar three-point safety belt, while a second possible future safety belt incorporates an air bag directly into the belt itself.
“A number of technical challenges still need to be overcome before implementing these restraint systems,” said Dr. Priya Prasad, Ford Technical Fellow for Safety. “If we are successful in implementing these technologies, we will be redefining the nature of future occupant restraint systems.”
Full story, from The Auto Channel   [SSC]

 DSA Comment:

     I suspect that it is fact the Swedes at Volvo whom we may truly have to thank for the potential benefits of the four-point seatbelt system. When I was fortunate enough to be invited to Manhattan in 2003 to drive the Volvo safety concept car it was fitted with four-point belts. In terms of obtaining a huge boost in safety standards Ford's purchase of Volvo in 2000 was a brilliant move.
Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive. 

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  August 29, 2006: Fake Elk Used In Safety Campaign

    Papier-mache elks are being used to remind Swedish drivers of the dangers lurking along the side of the road.

     Police say about 35,000 elk are hit on Swedish roads each year.
     The imitation elks are being placed about 80 to 160 feet from the road so that they appear as real as possible. Police will then stop many drivers and ask them if they saw the animal, the Local reported.

     Some 9,000 car travelers were stopped during last year's campaign.

[Source: UPI]     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: King of the Road Inspectors

     He may not be as well known as Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong, but in his field, specific as it is, he is just as celebrated.
     When you consider that he might be the only thing standing between your 1989 Volkswagen and an 18-wheeler careering helter-skelter down a hillside at break-neck speed, whom would you rather have in your corner?
     He is Richard Roberts. He lives in Langley, and he is this year's grand champion of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's North American Championships.
     In other words, when it comes to making sure commercial vehicles -- that is, big trucks, vans and buses -- are roadworthy and safe, there is no one better in all of North America than Roberts.

Full story, from The Vancouver Sun     [SSC]

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  * August 29, 2006: UN Police Project Promotes Road Safety in Timor-Leste

     The newly established United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) kicked off its work this weekend with an initiative by UN police to raise awareness in the small nation about traffic rules and regulations.
     The project carries the slogan “Restoring and Maintaining Public Security in Timor-Leste” and was initiated by Acting UN Police Commissioner Antero Lopes in conjunction with the international police forces currently deployed in Dili.
     Held on Saturday and Sunday morning, the campaign consisted of six major police check-points established in select high-volume areas in the capital Dili. Hundreds of vehicles were stopped at check-points and police distributed over 1,000 leaflets on best practices to observe traffic rules and regulations.

 Full story, from UN News Centre     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: Governor Signs Vasco Road Safety Measure
     Governor Schwarzenegger has signed legislation designed to make Vasco Road safer.

The bill was filed by State Senator Tom Torlakson. It creates a "double-fine zone" on Vasco Road between interstate 580 in Alameda County, and Walnut Boulevard in Contra Costa County.
     Four people were killed earlier this month, when a car drifted over the center divide -- slamming into an SUV head on.

     In all, 16 people have died on that stretch of road over the past six years.

[Source: ABC 7 News]    [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: So Long, 'Blood Alley': Safety Upgrades on Deadly Stretch of SR 18 Almost Done

     It's known as "Blood Alley," but one of the deadliest two-lane stretches of State Route 18 is about to become one of the safest.
     State traffic officials plan to open the new eastbound lanes of SR 18 between the Cedar River bridge in Maple Valley and Issaquah-Hobart Road about 4.5 miles to the east. The $36 million project is another major improvement for the roadway that years ago was given its gruesome nickname by local residents.
     The project that began three years ago eliminates the last of the skewed intersections that in past years were the scenes of numerous accidents when vehicles traveling at high speeds on the busy state highway collided with vehicles turning off or onto residential roads.

 Full story, from King County Journal     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: MADD and DaimlerChrysler Unveil Photo Exhibit Depicting Lives Changed Forever by Underage Drinking and Driving

     Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and DaimlerChrysler have teamed up to produce After the Crash, a national, traveling photo exhibition that provides a glimpse into the lives of 10 families changed forever by underage drinking and driving. Launched today in Detroit, the exhibition aims to educate teens and their parents about a tragic consequence of underage drinking -- devastating motor vehicle crashes -- as well as the ongoing and critical need for victim support.

     "The powerful images of these 10 victims convey the enormous effects that underage drinking and driving can have on people and families. Teenagers drinking alcohol is not only illegal but often times a lethal combination with tragic results and consequences," said Glynn Birch, MADD national president. "When tragedy does occur, the public should know where to turn -- to MADD. We have free resources available including grief counseling, and legal and financial guidance."

 Full story, from The Auto Channel     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: The New Blind Spot: Where Seeing is Deceiving
     Modern car designs have created a new blind spot for drivers. Now, road safety campaigners are calling for action.
     It sounds like a desperate excuse for failing eyesight - "Is it just me, or are cars these days getting harder to see out of?"

     But, unlike terrible toupees and cosmetic surgery, these words aren't a last-ditch denial of the signs of ageing. Recent research has found that modern cars have a blind spot at the front of the vehicle, obscuring up to 4.5m of the driver's view.
     Labelled the A-spot, the new blind spot is created by the A-pillars either side of the windscreen, which have become thicker in contemporary cars in a bid to improve driver safety.
Full story, from Belfast Telegraph    [SSC]

 DSA Comment:

     This claim that the A-pillar (America: "A-Post'') is somehow a new blind spot is a totally fallacy. The metalwork that supports the windscreen/windshield has existed since cars were invented. Indeed, the driver's side A-Pillar has been responsible for the deaths of countless thousands of motorcyclists around the world due to them being hidden from a driver's sight at a junction/intersection. This is, therefore, not a new problem but greater roof strength does require stronger supports and A-Pillars have undoubtedly become broader, reducing a driver's view still further. It is, of course, any driver's vital responsibility to check A-Post blind spots by simply moving his/her head to look around the metalwork.
Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive. 

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  August 29, 2006: Instructors to Be Blamed for High Failure Rate in Driving Tests, Says Official in Qatar

     Instructors of driving schools are to mainly blame for the high rate of failure in driving tests, says an official of the Department of Traffic and Patrol Police.

     Instructors look for short-cut and to make their work easy, they convince trainees after a while that they have learnt perfect driving and so should take the driving test, Second Lieutenant Abdullah Al Haddad, from the test panel at the department, told an in-house magazine in an interview.

     The rate of failure in the driving tests is high but it is not because the department has a policy to fail people or have a fixed quota for those to be passed. "It is because the tests are of a high standard as road safety is a major concern of the department," he pointed out.

 Full story, from The Peninsula Online     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: UAE: Teaching Children the Importance of Road Safety

     One of the grimmest facts about traffic accidents is that children are often the victims, and often the cause as well. Many accidents are caused by children running across a road, drivers swerving to avoid them, children distracting drivers within a car, or by a child who steps off a kerb without watching for oncoming cars.
     To tackle this problem, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have organised a unique Traffic Academy to teach children the importance of road safety. The Traffic Academy will run until September 1 at Deira City Centre, and is part of the agenda for Back-2-School Surprises week, the last week of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS).
     Why should children learn about traffic safety, “Children often do not fully understand how dangerous traffic can be. By learning the basics of traffic safety, they can learn to protect themselves from harm as well as make the roads safer. Though young children can cross streets, sometimes they can be distracted, act impulsively, and are not always able to predict the direction of traffic – whether its coming from right or left,” said a spokesperson for RTA.

 Full story, from Dubai City Guide     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006: Police To Test Drivers For Ecstasy From Friday

     Victoria Police will begin testing and charging motorists for use of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, from Friday 1 September 2006.

     Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Noel Ashby said police were giving drivers advanced warning about the new legislation.

     “Police currently test drivers for cannabis and methamphetamine and from Friday, we will begin randomly testing for ecstasy,” he said.
     “Driving under the influence of any illicit drug is extremely dangerous, but a combination of illicit drugs is a death trap situation and these drivers will now be tested and prosecuted for all three substances.”

 Full story, from Victoria Police     [SSC]

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  August 29, 2006:  Statewide Task Force Studies Graduated License Laws

     Over the last year, the Heart of Illinois has seen an epidemic of teen driving deaths, and now a statewide effort is underway to prevent more tragedy.

     The Secretary of State has created a task force to examine the current graduated driver license laws and see what more can be done to keep young drivers safe.

     Tuesday was the first meeting of the Graduated Driver License Task Force.

     The group combines state agencies with local leaders to help keep Illinois' teen drivers safe behind the wheel.

     Local driver's education teachers say it's a step in the right direction....

Full story, from WHOI     [SMc]        

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  August 29, 2006: Paws for Thought – Car Crashes when Woman Lets her Dog Take the Wheel

     BEIJING - You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

     A woman in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia region, crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday….

     The woman, identified only be her surname, Li, said her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," according to Xinhua.

     "She thought she would let the dog 'have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."…

Full story here, from Xinhuanet and AP, via MSNBC    [SW]

 DSA Comment:

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August 26, 2006: Lexus LS 460 Achieves World First in Preventive Safety

 Lexus is pushing the boundaries of passenger and pedestrian protection with the introduction of world-leading preventive safety technology in its new LS 460 flagship limousine.

     The all-new LS, which will be launched in the UK early next year, benefits from substantial developments in the Pre-Crash Safety (PCS) system Lexus has already introduced in other models in its range. Engineers at the Lexus Development Centre have successfully incorporated more sophisticated and advanced features, which anticipate and react automatically to a wider range of collision-risk scenarios.

     This advanced technology recognises when a collision is imminent, helps the driver to take action to prevent it happening, and, if the worst does happen, reduces the risk of injury to the car’s occupants and to pedestrians.

 Full story, from The Auto Channel     [SSC]

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  August 26, 2006: Risking Their Lives in Australia

     Five young men in a new car driving on a wide country road is a lethal cocktail, according to road safety researcher Gayle Sticher.

     Latest research into rural and remote area car crashes in Queensland has debunked popular notions that poorly maintained roads are the major factor in the high proportion of car crashes in rural areas compared with cities.

     Nationally, two-thirds of the population lives in urban areas but two-thirds of car crash fatalities occur in rural and regional areas.

     Road crashes remain the biggest killer of young Australians aged 16 to 25.

 Full story, from News.com.au    [SMc]

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  August 26, 2006: Hang Up Phone or Be Fined?

     Motorists would be banned from using handheld cell phones - a problem blamed for thousands of vehicle crashes and fatalities - under a bill expected to be approved by the Legislature next week.

     Modeled after a New York City law, Senate Bill 1613 would fine drivers using handheld cell phones $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses beginning Jan. 1, 2008.

     It would not apply to drivers using hands-free models and would exempt motorists using handheld cell phones in emergencies. And the legislation would remain in effect only until July 1, 2011, unless renewed.

     "Cell phones are the No. 1 cause of distracted-driving accidents in California," said Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who authored the bill as well as five previous versions.

 Full story, from Daily News     [SSC]

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  August 26, 2006: Unraveling the Mystery of Ford’s Fire-Prone Switches

     Just two inches long, the Texas Instruments Model 9F924 speed control deactivation switch does not look like a menacing device.

     But a sporadic malfunction in the switch that sparked engine fires stumped engineers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for two years.

     The $20 switch, which shuts off the cruise control when a driver taps the brakes, became the subject of one of the most exhaustive and complex investigations in the agency’s history. It created an expensive and embarrassing problem for the Ford Motor Company, which initially disputed suggestions that the switches were starting fires.

 Full story, from New York Times      [SSC]

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  August 26, 2006: DUI Training Targets Area’s Repeat Offenders

     The region's repeat offenders of alcohol-related infractions are able to scam the court system because of the Four Corners' multiple jurisdictions, according to an official from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

     To tackle these problems, the NHTSA and the National Drug Court Institute provided two days of training Thursday and Friday on how to operate specialized courts for repeat drunken-driving offenders. The Colorado Judicial Branch convened the Four Corners DUI court conference at Koko's Conference Center.

 Full story, from Cortez Journal Online     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006:  Protest Against Road Safety Policy

     Fifty white crosses have been erected outside Wellington's Railway Station as part of a protest against the government's policy on road safety.

     A spokesperson for the group of road victims, Rachel Ford, says the goal to bring the road toll down to 300 deaths a year isn't good enough.

 Full story, from Newswire     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Get the Kids To and From School Safely This Year

     We teach our kids to look both ways before crossing the street but on the first day of school, kids aren’t looking for cars, they are looking for their friends.

     The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation reminds both drivers and parents to look out for the kids.

     School zones can be one of the most dangerous places for children. In 2004, 16.6 per cent of all people killed or injured in vehicle-pedestrian collisions were under the age of 16 (ICBC Traffic Collision Statistics 2004 and most recent data available). Almost half of the children in B.C. are driven to school and the number is growing every year. The area immediately surrounding a school is where the highest percentage of traffic violations and dangerous driving practices occur – U-turns, stopping in no-stopping zones, backing up into crosswalks, rolling through stop signs, speeding – and parents are the worst violators.

 Full story, from Campbell River Mirror     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Antihistamines Can Be Dangerous For Drivers

     Between the ragweed and the mold, this fall's allergy season is shaping up to be a bad one. There are many over-the-counter medications that can help you feel better, but be careful. They may also steer you into trouble on the road.

     Safety experts warn that many drivers could have trouble behind the wheel because of antihistamines in their over-the-counter allergy medication.

    “It's not a gradual fatigue," said Joi Morano, one of nearly 25 million Americans who take antihistamines daily. "One minute I'm wide awake and alert, and the next minute I'm sitting there like a zombie."

 Full Story, from CBS2 Chicago     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Rate of Fatal Traffic Wrecks for Seniors Tops U.S. Average

     Tennessee’s rate of car crash fatalities for those 65 or older is higher than the national average, according to statistics from the Federal Highway Administration.

     The state does not require senior drivers to pass vision or driving tests to renew their licenses.

     “We believe it’s a huge public safety issue,” says AAA spokesman Greg Laskoski. ”We are living longer and need to make sure that if we are driving vehicles, we are doing so safely.”

 Full story, from Tennessean   [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Graduated Licensing Saves Teen Lives, Study Says

     In a recent study conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, graduated licensing, a form of which has been required by the state of Maine since 2003, has reduced fatal crashes of 16-year-old drivers by 11 percent.

     The state of Maine requires teenagers under the age of 18 to complete a driver education course before they can obtain an instruction permit and at least 35 hours of supervised driving before they can obtain an intermediate license, and prohibits them for two years after receiving their intermediate license from carrying passengers with the exception of immediate family members, or unless they are accompanied by a licensed driver over 20 years of age who has had a valid license for two or more years.

Full story, from Keep Me Current    [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Big Truck Crash Fatalities, Injuries Down in 2005

     A new report on 2005 highway crashes issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows a small decline in the number of fatalities from large truck crashes and a significant reduction in the number of people injured in large truck crashes.

     Newly released NHTSA figures show the number of fatalities from truck-involved crashes declined to 5,212 from 5,235 in 2005. The number of people injured in large truck crashes decreased 1.7 percent to 114,000 — a reduction of 2,000 injuries from 2004. According to NHTSA, the total number of highway fatalities involving all types of vehicles increased 1.4 percent to 43,443 in 2005 from 42,836 a year earlier.

 Full story, from Trucking Info    [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Safety Check Pays Dividends

     Six-month-old Dylan Manninen is one lucky boy. He survived a roll-over van accident without a scratch thanks to a vehicle safety seat his parents received the day of the accident.

     Dylan's parents, Beth and David Manninen, acquired the safety seat Aug. 12 at a car-seat safety check at Classic Auto Collision in Escanaba. That's when the Manninens learned Dylan's car seat wasn't safe. He needed a new one, and the new seat needed to be placed in a different spot in their van, said Beth.

     "I thought it was good," Beth said. "But I thought, 'Better safe than sorry.' I wanted to be sure, so I attended the safety check."

Full story, from Daily Press     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Rear Collision Warnings Part of Toyota’s Safety Features

     Cars equipped with the latest safety technology already warn drivers about oncoming cars. Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday that it had developed the world's first system for detecting rear-end collisions before they happen.

     A radar device is installed in the rear bumper to detect a vehicle approaching from behind.

    Sensors in the front headrests detect the position of the driver's and front passenger's heads, and shift the headrests' position to reduce the risk of whiplash injury, it said. Hazard lights also start flashing to warn the driver of a possible crash from behind.

 Full story, from Detroit News     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Toyota Strengthens Efforts to Develop Safe Vehicles; Integrated Safety Management Concept Forms Base of New Safety Technologies

     Toyota Motor Corporation announced today its Integrated Safety Management Concept, an expression of the direction of Toyota's technology development for furthering the development of safe vehicles. TMC also announced new safety technologies based on this concept that are to be featured in the LS460, Lexus' new flagship sedan scheduled for launch this September.

Full story, from JCN Network     [SSC] 

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  August 25, 2006: Young Drivers of Canada Offers Back to School Road Safety Tips

     It is that time of year, when the school bell rings and kids head back to school. It is also a time that drivers should re-familiarize themselves with safety tips.

     There is a greater need for attention to the busier surroundings as parents drop off and pick up their children at school.

     It is vital all drivers become more cautious on the road to keep our kids safe. Children ages 10-14 have the highest incidence of pedestrian injuries. Among children ages five to nine, pedestrian injuries are tied with motor vehicle injuries as the leading cause of injury-related death.

     An estimated 56 pedestrians, age 14 and under die every year in Canada and 780 are hospitalized with serious injuries.

 Full story, from Stoneycreek News     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: International Road Conference Ends in Bangladesh: 'Implement Coordinated Safety Policy to Reduce Road Accidents'

     The three-day international conference on 'Road safety in developing countries' ended in the city yesterday with a call to implement an effective and coordinated safety policy and actions to prevent road accidents.

     The conference also adopted a Dhaka Declaration with 17 road safety priority issues 'that should be addressed with due urgency'.

     The conference observed that significant reduction in both road accidents and casualties is possible through enforcement of an effective policy, better roads, enhanced vehicle safety standards and improved public awareness programmes.

     The Accident Research Centre (ARC) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) organised the international conference that began on the Buet campus on August 22.

Full story, from The Daily Star    [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006:  Road Deaths, Violent Crime on the Rise in Botswana

     Eleven people died in 242 separate road accidents recorded by the police in the past week, bringing the total to 264 people, who have died since the beginning of the year. This is 15 more deaths than the 249 recorded during the same period last year.

     A total of 951 motorists were charged for driving at excessive speeds out of 2,630 cases of traffic violations during the past week. A breathalyser test for alcohol was conducted on 167 motorists and 34 of them have been charged for driving under the influence of alcohol.

     Still in the past week, the police also arrested 38 motorists for using hand held mobile phones while driving....

Full story, from Mmegi     [SMc]

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  August 25, 2006: Germany: Safety Truck Incorporates New Braking System

      The Mercedes-Benz safety truck, a vehicle that employs the latest driver-support and safety systems, has been supplemented by the development of a new safety feature referred to as the Active Brake Assist system. The safety system is part of Mercedes-Benz’s drive to further development in safety technology as part of its long-term vision of accident-free driving within the context of a 75% increase in goods traffic by 2030 as forecast by the EU.
      The Active Brake Assist system automatically initiates emergency braking actions if a collision with a vehicle travelling ahead is unavoidable, considerably reducing the severity of accidents.
     As a result, Mercedes believes that it is entirely realistic to claim that the safety feature will save lives.

Full story, from Engineering News     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Latest Technology Used in Road Projects Boosts Safety in India

     The government is adopting the latest technology to increase the pace of construction of tunnels in the road sector to ensure user safety, Minister of Road Transport, Shipping and Highways T R Baalu said today.

     Although extensive tunnelling work has been undertaken in India for hydel power projects and construction of metro rails, very limited length of tunnels has so far been constructed for the highways, he said while delivering a lecture at a seminar here.
     He stressed on the need to adopt latest technologies, but pointed out that the technology should be durable and that due emphasis should be given to adequate lighting and ventilation in the tunnels and underground structures to ensure user safety.
Full story, from New Kerala     [SSC]

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  August 25, 2006: Taking a Seat for Safety’s Sake

     Watertown Police have seen it all and cringe at the sight. Cushy, plush car seats adorned with teddy bears and gingham-print strapped inside vehicles with everything from electrical tape to wire hangers to even paper clips.

     But piled in the parking lot next to the Arsenal Mall were brand-new and up-to-date car seats waiting for Watertown children, now riding in style and with plenty of protection.

     With a $15,000 grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau, police were given a hand with the statewide effort to educate parents and caregivers about how to properly install child safety and booster seats in their cars.

     This past Saturday, 56 car seats were given out and installed for Watertown residents, according to Traffic Division Commander Sgt. Joseph Deignan.

 Full story, from The Watertown Tab     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: NTSB Wants to Revamp Driver’s Ed Program

     Too many teenagers are being killed on America's roads. The National Transportation Safety Board reached that conclusion in a report on teen driving and they say the solution may be to overhaul driver's education.

     Like most teenagers, Anne Fogerty is counting down the days to her 16th birthday. “I’m so excited, you can't imagine,” she said.

     Anne believes her driver's license is a ticket to freedom.

     But when it comes to ‘cruising’ the streets of Dallas Anne’s father, Bruce, says safety comes first. “This is a lethal weapon if used incorrectly, for yourself and others.”

     Being concerned about road safety is something Bruce Collins learned nearly 20 years ago. He lost the use of one of his arms and now has trouble walking after an accident that started with two teen’s drag racing.

Full story, from CBS 11 Fort Worth     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Motorcycle Awareness Day

     Honda Australia Rider Training (HART) and RoadSafe Melbourne Eastern Ranges (MER), together with the support of the three local Councils including Knox, Maroondah and the Shire of Yarra Ranges, are holding a unique event to cater for the increasing number of off road and road riders in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

     HART's Motorcycle Awareness Day will be held on Sunday, 24 September 2006 at their Kilsyth Training Centre, and similar to the annual HART "Ride for Life" held each year in Tullamarine, the primary aim of the event will be to promote motorcycle awareness and safety.

 Full story, from Full Noise     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Safe-Driving Campaign for Teens Begins

     The Governor's Office of Highway Safety, with state, city and county authorities have announced the start of a campaign to educate teens to drive safely through public awareness campaigns. Between 1994 and 2004 more than 100 teenagers died in motor vehicle crashes in the Tucson metro area, according to the highway safety office.

     At a news conference Wednesday Jane Webb Vignery, executive director of the Metropolitan Education Commission, said, "Traffic collisions are the major cause of death among teenagers and it's going up."

     A common thread among those collisions, Vignery said, is not alcohol or drugs, but failure to obey traffic laws.

 Full story, from Tucson Citizen     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Rise in Drivers Caught Speeding/Drunk Driving

     The second week of police summer safety campaign has seen a shocking 100 per cent rise in speeders caught on roads.

     And the number of motorists drunk driving has also risen by 22 per cent.

     In the last week 4492 speeding offences were detected throughout Scotland – more than 2221 offences over the previous week.

     More than 170 drink and drug drivers were caught during the second and final week of the police summer safety campaign for 2006.

Full story, from ICLanarkshire    [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Lights, Camera, Crash: Students Stage Bus Accident to Teach Others About Safety

     In the midst of controlled mayhem Wednesday, traffic safety coordinator Bill Garrison watched the filming of a new public service announcement that will encourage students to wear seatbelts on school buses.

     The $5,250 project is the third safety video produced by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Program.

     Using a forklift, Carmel Fire Department crews carefully flipped a scrap school bus onto its side.  Its sooty interior served as the set for child actors portraying unrestrained passengers on a smashed school bus.

 Full story, from The Daily Journal     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Our Road Hogs in South Africa Have a Lot to Learn from British Drivers

     Driving in Britain for three weeks last month gave me a good opportunity to compare driving there with driving in South Africa.
     Apart from the higher traffic density, a very noticeable difference was the much better level of driver courtesy on British roads.
     This could have been partly engendered in British motorists by years of driving under a considerably more severe system of surveillance and penalties.

 Full story, from Cape Argus   [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Safety Rules; Speeding Can Cost Money and Lives

     Speeding reduces the time drivers have to avoid traffic crashes and lengthens stopping distances. It also increases the likelihood and severity of a crash.

     According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding or driving too fast for conditions is one of the most common reported factors associated with wrecks.

     Of the 36 traffic fatalities that occurred in Hall County last year, about 30 percent were directly related to speed.

     So far in 2006, three of the 11 fatalities were the result of speeding.

 Full story, from Gainesville Times    [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Highway Deaths Rose Slightly in 2005

     According to a preliminary report from the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43,200 died on the nation's highways in 2005, up from 42,636 in 2004. Injuries dropped from 2.79 million in 2004 to 2.68 million in 2005, a decline of 4.1 percent. Fifty-five percent of passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2005 were unbelted, the agency said in a news release.

     NHTSA's report projects a fatality rate of 1.46 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), up from the record low of 1.44 in 2004. NHTSA also found safety belt use is at 82 percent nationwide.

 Full story, from Car and Driver    [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Campaign Against Reckless Teen Driving Begins

     Teenagers are involved in four times as many car crashes as older drivers. That's according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

     In the last 10 years, more than 100 teenagers died in car wrecks in Pima County.

     A new campaign kicked off today and it's aimed at keeping kids safe on the road so they don't become another statistic.

     The campaign, called "Survive Your Drive—Your Future is in Your Hands," is designed to bring awareness to the problem of reckless teenage driving and help provide solutions to teens, parents and agencies to put an end to unnecessary deaths.

 Full story, from kold     [SSC]

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  August 24, 2006: Eye Sight Test is About Road Safety, Say Police

     Police yesterday insisted a drive to check motorists' eyesight was not a precursor to a speed camera-style blitz of fines.

     Health staff and officers from Gwent Police carried out the one-day survey of drivers' eyesight near Abergavenny in what is believed to the first operation of its kind in the UK.

     More than 500 car drivers and motorcyclists took part in the roadside research, which is hoped will yield vital information to improve road safety.

Full story, from ICNetwork    [SSC] 

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  August 23, 2006: Cameroon: Road Safety Measures Intensified at Night

     Transport experts say the road worthiness of vehicles and state of drivers are paramount against accidents.

     Road users are free to travel at any time they wish. There is no specific law against using the highway at night. However, transport experts say those using the highway at night need to be more vigilant and careful given the dark nature of the night.

Full story, from All Africa     [SSC]

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  August 23, 2006:  Drivers Drunk During Holiday Will Go to Jail

     Central Florida's role in the biggest drunken-driving operation in U.S. history kicked off Tuesday in Orlando with promises to jail anyone who breaks the law.

     Local police and Florida Highway Patrol officials say they will put more cops than ever on the road through Labor Day to reduce crashes and deaths.

     "Don't drink and drive, because we will fill up 33rd Street if you do," said Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary, referring to the county jail.

     Traffic deaths during Labor Day weekend in 2005 -- when 44 people died in crashes across Florida -- were nearly double what they were the year before. That was the highest tally in 20 years, according to the state Department of Transportation.

     More than half those deaths were alcohol-related....

Full story, from Orlando Sentinel     [SMc]

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  August 23, 2006:  NHTSA: Fewer Truck-Related Highway Deaths in ’05

     The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that the number of persons killed in truck crashes declined to 5,212 in 2005, down from 5,235 in 2004.

     The fatality rate has not yet been determined because the agency has not calculated the total number of truck miles traveled last year.

     However, industry experts expect the rate to drop as well because truck capacity tightened in 2005.

     Click view the full NHTSA report.

[Source: Fleet Owner]     [SMc]

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  August 22, 2006:  U.S. Traffic Deaths on the Rise

     America's roadways are taking a toll on American lives. A government reports shows traffic deaths in the United States have reached their highest levels since 1990.

     According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 43,000 people were killed on the highways in 2005. That's up 1.4 percent from 2004....

     Although deaths are up nationally, the number of people injured in crashes declined. Authorities say it's a sign some people are getting the message. The issue now is to get everyone to listen.

     "You've got to be aware of your surroundings, watch other drivers and drive defensively and just be careful," Dirkse said.

     With the release of the numbers, many safety groups are asking that more attention be placed on traffic issues. Michigan is already ahead of many states with programs like "Click It or Ticket."

Full story, from ABC12     [SMc]

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  August 22, 2006: Fatal Traffic Accidents Down in Las Vegas, Official Says

     Traffic deaths in this country are at their highest level in more than 15 years.

     A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says more than 43,000 people died in accidents last year.  That’s the highest in a single year since 1990.

     The increase is blamed on deadly motorcycle and pedestrian accidents.

     But here in the valley, Trooper Kevin Honea with the Nevada Highway Patrol says fatal accidents are down.

 Full story, from KLAS TV     [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006: Highway Regulators: Car ‘Black Boxes’ Can’t Be Secret

     The government will not require recorders in autos but said on Monday that carmakers must tell consumers when technology that tracks speed, braking and other measurements is in the new vehicles they buy.

 Full story, from zdnet    [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006: New Missouri Booster Seat Law Goes into Effect

     Missouri now has a booster seat law that will keep children safer when riding in a vehicle.

     The new law goes into effect on August 28, and will require children ages 4 through 7 to be in a booster seat.  The fine for violating the law is $50 plus court costs.

     “The use of booster seats lowers the risk of injury in children in crashes by 59 percent compared to the use of safety belts alone,” said Leanna Dapue, director of highway safety for the Missouri Department of Transportation.  “Just a few more years in a booster seat can help prevent serious injury and may even save your child’s life.”

 Full story, from Info Zine     [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006: Motorcycle Safety Foundation Statement on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2005 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes

     In response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration release of its 2005 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Crashes, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (www.msf-usa.org) renewed its call for riders and motorists to work together in reducing the number of motorcycle crashes on America's roads and highways. MSF believes this can best be accomplished through awareness, removing alcohol from the riding environment, taking approved rider training courses, and wearing proper protective gear.

Full story, from The Auto Channel   [SSC]  

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  August 22, 2006: Bangladesh: Who is responsible for road accidents? - Knowledge and behavior of Pedestrians and Drivers on Road safety

     Recently World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that by 2020 road accidents will be the third leading cause of ‘disability adjusted life years’ (DALY) – putting road safety well ahead of wars, HIV/AIDS, malaria and (other) ‘acts of violence’ as a health problem. Around one million fatalities are caused by road accidents each year, of which the vast majority is in developing countries.

     The rate of road accidents is increasing in number, especially when compared with highly motorized countries. Road safety problems represent a very significant domestic, social and economic problem in developing countries. Globally, it is estimated that road accidents cost over US$500 billion each year and on the other hand US$65 billion each year in developing countries (based on a typical cost of between 1 and 4 percent of a country’s gross national product).

 Full story, from bangladesh-web     [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006: Road Accidents Pursue a Downward Trend

     The number of deaths on Swiss roads is continuing to fall by 17 per cent during the first half of 2006, according to a survey.

     The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention said on Tuesday that the number killed due to drivers under the influence of alcohol and to speeding, the two main causes of road accidents, had fallen by 38 and 35 per cent respectively.

 Full story, from NZZ online    [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006: CVSA Brings Brake Safety Awareness to North American Roads

     The North America-wide Brake Safety Week, conducted between Aug. 27 through Sept. 2, dispatches CVSA-certified inspectors to conduct a variety of enforcement and educational activities emphasizing the importance of proper commercial vehicle brake inspection, maintenance, and operation.

     CVSA initiated Brake Safety Week in 2005 as part of its Operation Air Brake Campaign.    

     "Approximately three million roadside inspections are conducted annually throughout North America, and by far brakes make up the largest percentage of Out-of-Service violations cited during these inspections," said CVSA’s Executive Director Stephen F. Campbell.

 Full story, from Todays Trucking   [SSC]

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  August 22, 2006:  Warning to Young Drivers

     A Nationwide road safety campaign is to tell drivers aged under 25 "you're too young to die".

     Direct Line will be the headline sponsor of charity Brake's Road Safety Week from November 6-12. The theme of this year's event is Young Drivers - Too Young To Die.

     Young drivers have been chosen as the focus because of their high crash and injury rate.

     Only one in eight drivers is aged under 25, but more than one in four drivers killed falls into that age group.

[Source: Glasgow Evening Times]     [SMc]

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  August 22, 2006:  Fourteen Killed in Road Accident in India's Assam

     A packed minibus and a truck collided head on in northeastern India on Tuesday, killing 14 people, including six women and four children, police said.

     Eight people, including the truck driver, were injured in the accident on a highway 290 km (180 miles) west of Guwahati, the main city in Assam state, they said.

[Source: Reuters AlertNet]     [SMc]

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  August 21, 2006:  Eleven Killed in Algerian Road Accident

     A bus and a truck collided in north-eastern Algeria on Sunday morning, killing 11 people and injuring seven others, the Algerian emergency services said.

     Ten passengers died at the scene of the accident in El Ancer, 360km east of Algiers, and another died of his injuries at a hospital in nearby El Milia, officials said.

     Teams of rescuers worked for more than an hour to extract the bodies of passengers from the bus wreck. Police were investigating.

[Source: Independent Online]     [SMc]

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  August 21, 2006: Police to Be Posted Near Schools for Traffic Safety

     With the return to schools for most students just around the corner, Champaign police will use extra patrols to remind motorists to drive safely.

     Some schools are already open, but most buildings in Champaign reopen Wednesday.  Champaign police Sgt. David Griffet said radar trailers will be placed in school zones throughout the city.  At the start of the official school year, officers will be posted at all schools each morning and again at most schools at closing times.

     There have been complaints about speeding in school zones, including crossing guards who have observed vehicles going too fast near schools, Griffet said.

Full story, from News-Gazette     [SSC]

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  August 21, 2006: Thermal Imaging for Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety on Australian County Roads

     Australian accident statistics show that driving at night represents a significant potential danger with some 45 per cent of fatal road accidents occurring at night, even though more than two thirds of all driving is done during the day.

     An innovative driver assistance system from BMW, now available as an option in the top-of-the-range 7 Series, will enable drivers to better identify people at night on country roads and dark garage driveways.

     The thermal imaging-based technology will in the near future become available in the 5 Series Sedan, 5 Series Touring, 6 Series Coupé, and 6 Series Convertible, opening up this new driver assistance system to an even larger group of Australian drivers.

 Full story, from fullboost    [SSC]

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  August 21, 2006: Road Projects Aim to Improve Safety

     A £250,000 project is due to begin today on the A64 between Crambeck and Malton in North Yorkshire along a two-mile stretch of the single-lane rural carriageway.
     It will see sections of the carriageway resurfaced to improve safety and skid resistance, as well as updating road markings.
     The work is expected to last until mid-September and will be carried out overnight from Mondays to Thursdays between 8pm and 6am to minimise disruption

Full story, from Yorkshire Today    [SSC]

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  August 20, 2006: Traffic Mess in the Phillipines

     Our traffic mess costs us, says the NGO Citizens’ Traffic Watch, echoing a World Bank-commissioned study many years ago, more than P15-billion pesos yearly. But the Department of Transportation and Communication gives a higher figure of P140 billion, counting direct and indirect economic losses due to traffic congestion. Some, including this writer, believe it’s much more than P140 billion....

Full story, from ABS CBN News     [SMc]

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  August 20, 2006:  Pedestrian Road Toll Forces Speed Rethink

     ...Two more pedestrian deaths in the past week and at least one serious injury are driving more road safety authorities to consider lowering inner-city speed limits.

     Last week's deaths brought the toll to 28 for the first eight months of the year - 11 more than for the whole of 2005.

     Pedestrian victims are often young people - latest figures show 10 to 19-year-olds account for nearly a third of pedestrian injuries, despite making up only 15% of the population....

     Christchurch City Council spokeswoman Melanie Williams said local authorities were considering a number of measures to slow traffic in the central city.

     "We're not just talking about putting up speed limit signs but about changing the environment to make it more `pedestrian friendly', with more mid-block crossings, narrower carriageways, wider footpaths and other design elements."...

Full story, from Stuff.co.nz     [SMc]

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  August 20, 2006:  Targeting Spain's Speedsters

     Points-based system penalizes bad drivers

     Driving in Spain is anything but dull. Motorists tailgate at 80 mph, switch lanes abruptly to grab a car-length edge and double park as if the world were one big garage.

     But a strict new penalty system is curbing Spaniards' roguish behavior behind the wheel, at least for now. Suddenly, car-clogged streets and highways, symbols of Spain's transformation from backwater to dynamo in one generation, are no longer playgrounds for speedsters....

     Under the new system, drivers are assigned 12 points each with their licenses. For each infraction, along with the traditional fine and possible license suspension for serious mistakes, they lose points. If the number falls to zero, they lose the license for six months.

     Drunk driving costs up to six points, talking on a cellphone is worth three, and throwing a cigarette butt out the window, a source of forest fires in bone-dry summers, carries a four-point punishment....

Full story, from AZ Central     [SMc]

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  August 20, 2006: Automakers to Add Gear Shift Safety System by 2010

     Automakers have reached a deal with the U.S. government to have a safety system in all new vehicles by 2010 to prevent someone from accidentally shifting a vehicle out of park, officials said Thursday.

     Nineteen automakers that operate in the U.S. reached the deal with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

     The brake interlock system stops vehicles from being shifted out of park without depressing the brake pedal. It prevents the vehicle from unintentionally rolling away

     Automakers have been sued over a number of accidents involving vehicles accidentally put in gear. About 3 million vehicles sold each year in the U.S. lack a brake-shift interlock.

 Full story, from nwitimes     [SSC]

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  August 20, 2006: Highway Patrol Cracks Down on Drunk Driving

     Just days into a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving, South Dakota Highway patrol is already seeing results.
     The campaign began three days ago and will run through Labor Day.
     Troopers near Yankton arrested 20 people for drunk driving at a checkpoint this weekend.  It was held during Riverboat Days where they believe many people drink and then get behind the wheel. 
     But troopers in other areas of the state are also finding drunk drivers.  Increased enforcement and sobriety checkpoints between Brandon and Sioux Falls have already led to arrests.

Full story, from Keloland    [SSC]

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  August 19, 2006:  Cops to Name and Shame Speeders

     Speeding drivers caught on camera while at work are being named and shamed to their bosses in a bid to slow them down. Van and lorry drivers and sales reps travelling during company time are responsible for up to a third of all accidents, latest figures show.

     And although Notices of Intended Prosecution are sent to firms to identify the driver of a speeding company vehicle, the news does not always reach the top.

     But now in Greater Manchester, managers and company directors of firms whose staff are caught speeding are being sent a pack of warning leaflets called Give Your Staff a Brake to make sure they know what has happened.

     It urges them to "Remind your staff of the dangers of speeding in company vehicles and you could save your business time and money"....

Full story, from Manchester Evening News     [SMc]

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  August 18, 2006: Three Million Traffic Safety Booklets, Discs Given to Schools

     The Vietnam Traffic Safety Committee with support from other agencies presented over three million booklets and discs providing guidance of traffic safety to schools in the country, reported officials Friday.

     The provision is part of the national education program on traffic safety sponsored by Toyota Vietnam Fund and Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training

 Full story, from Thanhnien    [SSC]

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  and    August 18, 2006:  17 Iranians Killed in Road Accident in Turkey

     Seventeen Iranians were killed and 26 others injured Friday when the bus they were traveling in collided with a truck in eastern Turkey, Turkish media reported.

     The Iranian-registered bus was en route to Syria from Iran when it slammed into the back of the truck at the town of Chaldiran, near the Iranian border, the Anatolia news agency said.

     It said 14 people were killed instantly and three others died in hospital of their injuries.

     According to IRNA, the wounded have been rushed to the nearby hospitals, said a doctor at Van Hospital.

     He added that he could not give precise figure on number of the victims as the injured were taken to three hospitals.

     A number of the injured at Van Hospital are in critical condition, said the doctor.

     No local official were immediately available for comment.

[Source: IranMania]     [SMc]

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  August 17, 2006:  More than 40% Rise in Road Deaths in UAE

     More than 150 people were killed in road accidents on Dubai's roads in the first six months of this year, a 42 per cent increase over 2005, police said on Wednesday.

     According to statistics from Dubai Police's Traffic Department, 156 people were killed in the first six months of this year compared to 110 in the first six months of 2005.

     The same period this year saw 915 accidents, which also injured 1,457 people, while in the first six months of last year 757 accidents occurred, injuring 1,247 people.

     Three people were killed in the second week of August in separate road accidents. An Egyptian was killed in a collision in Bur Dubai, when he entered the road without making sure it was clear.

     In another accident, a Bangladeshi was killed when he rammed into a stationary truck at the signal on Al Nahda Road.

     An unidentified Indian was run over and killed in an accident in the Al Qusais labour accommodation area.

     A bus driver hit the victim after being unable to spot him because the area was dark and there were no streetlights.

[Source: Gulf News]     [SMc]

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  August 16, 2006:  New Law Increases Penalties in Highway Worker Injuries, Deaths

     The second death of a highway worker in the past week is raising concerns, but a new law effective later this month will impose punishment for violators.

     A Missouri law that takes effect Aug. 28 sets penalties for killing or injuring a highway worker, including a fine of up to $10,000 and possible loss of driving privileges for up to a year.

     The new work zone safety act is intended to stop the kind of tragedy that played out twice in one week on St. Louis-area interstates....

Full story, from Kansas City Star     [SMc]

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  August 15, 2006:  Study To Train The Brains Of Young Drivers

     Waikato University and the AA Driver Education Foundation have announced they will conduct a study to evaluate a new training approach for young drivers. The aim of the study is to prove – or disprove – the benefits of combining practical training with lessons aimed at enhancing risk assessment and other higher-level skills.

     “A driver is 19 times more likely to crash during their first six solo months, than during the first six months of driving when they were supervised,” says Dr Robert Isler, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Waikato....

Full story, from Scoop.co.nz    [SMc]

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  August 15, 2006: Teen Crash Driver’s Safety Advice

     A major campaign's being launched to cut the number of young people dying on Welsh roads.

     A third of those killed or injured in accidents are aged between 17 and 25.

     One teenager who wrote off a car on the day he passed his driving test, is backing a project to give advanced driving lessons to young people.

 Full story, from BBC     [SSC]

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  August 14, 2006:  Road Crashes Simulated at Schools

     The horror of a car crash was demonstrated at a hard-hitting road safety events held in South West Hertfordshire.

     Road collisions were simulated at Kings Langley, Bushey Hall and Francis Combe schools as the finale to Megadrive, the annual event organised by Hertfordshire County Council's road safety unit.

     The crashes were accompanied by full commentary, and culminated in two of the course's young drivers being dramatically cut from the cars.

     Megadrive aims to reduce the number of young casualties on Hertfordshire's roads. Last year alone, more than 150 17 to 25 year olds were killed or seriously injured in crashes....

Full story, from Watford Observer     [SMc]

__________________________

Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive; also Director of Policy and Training, Advanced Drivers of America. 

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  August 14, 2006:  23 Killed in Road Accident in Southern Iran Province

     At least 23 people were killed after a bus collided with a truck on a stretch of highway in the southern province of Fars, state television reported Sunday night.

     The incident occurred between the cities of Lar and Shiraz.

     There was no immediate word of injuries in the crash with police only saying that 23 passengers were killed as the bus caught fire.

     The head of Iran’s traffic police Brigadier General Mohammad Rouyanian announced in June that the expected death toll from accidents on Iran’s highways for the current year stood at 31,000.

     Iran's highways are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world, with some 100,000 road-accident deaths occurring in the last five years, the equivalent of three deaths an hour.

[Source: Iran Focus]     [SMc]

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  August 14, 2006:  Spain: August Road Deaths down 34%

     102 people have been killed in traffic acccidents in Spain since the start of the month, 34%, or 52 fewer than last year, according to General Traffic Department figures released today. The fall is mainly attributed to the introduction of the driving licence points scheme at the start of last month.

     Last weekend, 19 people were killed in 18 fatal accidents, which is significantly fewer (-39%) than the same weekend last year, when 31 died in 27 fatal accidents.

     Yesterday, nine people died and ten others were injured -four seriously- in nine accidents, while eight died on Saturday and seven others were injured -two seriously- in the same number of accidents.

     Over the course of last week, the second of the August vacation, 54 died in 45 accidents that left 52 others injured, 27 seriously. 

[Source: Think Spain]     [SMc]

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  August 13, 2006:  Tough Rules for Young Drivers

     Night curfews, passenger restrictions and the banning of high powered cars are just some of the extreme rules for young drivers to be introduced in Queensland next year.

     One hundred hours of supervised learner driving will be enforced and talking on hands-free mobiles while at the wheel will become illegal for young drivers from July 1, 2007.

     The new rules, launched yesterday, will apply to provisional and learner drivers under 25....

     The new laws will also bring Queensland into line with all other states by allowing learner licences at 16 and doubling the learners period to 12 months.

     New drivers over 25 will also be subjected to some of the new requirements.

Full story, from Sunshine Coast Daily    [SMc]

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  August 12, 2006:  Road Deaths Drop Thanks to Seat Belt Law, Extra Troopers

     It's not often that we have anything to celebrate on our highways. But the Public Safety Department’s recent report that highway fatalities were down by 13 percent from the previous year is a notable exception.

     It’s difficult to overstate what an astounding improvement that is. The number of deaths recorded through Sunday was 573, compared with 668 for the same period last year. If that trend holds, we will post the largest single-year decline in highway deaths since at least 1969, the earliest year for which comparable numbers are available.

     This extraordinary improvement coincides with two long-overdue state policy changes — the implementation of a real seat belt law and the rebuilding of a Highway Patrol that was depleted by reckless budget cuts, on top of an earlier failure to bulk up the patrol as the number of drivers skyrocketed....

Full story, from The State    [SMc]

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  August 11, 2006:  TN Highway Patrol Reminds Motorists to be Safe in School Zones

     Be alert! Slow down! Be safe in the school zone! That's the message to drivers and students from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Tennessee Highway Patrol.

     The THP launched a massive year-long enforcement effort aimed at keeping children safe as they travel to and from school. Hundreds of State Troopers will be watching school zones and buses, both from the air and on the ground, in an effort to crack down on motorists who disregard laws designed to protect children....

     ...The National Safety Council (NSC) reports approximately 26 students were killed and another 9,000 were injured in incidents involving school buses last year. Most of the deaths and injuries occurred as the children were entering or exiting a bus.

     "This effort doesn't just pertain to school zones and school buses," Colonel Walker said. "Children riding with parents or friends need to remember to buckle up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats."

     Close to 600 children are killed annually and many more injured going to and from school in a vehicle other than a school bus, according to the NSC. Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. Studies show they can lower the risk of injury by 45%.

Full story, from Eyewitness News     [SMc]

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  August 11, 2006:  Study Links Safer Cars, not Drivers, to Drop in Deaths on Road

     Cars are becoming safer, but the people who drive them are not, a study by an insurance-industry research group has found.

     Without design changes that have made vehicles safer, including air bags, the death toll on the nation’s roads would be higher by about 5,000 people annually, more than 11 percent of last year’s total, according to the study.

      The reason is that drunken driving rates have not changed much in the 10 years studied, seat-belt use has climbed only slowly and people are driving faster, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report....

Full story, from Columbus Dispatch     [SMc]

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  August 11, 2006:  Turkey:  Six Killed, 38 Injured in Bursa Traffic Accident

     Six people were killed and 38 others were injured when a passenger bus collided with a truck on Friday morning in the western Turkish province of Bursa.

     The passenger bus travelling from Izmir to Ankara collided with a truck on the highway between Mudany and Izmir on Friday morning. Four people died at the scene while two others passed away later at the hospital.

     Thirty-eight other people were taken to hospitals in Bursa, Muradiye and Cekirge where they were treated for injuries.

     Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

[Source: Zaman Online]     [SMc]

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  August 11, 2006:  Waikato Road Deaths Halved

     Waikato's road toll has dropped by more than half, with the total number of deaths on track to come under the police's 2006 target of 65.

     Figures kept by the Waikato Times show that, at August 1, 32 people had died on the region's roads this year, 40 fewer than at the same time in 2005.

     Last year proved to be one of the bleakest on Waikato roads, with 97 people losing their lives.

     Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said he was "pretty happy" with this year's figures but urged caution.

     "It can all turn to custard within five minutes," he said.

     Mr Tooman said police focused on three factors to keep the number of fatal accidents down –- speed, alcohol and seatbelts....

Full story, from Stuff.co.nz     [SMc]

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  August 10, 2006:  New Points System Helps Cut Road Deaths

     Traffic authorities are heralding the new points-based driving licence as a major success after a dramatic decrease in road deaths.

     Last weekend the central traffic officer in Madrid said that the number of deaths recorded between 3pm on Friday and midnight on Sunday was 23 fewer than during the same weekend last year.

     In 2005, the holiday weekend saw 50 fatalities on Spanish roads compared to the 27 deaths this year. Traffic authorities have accompanied its introduction with an intensive awareness campaign, including neon signs on the motorway warning drivers against the offences which can lead to points.

     On Monday, the traffic authorities launched a special campaign to carry out speed checks on 100,000 cars a day.

     General traffic direction head Pere Navarro told the Press that speeding was a big cause of road accidents in Spain.

[Source: Euro Weekly News]     [SMc]

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  August 10, 2006:  New Test Call as Road Deaths Rise

     The practical driving test has come under fire as road deaths continue to rise.

     Last year 3,200 people died on British roads and the Driving Instructors' Association are pressing for changes to the practical test.

     Instructors in Huddersfield have backed the moves.

     Peter Cope, owner of the P C Driving School, Huddersfield said: "It's based too much on mechanical skills.

     "A lot of time is wasted on the physical side, rather than using the brain.

     "The length of the test is fine, but they should take the manoeuvres out. They prove nothing."

     The test allows candidates to make 15 minor driving faults over a route often shorter than six miles that lasts less than 40 minutes....

Full story, from icHuddersfield     [SMc]

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  * August 9, 2006:  Road Accident Kills 10 People in Central Somalia

     At least 10 people have been killed and dozens more were wounded in very terrible car incident happened near to Guri-El town in central Somalia - Sources say.

     “The incident came when truck full of people turned over between Guri-El and Dhusomareb towns, killing 10 passengers and 40 others were injured,” local witness told the media.

     The cause of the incident was related to overloading. The lorry was loaded with bags of sugar with almost 50 passengers.

     Health sources and locals in the area told that the truck has been loaded with sacks of Sugar and almost fifty passengers.

     Some of the wounded people were serious and were in the hospital of Dhusomareb, local medical officials, with some of the injured travelers were taken to Geri-El town of Galgadud region.

[Source: SomaliNet]     [SMc]

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  August 6, 2006:  South Korea:  8 Killed, 26 Injured in Bus Crash

     Eight people were killed and 26 injured Saturday when a tourist bus crashed into a cargo truck at an expressway in North Chungchong Province in the central part of the country, police said.

     The accident occurred at about 3 a.m. on a section of the Chungbu Expressway near Umsong, about 130 kilometers south of Seoul, when the bus rear-ended the 11.5-ton truck.

     The truck’s driver Lee Chong-song died of injuries Sunday, while seven passengers on the tourist bus were killed at the scene.

     The bus was carrying about 30 tourists, mostly members of a Christian organization who were on their way back to Seoul after a get-together in Sachon, Kangwon Province.

     Police suspect that the bus driver, identified only as Lee, dozed off before colliding with the truck. The high casualties might have resulted because most of the passengers on the bus did not wear seat belts, police said.

[Source: The Korea Times]      [SMc]

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  August 6, 2006:  Black Boxes to Cut Young Drivers' Premiums

     Young drivers are being targeted by an insurance policy, launched today, which aims to cut the cost of cover as well as the number of road casualties.

     More Than's DriveTime policy is aimed at 18- to 25-year-olds and will use black box technology to track what time of the car is being driven, with penalties for driving between 11pm and 6am, the time when most accidents occur. More Than says that it will cut 40 per cent off its standard insurance rates for those on the policy, but drivers who use their cars after 11pm will pay an additional £25 for each day they do so....

Full story, from The Observer     [SMc]

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  August 5, 2006:  Trusting Parents Can Lead to Deaths of Young Drivers

     Stealing Mom or Dad's car keys has been a staple of teenage rebellion since the invention of the Tin Lizzy.

     It was the explanation given last month when a 12-year-old slammed his father's truck into a neighbor's tree, killing himself and a friend and injuring three other middle school students. Justin Dieckman's parents told police they were asleep during the 1 a.m. wreck and didn't know their son had taken their truck.

     Fatal wrecks involving drivers this young in Texas, however, happen far more frequently in the hours that parents likely are awake — and home — according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of three years of federal data.

     Experts on teen drivers say some parents can be too trusting of their unlicensed sons and daughters, letting them drive alone to the store or down the road, a practice that is illegal and can turn deadly....

Full story, from Houston Chronicle     [SMc]

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  August 5, 2006:  Twenty-One Killed in Road Accident in Saudi Arabia

     Twenty-one people were killed when two vehicles collided on a highway near Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port city of Jeddah, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

     Al-Riyadh newspaper said the accident occurred on Friday when a vehicle carrying 14 Yemenis and two Saudis tried to avoid a police checkpoint by going around it, and rammed into an incoming car carrying five passengers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan.

     Road traffic authority officials could not be reached for comment.

     Around 4,000 people die each year in road accidents in Saudi Arabia mainly due to recklessness.

[Source:  Malaysia Star]    [SMc]

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  August 4, 2006: India: Over 100,000 Killed in Road Accidents in Three Years

     Over 100,000 people were killed in road accidents during the period 2002-04 in over 86,000 accidents across India, one of the fastest growing automobile markets in the world.

     Minister for Road Transport and Highways T.R. Baalu and his deputy K.H. Muniappa in written answers in the Rajya Sabha Thursday said a total of 101,497 people had died during 2002-04 in 86,402 accidents.

     The worst year was 2004, which saw 34,723 highway deaths in 29,352 accidents. Andhra Pradesh led the gruesome list of tragedies with 10,552 deaths....

Full story, from India eNews     [SMc]

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  August 3, 2006:  Would a Speed Limit Database Lead to Fewer Road Deaths?

     One of the Department for Transport's (DfT) principal aims is to cut road deaths by 40% by 2010. And since excess speed is a known contributor to accidents, would a database of national speed limits, available for free, help achieve that aim? The answer is not as obvious as it might seem, according to Professor Frank Kelly, the outgoing chief scientific adviser to the DfT. It's not just a question of whether data should be "free"; just as important is the question of who should contribute to the data, and whether it needs to be "owned"....

Full story, from The Guardian     [SMc]

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  August 2, 2006:  Welcome for Speed Review on Rural Roads

     Moves to review speed limits on rural roads have been welcomed as three-quarters of drivers said the limit should be lowered,

     The government has told county councils to reconsider speed limits on all roads, particularly rural ones, where 63pc of deaths happen.

     At present nearly all country roads have 60mph limits, and allowing for the fact that fewer people drive on country roads, motorists are 3½ times more likely to die....

Full story, from Norfolk Eastern Daily Press     [SMc]

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  August 1, 2006:  Road Deaths Down 20% after Points Scheme Introduction

     Interior minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (archive photo) said yesterday that the driving licence points reduction scheme "is working satisfactorily" given that the number of people killed on the roads last month following the introduction of the scheme fell almost 20%. Mr Rubalcaba said that last month's results are "overwhelming" as "there were sixty fewer deaths. In short, things are going well so far." The minister continued by saying: "Our drivers are driving more carefully, which shows great responsibility, something we thank them for and trust they will continue to do so."...

Full story, from Think Spain     [SMc]