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Drivers Safety. Environmental & Safety Services. Driving Safety. Introduction Statistics Unsafe Actions / Unsafe Conditions Vehicle Safety Features Driving Tips Road Rage Backing Highway/City/Rural Driving Driving at Dusk Rush hour Winter Weather. Driving Safety (continued) .
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Drivers Safety Environmental & Safety Services
Driving Safety • Introduction • Statistics • Unsafe Actions / Unsafe Conditions • Vehicle Safety Features • Driving Tips • Road Rage • Backing • Highway/City/Rural Driving • Driving at Dusk • Rush hour • Winter Weather
Driving Safety (continued) • Use of Seat Belts • Van Facts • Accidents • Q & A
DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE • THE #1 LEADING CAUSE OF “AT WORK” DEATHS IS VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. • MOST OF US BEGAN DRIVING WHEN WE WERE TEENAGERS AND AFTER SO MANY YEARS, TEND TO REINFORCE POOR ROAD HABITS.
Driving Safety • 25% of all driving accidents are the result of excessive speed. • 70% of driving accidents occur within 25 miles from home. • 1 out of 4 employees who drive experience an accident while at work. • Most people know someone who has died in a car accident.
Driving Safety • 2001 data for the U.S. • 37,409 deaths • 2,070,000 injuries • 115 deaths per day • Friday (especially evening/night hours) has more fatal accidents than any other day • Midnight to 3 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays proved to be the deadliest 3-hour periods throughout 1999, with 1,215 and 1,182 fatal crashes, respectively. • Michigan • 1,382 Fatalities • Isabella County (73)
Driving Safety • Motor vehicle crashes cause a death every 12 minutes, a disabling injury every 14 seconds. • When do most accidents occur (type of weather)? • Clear sunny days, good visibility • Seat belts are mandatory for all occupants
More than600,000people ages 15 to 20 were injured in traffic accidents last year.
Driving Safety • 60 percent of crashes with deaths or injuries happen on roads with posted speed limits of 40 miles per hour or less.
Driving Safety • Motor vehicle crashes cost society more than 150.5 billion per year. • These were based on costs that arose from crashes that killed 40,716 people and injured 5.2 million others. • By comparison personal and household crimes cost their victims $19 billion.
Driving injuries - on or off the job • The most hazardous environment • For most of us, whether on or off the job, it is on the road. • We face it daily. • A recent report from the road: • A manager was beginning a business trip • Was driving from his house to the airport on the freeway • Was shaving and looking into the rearview mirror • Saw (in peripheral vision) something cut in front of him • Reacted by steering to the right, driving off the freeway and hitting a tree • Result was a broken hip
Shaving Putting on make-up Reading a map or book Using the cell phone Certain state(s) law prohibits use Not using a seatbelt Driving under the influence Driving at an unsafe speed Failing to stop or yield Unsafe passing of another vehicle Tailgating Not using blinkers Eating Driver eats first Unsafe Actions
Poor visibility Night time driving (Fatality rates/mile are 4 times higher at night.) Dust storms Rain storms Snow Fog Windshield wipers not effective Poor road conditions Slippery surfaces from weather Road not properly maintained Improper vehicle maintenance Inadequate brakes Worn tread on tires Hoses, belts Inadequate acceleration Headlight(s) out Unsafe Conditions
Driving under the influence (DUI) • Alcohol was involved in 41% of all traffic fatalities in ‘94 • Sobering facts: • About 2 in every 5 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some time in their lives • Remember the one-one rule: one drink per hour (Your body takes about an hour to rid itself of each 1/2 ounce of alcohol)
Daytime running lights (Headlights that are on whenever vehicle is running) Lap/shoulder safety belts Reduce risk of moderate-to-fatal injuries by approximately 50%. Air bags for driver & passenger Combined with lap/shoulder belts, they reduce risk of fatality by another 10%. Side impact airbags Anti-lock brakes Safety cages built into the vehicle framework Vehicle Safety Features
Did you know? • When driving on a road that is new to you: • Your eyes tend to scan the road from left to right which is an excellent driving habit. • We tend not to scan when in familiar territory. • How closely can you safely follow another car? • We tend to follow based on how much of the road we can see • A long hood causes us to follow at a greater distance (since you have to look over the hood to see the street). • Drivers with shorter hoods tend to follow more closely • Use the 2 or 4 second rule • Good driving conditions, keep a 2 second distance behind • Poor driving conditions, keep a 4 second distance behind
Driving Tips • Slow Down • Avoid sharp turns. • Avoid excessive speed and abrupt maneuvers. • Don’t drive tired (6 hours max.). • Drive conservatively • Rest stops often (every 2 hrs. recommended) • Wear seat belts • Drive during the day, if possible. • Require someone to be awake in the front seat with the driver on long trips
"Road Rage" • Road rage is driving under the influence of too much anger. • Provoked by: • Feeling endangered by someone else’s driving (another driver cuts you off or tailgates you). • Resentment at being forced to slow down • Righteous indignation at someone who breaks traffic rules • Anger at someone taking out their road rage on you • Therapy for road rage: • Take a deep breath and just let it go! • SRTCC
Defensive Driving Theories • Drive with courtesy • Be calm when driving • Concentrate when driving • Drive cautiously
Dealing With Aggressive Drivers • Avoid eye contact. • Don’t cut in front of other drivers. • Allow fellow drivers to merge • Don’t aggravate fellow drivers with hand gestures. • Don’t tailgate. • Use your horn sparingly.
Backing The Vehicle • Use a spotter • Back to the left (driver’s side) • Avoid backing up if you miss a ramp/exit. • Use outside mirrors.
Highway Driving • Lane changes and signals. • Merges • Blind Spots • Slow moving vehicles
Stop signs Stop lights Yield Signs Signals Blind spots Pedestrians Bicyclist City Driving
Rural Driving • Bicyclist • Walkers • Deer/Moose • Soft shoulders • Culverts • Curves, hills and narrow roads
Driving at Dusk Be especially alert at dusk. The sky still is quite bright, but objects on the road can merge with shadows and fade into darkness.
Emergency Situations • Encountering emergency vehicles • Headlights go out • Tire blow out • Engine failure • Brake Failure
Drive to Stay Alive • Lousy Weather, Rush Hour Traffic, and construction zonesare all challenges that require good driving skills. To help yourself stay SAFE, always wear your safety belt, and follow these next few tips!
Driving Tips • Drive with courtesy • Be calm when driving • Concentrate when driving • Drive cautiously • Obey all traffic laws • Watch for road signs, workers, and detours. • Expect to encounter slow trucks and other construction traffic.
Tips for Rush Hour • From 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. drivers may be sleepy or trying to make up for lost time. Stay aware and try to get an early start. • From 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. drivers may be thinking about getting home and work stresses. Don’t let the cars around you control your driving. RELAX and adjust to a SAFE speed.
Winter Driving Tips • “Peephole” driving. • What’s the hurry? Leave early and take it slow. • Reduce your speed, especially on bridges, which may freeze before the road does. • Avoid un-necessary stops. You may loose momentum and/or control. • Increase the distance between you and the car in front of you by at least 4 seconds to give yourself adequate time to stop.
Speed • The chance of death or serious injury doubles for every 10 miles per hour over 50 miles per hour that a vehicle travels. • One mile per hour is approximately 1.5 feet per second. Therefore, a vehicle traveling 60 miles per hour is covering 90 feet per second.
Drive with your headlights on !! Although not the law, driving with your low-beam headlights on during daylight hours makes you much more visible to other drivers.
Safety Belts and restraints • In 1995, if every person in the front passenger seat had buckled up, an additional9835deaths could have been prevented.
Seat belt myths • How many of these myths have you heard ? • I don’t need a safety belt when I’m traveling at low speeds or going on a short trip. More than 80 percent of all motor vehicle crashes occur at speeds less than 40 MPH and within 25 miles from home.
Seat belt myths • How many of these myths have you heard ? • I’m uncomfortable and too confined when I wear a safety belt. Safety belts are designed to allow you to reach necessary driving controls. The newer shoulder belt retractors give you even more freedom.
Seat belt myths • How many of these myths have you heard ? • I might be saved if I’m thrown clear of a car in a crash. The fact is that your chances of being killed are FOUR times greater if you’re thrown from a car.
BOTTOM LINE ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT “IT’S THE LAW”
Driving Safety • Caravans • Be mindful of your distance between vehicles • Both vehicles should know where they are going • 2-way radio for all vehicles and cellular phone for leader on multi-vehicle trips. • Obey all laws, signs and speed limits.
Van Facts • A speed that may be acceptable in a passenger car could be dangerous in a van. • You should fill the front seats first. The center of gravity shifts to the rear and upward increasing the likelihood of rollover as capacity increases. • Soft shoulders and culverts pose a hazard in rural areas. • The shift in the center of gravity will also increase the potential for loss of control in panic maneuvers.
Van Facts • Vans have an increased rollover risk under certain conditions • The risk of rollover increases dramatically as the number of occupants increases from fewer than five occupants to over ten passengers. • Vans (with 10 or more occupants) had a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that is nearly 3 x the rate of those that were lightly loaded.
Van Facts • Loading vans causes the center of gravity to shift rearward and upward increasing the likelihood of rollover. Shift in the center of gravity will also increase the potential for loss of control in panic maneuvers. • It is important that the van be operated by experienced drivers. They should understand and be familiar with the handling principles of their vans, especially when fully loaded.
Van Facts • Any load placed on the roof will be above the center of gravity of the vehicle and will increase the likelihood of rolling over.
Vehicle Accidents • Relax • Never leave the scene of an accident. • Take a photo or two of the accident with site camera. • Report the accident to the police. • Never admit fault. • Gather all the facts (date, time, witnesses, phone numbers, etc.) • Immediately report all accidents to your advisor Shawna Ross.
Vehicle Accidents • Final Thought… • Responsibility to others in your vehicle • Their loved ones • Responsibility to yourself • Your loves ones • Responsibility to the General Public
Drive safely to ensure your family,friends and yourself that you’ll return home safely. 'Tis the Season - But Please Remember: Friends Don’t let friends drink and drive!
