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Proposed STANDUP Federal Act Driving to Save Lives

Sandy Grinnell — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:22:39 GMT

Just as high school prom season is about to start, the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act and the SafeRoads4Teens campaign were announced in Washington DC yesterday. U.S. Senator Chris Dodd and U.S. Representatives Tim Bishop and Michael Castle were chief sponsors of the bill which will push states to adopt the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. The importance of the bill was emphasized with the display of two vehicles that had been totalled in a car crash where teenagers were killed.

The main focus of this campaign and proposed federal act is to save the lives of our teenagers. Auto accident-related death is the number one killer of young people between the ages of 15 and 20. On average, 10 teenagers are killed in car crashes, either as drivers or passengers, each and every day in the U.S.

Statistics have proven that the Graduated Driving License (GDL) for new drivers saves lives. The proposed STANDUP federal act would establish the following minimum requirements for states' GDL programs:

• A 3-stage licensing process (learner’s permit and intermediate stage before unrestricted driver’s license);

• A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages;

• A passenger restriction during the learner’s permit and intermediate stage (no more than 1 non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over 21 years of age is in the vehicle);

• A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communication devices, including text messaging, during the learner’s permit and intermediate stages;

• Age 16 for issuance of learner’s permit and full licensure at age 18;

• Any other requirement adopted by the Secretary of Transportation, including learner’s permit holding period at least 6 months; intermediate stage at least 6 months; at least 30 hours behind-the-wheel, supervised driving by licensed driver 21 years of age or older; automatic delay of full licensure if permit holder commits an offense, such as DWI, misrepresentation of true age, reckless driving, unbelted driving, speeding, or other violations as determined by the Secretary.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Dangers of Driving While Texting

Ed Normand — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:18:14 GMT

Recent studies have confirmed what most of us know already: that driving while using a cell phone is highly dangerous. In fact, after just 3 minutes of driving and talking on a cell phone there is a higher risk of an auto accident than when the driver is legally impaired with a .08 percent blood alcohol level. The theory is that one has to concentrate to such a degree when talking on the phone that they lose the ability to remain safely alert to traffic conditions. The tests put drivers in a simulator and engaged in cell phone conversations. The same drivers then became legally drunk and drove the same simulator without a cell phone. The results were dramatic. The cell phone users had multiple accidents and the alcohol impaired drivers had none. Testing also showed that the result was the same even when a hands free unit was used.

One can only imagine the number of car accidents that happen when people text while they drive. Some have advocated laws to prevent driving while texting. In a civil court a jury can evaluate the negligence of a driver based on the use of a cell phone. Texting while driving is so reckless that it should subject the offender to liability for punitive damages. Laws already subject alcohol impaired drivers to liability for punitive damages. Driving and using a cell phone, based on these test results, it is possible that similar liability may result from driving and using a cell phone.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand

Texting While Driving PSA Getting Lots of Attention

Sandy Grinnell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:27:50 GMT

A British public service announcement is getting a lot of air time these days, and not just on British television but on YouTube. The very graphic PSA depicts a horrific accident that begins with three teenage girls laughing and joking while the driver texts a friend. Of course the result is a head-on collision and several people dying.

The spot is broadcast with the intent of getting teenagers to understand the dangers of texting and driving. However, there has always been debate over whether this type of psa actually changes behavior. I remember years ago in my driver's ed class we were shown accident films. To this day I can see in my mind the photos of a body totally charred from a vehicle fire. Does it change the way I drive? It was along time ago so I'm not sure. But we need to do something to stop the increasing number of people of all ages who are texting while driving. It's frightening!

I would suggest that it be required viewing for all teenagers, many of whom think they have this texting while driving thing down pat. Let them just what can happen...

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Fatal Car Accident Closes I-4

Sandy Grinnell — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:42:42 GMT

One person was killed and three more injured in an early morning car crash involving three vehicles on I-4.
One of the vehicles left the highway, went thru a guardrail and landed on a power pole below at the intersection of Wymore and Rogers.

After being ejected from the vehicles, one of the injured was airlifted to ORMC and the other two went to ORMC and Florida Hospital via ambulance.

Power was out for local neighborhood due to the accident and traffic was backed up for 6 - 7 miles before the auto accident was cleared.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Are Elderly Drivers Dangerous?

Ed Normand — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:08:00 GMT

Many assume that older drivers are unsafe behind the wheel, cause more auto accidents and should be tested more frequently. Actually the truth is just the opposite. According to a study by the Rand Corporation: " drivers 65 and over are only one-third as likely as younger drivers to cause auto accidents." The data revealed that older drivers make up 15 percent of all drivers but they cause only 7 percent of the car accidents. By contrast, drivers in the 15 to 24 age group are 13 percent of the drivers but cause 43 percent of the car crashes.

In an earlier posting we discussed that about half of all young drivers admit to text messaging behind the wheel whereas only one percent of elderly drivers text and drive. With texting messaging becoming more and more prevalent these statistics will probably show even more differences in the car accident rates of the youth as compared to the elderly.

One unanswered question is if the higher youth car crash rate is the direct result of them having to pass those crummy slow old drivers hogging the fast lane. Not really, but see the report at www.rand.org.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand

Tragic Van Accident Kills 5, Injures 11

Sandy Grinnell — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:07:14 GMT

Two Amish families returning from a church function lost 5 family members in a terrible auto accident on I-69 near Muncie Indiana. Eleven other family members were injured and transported by helicopter to local hospitals. The 15-passenger van rolled over at least four times and because of a hole in one of the tires, police think the accident may have been due to a blown out tire. Even experienced emergency workers who responded to the crash scene were affected by the sheer number of children involved in the accident.

The Indianapolis Star reported that the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has warned consumers about these van for years.

In a new research report related to improper tire maintenance on 15-passenger vans, the NHTSA study found that 74 percent of all 15-passenger vans had significantly mis-inflated tires. By contrast, 39 percent of passenger cars were found with significant inflation problems. NHTSA research has consistently shown that improperly inflated tires can change handling characteristics, increasing the prospect of a rollover crash in 15-passenger vans.

NHTSA continues to stress to the owners of these passenger vans the importance of proper tire maintenance in hopes of preventing tragic accidents such as this one.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Helpful Hints In Selecting a Child Car Seat

Ed Normand — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:03:08 GMT

Baby Car Seats - Did you know...

Often parents move their child from a baby car seat to a full-size safety seat too soon. Data from crash-testing reveals that a baby is better protected in a rear-facing seat because the seat gives better support to the baby’s head and neck, and distributes the crash force over a greater area of their body. The general rule of thumb is to wait until your child is at least one-year of age, and weighs at least 20 pounds, before you move your child to a full-size safety seat. If your child weighs more than 20 pounds, but is still under a year of age, it is best to keep him/her in a rear-facing seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), along with car seat safety advocates, now also recommend that babies remain in a rear-facing seat as long as possible, up to the weight limit of the seat. If the weight limit of the seat is 30 pounds, these groups recommend that it is best to keep your child rear-facing until they reach the weight limit of the seat.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand

Florida's Number of Uninsured Motorists in the Top Five

Sandy Grinnell — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:21:00 GMT

Based on a recent report from the Insurance Research Council (IRC), Florida ranks in the top five states for number of uninsured motorists. In 2007 13.8 percent of all motorists in the U.S. were uninsured - in Florida it was 23%. Only New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama and Oklahoma had more uninsured motorists on the road than Florida.

To make matters worse, the IRC found a direct correlation between an increase in the unemployment rate and the rate of uninsured motorists. With Florida's unemploment rate jumping from 4.9% in November 2007 to 7.3% in November 2008, we can expect almost another 2% increase in the number of uninsured motorists in the coming months. The reason of course is that individuals will do whatever they can to get by and dropping their auto insurance is just one expense some folks feel they can live without.

We all know of course that this is short-sighted but it's out of our control. So what should you do to protect yourself from these uninsured motorists? Call your insurance agent to discuss your current Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage and buy as much as you can afford. It is your only defense against these tough economic times and the increase in uninsured motorists on our highways.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Insurance Institute Recommends Higher Legal Driving Age

Sandy Grinnell — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:42:06 GMT

After reviewing years of statistics on traffic-related teen deaths, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is recommending that states raise the legal driving age to 17, or even 18. According to the IIHS, car crashes are the number one cause of deaths in teens and they feel increasing the age to 17 or 18 would save lives.

The IIHS report points to statistics from the state of New Jersey where the driving age has been 17 for several years and the rate of 16 and 17 teenage deaths were 18 per 100,000. In neighboring Connecticut, where the minimum driving age is 16, the rate is 26 deaths per 100,000.

"This is a tough sell," says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research, "but it's an important enough issue to challenge the silence and at least consider changing the age at which we allow teenagers to get their licenses to drive. After all, graduated licensing has been successful ever since states began to adopt these programs more than a decade ago, and raising the licensing age is a logical next step to reduce driving by the riskiest motorists on the road, the youngest ones."

According to the Washington Post:

More than 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in car crashes. The rate of crashes, fatal and nonfatal, per mile driven for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59, according to the National Highway Safety Administration. Many industrialized countries in Europe and elsewhere have a driving age of 17 or 18.

Many states have initiated strict graduated driver''s licenses which they believe are saving lives. Getting the state legislatures to increase the age to 17 will be difficult and it will be an uphill battle with most parents and the teenagers. Teenagers want their freedom and a lot of parents look forward to dropping "chauffeur" from their list of parental responsibilities.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Sandy Grinnell

Electronic Logs Can Stop Truck Accidents

Ed Normand — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 09:26:05 GMT

Currently, the Federal Regulations for interstate trucking place limits on the hours that interstate truckers may drive. Most truckers follow the regulations but some do not. Recent polls of long distance truck drivers revealed that up to 16% of them had fallen asleep while driving at least once in the previous month. Up to 48% operated a truck while sleepy in the prior week.. Some trucking firms repeatedly violate the rules and offer financial incentives to truck drivers to break the trucking safety rules. In fact most long distance 18 wheel truck drivers are paid by the mile not by the hour and thus have an incentive to drive longer distances even if that means driving longer or faster than the safety regulations allow. Paper logs are used to track the hours and miles that are driven by truckers on the highway. Unfortunately these paper logs can be forged, doctored and altered with ease. I have personally worked a truck accident case involving a large 18 wheeler and the written logs were so bad it was a joke. Apparently that driver could drive at the speed limit from Tennessee to Orlando, Florida in 12 hours with 8 hours of sleep included in that time. The driver also refused to take the mandatory post crash drug and alcohol test after being involved in a trucking versus auto accident.

There are alternatives. One such device is an electronic log mounted on the truck. These logs automatically record when, where and how much the truck has been driven. Although the Federal Trucking Regulations in the United States do not require electronic logs, the individual companies that hire the truckers can voluntarily place the logs in trucks they hire. If a company knowingly hires drivers that fudge the log books then action should be taken to hold them accountable for injuries and deaths to innocent motorists from car accidents caused by interstate trucks. The simple solution of electronic logs is one that a jury should evaluate when deciding whether trucking companies are deliberately choosing to ignore safety and profit by looking the other way while truck drivers violate the safety regulations designed to stop truck accidents.

This is no minor problem.

In a December 2002 report, consultants to the motor carrier safety administration estimated trucker fatigue plays a role in 8.15% of all fatal crashes involving large trucks. That would translate to more than 400 highway deaths a year

In surveys truckers have admitted to sleeping less than 5 hours per day on average. No wonder there are so many deaths and injuries from trucking accidents. In Europe black boxes to track the hours driven by truckers are mandatory in new trucks. It is time for the United States to adopt this safety measure.

For more information on this subject matter, please refer to the section on Tractor-trailer accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ed Normand