Safe Driving Tips – The Basics

1. Safe Driving Tips – The Basics for Sales Staff and Traveling Employees

2. #1 Killer Accidents are the #1 KILLER of Americans under 40 years old

3. Don’t be a statistic • Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of employee injuries • Motor vehicle accidents are the leading killer of Americans at work

4. Who me??? • You are responsible: • for your actions • to work safely when at your work place • when you are driving for your workplace

5. What if your driving caused this?

6. Overview • Vehicle maintenance • You’re Ready, Now Get Set • Defensive Driving • 6 Most common reasons for auto crashes

7. Do you think about it? • Do you have your vehicle maintained regularly? • Do you check your tires on a regular basis? • Do you tend to put off maintenance? • Do you have an emergency kit in your vehicle?

8. Close your eyes and imagine: • When was the last time I checked my tires? • What would happen if I got a flat? • Are my taillights working? I can’t tell. • It’s drizzling, I forgot to replace my windshield wipers! • What if I broke down? I’d freeze to death before someone found me. • Music might help calm me down, where did I put that CD?

9. First things first Safe driving starts before you turn the ignition key. A well maintained vehicle is a safe vehicle • Ensure that the vehicle you operate is properly maintained • Inspect the vehicle daily • Have defects fixed immediately

10. Daily walk-around • Things can happen overnight • Check your tires • Check your lights • Check and clean windows and light covers • Turn your windshield wipers on to assure they are working. • Does the vehicle have an emergency kit?

11. Your vehicle is ready, now get set • Adjust: • Drivers seat • Steering wheel • Head restraints • Rearview and side mirrors • Assure: • You know where you are going, review, and have your map ready to go • You know where the controls are (windshield wipers, lights, flashers, inside light, etc.) • Lock the doors • All car documents are updated and reachable • Know if your car has anti-lock breaks and how to handle them • Tune the radio, CD’s, etc. • AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST

12. Click It, or Ticket • In passenger cars: • Reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45% • Reduce the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50% • About 51% of people involved in fatalities in 2006 were not wearing their seatbelts • In light-trucks: • Reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60% • Reduce the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 65%

13. Click It, or Ticket • In fatal crashes in 2006, 75% of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed • 28% of all fatal crashes involved ejection from the vehicle • Only 1% of the occupants reported to have been using restraints were totally ejected

14. Worth noting • Most accidents occur within 25 miles of home or work at speeds of 40 mph or less

15. The Goal Keep your

16. Defensive driving • A way of driving where the driver takes every possible precautionary measure in order to prevent accidents or troublesome incidents from occurring. • “To reduce the risk of driving by proactively avoiding dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions and/or the incorrect actions of others.”

17. Six most common causes for automobile crashes • Distracted Drivers • Fatigued Drivers • Drunk Drivers • Speeding • Aggressive Driving • Weather

18. Wait – what am I doing, again? • Between 25 – 50% of all motor vehicle crashes in this country have driver distraction as their root cause. • Rubbernecking – accounts for 16% of all distraction-related crashes • Other common driver distractions include: • Driver fatigue (12%) • Looking at scenery (10%) • Other passengers or children (9%) • Adjusting the radio, cassette or CD player (7%) • Reading the newspaper, books, maps or other documents (less than 2%) • WAIT – There’s more

19. “Can you hear me now?” • More than 85 percent of the estimated 100 million cell-phone users talk on their phone regularly while driving • One study has found that driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time quadruples the risk of crashing

20. Get some rest! • Drowsy drivers account for about 100,000 accidents every year in the United States • The risk is greatest from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.

21. What to do? • Take a break from driving at least every two hours. • Get a good night's sleep before a long trip. • Share the driving whenever possible. • Avoid long drives after work. • Avoid drinking before driving. • Pull over and stop when drowsiness, discomfort, or loss of concentration occurs. • Find out whether any medicine you are taking may affect your driving.

22. DON’T DRINK & DRIVE • In 2006, an estimated 17,602 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, an average of one death almost every half-hour. • Drunk drivers were also responsible for 278,000 injuries • 41% of all fatal crashes involved alcohol

23. What’s Blood Alcohol got to do with it? • BAL of 0.10 – drivers are 12 times as likely to be in an accident as non-drinking drivers. • BAL of 0.15 – 380 times as likely • BAL of 0.05 – Still 2 times as likely “Driving tipsy is driving drunk.”

24. Speed Kills • Speeding is responsible for 30% of all fatal crashes. • Over half of fatal crashes in 2006 occurred on roads with posted speed limits of 55 MPH or higher • Speeding is the main reason 2 out of 3 fatal accidents occur on rural highways.

25. A 3-tiered threat • Reduces the amount of time necessary to avoid a crash • Increases the risk of crashing • Makes the crash more severe if it does happen • when speed increases from 40 mph to 60 mph, the energy released in a crash more than doubles.

26. Take a “Chill Pill” • Aggressive drivers cause 1/3 of all traffic crashes • Exactly what is an aggressive driver? • “Operates a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold or pushy manner, without regard for the rights or safety of the other users of the streets and highways.”

27. Including: • Aggressive tailgating • Deliberately preventing another driver from moving their vehicle • Disregarding traffic signals • Changing lanes frequently or in an unsafe manner • Failure to yield the right of way • Aggressive or rude gestures • Verbal abuse and/or physical assaults

28. Protect yourself • Remain calm. • Keep your distance. • Make every attempt to get out of their way, give them room. • Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to keep up. • Wear your seat belt. • Be prepared for any abrupt or sporadic maneuvers by the aggressive driver. • Avoid eye contact. • Ignore gestures and refuse to acknowledge them. • Report aggressive drivers to the appropriate authorities by providing vehicle and driver description, license number, location of incident, and direction of travel.

29. And now for weather where you are. • Don’t panic. • Plan ahead. • Make sure you can see and be seen. • Slow down. • Be sure to leave extra room between the car in front of you. • No Cruise Control on wet pavement. • Press the brake gently. • If necessary, pull off the road to a rest stop until conditions improve. • Don't drive into standing water.

30. In Summary • Maintain your vehicle • Make all the necessary adjustments prior to getting on the road • Practice defensive driving at all times • Remember the 6 most common causes of automobile crashes and avoid those actions