StreetSafe Driving Academy Session 6. Choices, Chances and Consequences

Transcription

1 StreetSafe Driving Academy Session 6 Choices, Chances and Consequences

2 4 Keys to Smart Driving S.E.A.N. Strategic thinking Expecting other drivers to make mistakes Appropriate scanning Not getting emotional

3 The Statistics Every year in America: æ Approximately 43,000 people die in car crashes æ 2.7 million are injured æ 1 death every 12 minutes æ 1 injury every 12 seconds æ Car crashes are the leading cause of death for all Americans age 4-34

4 Think about this æ A jumbo jet holds approximately 400 people æ 2 jumbo jets hold 800 people æ If 2 jumbo jets crashed each week, every week of the year æ 41,600 people would die in a year æ Something would be done to prevent this tragedy Yet, in that same year æ More people will die on our nation s highways

5 How America Compares to other Countries Country Per Capita Death Rate (per 100,000 people) Ranking æ Per Capita Fatality Data æ Ranked from lowest to highest æ 30 OECD (Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development) Countries æ January 2007 Sweden United Kingdom Norway Netherlands Japan Finland Switzerland USA Republic of Korea Greece

6 Factors that Account for America s High Fatality Rate æ Higher average number of miles driven per year æ Higher average speed æ More vehicles on the road æ Larger vehicles = more serious injuries more deaths

7 What s the problem? æ Driving is largely a solitary activity no group pressure to improve driving habits æ Crashes usually kill only a few people at a time (not much media shock value ) æ America is a car dependent society æ Driving is perceived by most people as a right, not a privilege æ Too many people/cars to monitor and enforce laws æ Everyone thinks crashes happen to other people æ Everyone considers themselves to be better drivers than they really are

8 Seasonal Issues on the Road æ Summer is the deadliest season on America s highways æ Especially for teens æ 100 deadliest days Memorial Day to Labor Day æ July and August are the deadliest 2 months 20% more fatalities versus other months æ July 4th is the deadliest holiday

9 Why is Summer so Deadly? æ More inexperienced drivers on the road æ Teens spend 44% more time behind the wheel during the summer vs. during school year (almost 24 hours per week in summer vs. 16 hours per week during school year) æ Teens more likely to drive later at night during summer vs. school year (fatigue and crashes are more likely at night) æ Teens more likely to pile in a car during summer more free time æ Teen driving crashes don t just kill teen drivers 2/3 of fatalities in teen driver crashes are people in other cars, passengers in the teen s car and non-motorists (bicyclists, pedestrians)

10 How do Teens Compare to Other Drivers? 2008 Crash Fatality Rates Age # deaths per 100, Center For Injury Research and Prevention CHOP

11 Each year in the US ü Approximately 6,000 teens die in car crashes ü Approximately 350,000 teens are injured ü Teens represent only 7% of the driving population but 14% of all fatalities ü Fatal crash rates are 4-5 times higher for drivers age (per miles traveled) versus adults ü Alcohol is a factor in approx. 25% of teen crash fatalities ü Primary reasons for teen car crashes: Inexperience Speed Distractions Risk taking behavior ü Males are more likely than females to cause a fatal car crash: higher speeds, more risk taking behavior

12 What about the Elderly? æ Car crashes are not one of the top ten causes of death among Americans age 65 and over æ The number of drivers over age 65 will double in the next 25 years (to 70 million) and will make up 25% of the driving public æ The death rate as a result of car crashes among the elderly is higher than the general population due to: Diminished vision Slower reaction times Weakened muscles Stiff joints Diminished hearing Medication side effects Impaired judgment and decision-making Inadequate skills due to learning to drive in a different driving environment æ Even with all of these issues, the primary reason elderly drivers have higher fatality rates is fragility æ An elderly person likely won t survive a crash that a younger person would

13 What are Your Odds? Statistical Averages for US Population National Safety Council 2003 (latest data available) Type of Crash # Deaths One Year Odds Lifetime Odds Motor vehicle 44,757 1/6,498 1/84 Drowning 3,306 1/87,971 1/1,134 Air transportation crashes 742 1/391,981 1/5,051 Alcohol poisoning 373 1/779,759 1/10,048 Lightning strike 47 1/6,188,298 1/79,746 Putting it in perspective: Odds of being born a twin in North America 1 in 90 Odds of being audited by the IRS 1 in 175 Odds of having your identity stolen 1 in 200

14 Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, both consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself. ~Robert Foster Bennett US Senator, Utah

15 Your Choices when Behind the Wheel æ Attitude serious or sarcastic æ Speed appropriate or excessive æ Passengers how many and whom æ Following distance safe or too close æ Attention - focused or distracted æ Visual scanning process fixed or moving æ Driving strategy smart or aggressive æ Physical condition good or impaired æ Traffic signs and signals obey them or ignore them

16 Every second you are behind the wheel you are making very specific choices æ Turn signal or not? æ Daytime running lights on or not? æ Full stop at the intersection or not? æ Cross check for traffic at every intersection or not? æ Eating and drinking while the car is moving or not? æ Yielding right of way or not? æ Slowing down in a construction zone or not? æ Checking over your shoulder when making a lane change or not? The list goes on and on and on

17 Every Choice has a Consequence Choices Consequences æ Use of cell phone Increased distraction æ Texting Increased distraction æ Multiple passengers Increased distraction æ Drinking and driving Decreased ability to perform driving skills æ Driving while fatigued Decreased ability to recognize hazards æ Aggressive driving Decreased ability to control the driving situation æ Excessive speed Decreased time to respond to problems Long-term consequences for all of the above? Increased likelihood of a crash and injury for you and others

18 The Long Term Costs of Choices Crashes are almost always traumatic and often result in: Some type of injury mild or severe æ Yours æ Your passengers æ Passengers in other car æ Non-motorists Economic losses æ Deductibles æ Car repair æ Increased insurance premiums æ Fines Emotional stress yours and others æ Worry æ Anxiety æ Fear æ Parents reaction æ Friends reaction riding with you or not æ Pending lawsuits civil or criminal

19 The Long Term Costs of Choices (continued) Restriction or loss of driving privilege æ Parents mandate æ Points on license æ License suspension Other consequences æ Jail æ Criminal record Even if it s not a severe crash, it s inconvenient æ Wasted time æ Ruined plans æ Unwanted hassle

20 Ask yourself æ Are the choices I make worth the costs? æ Be smarter than other drivers you see behind the wheel æ Just because you don t see the consequences of other drivers poor driving choices (tailgating, zigzag lane changes, talking/texting on cell phones), doesn t mean they don t happen you just didn t see them happen æ The odds are tough to beat no one beats them forever æ If the odds could be beaten, casinos would be out of business

21 Keep in mind. æ Most teens over estimate their driving skills and under estimate the risks of driving æ It takes about 15,000 miles of driving for a teen s crash probability to drop to the level of the general population = 2+ years of driving æ Multi-tasking while driving is not a sign of competence it s a sign that the driver is either uneducated about the risks associated with multi-tasking while driving or a sign that the driver has made a poor choice æ Perception, like any other skill must be honed, it is not a given because of youth (a teen is twice as likely to have a crash as an elderly driver) æ Continually formulating driving strategy takes concentration, intelligence and maturity

22 The Consequences of Your Choices If you make a poor choice (speeding, aggressive driving, driving while intoxicated) and are stopped by police: æ Turn on your right turn signal æ Pull over to the right as far away from traffic as possible æ Stop the car æ Turn on the interior car light if it is dark æ Limit your movements don t reach for anything æ Put your hands on the steering wheel, make sure passengers have their hands in view æ Stay inside car unless instructed to get out æ Keep your seat belt on æ Wait until the officer asks for your license, registration and insurance cards (hand over just the cards) æ Be polite, don t argue

23 Recognizing a Police Car æ Police cars have red and blue flashing lights æ Unmarked police cars have red flashing lights æ There may also be flashing white lights æ Flashing blue lights are not a police car (usually indicates volunteer fireman, pull over to let them go by) æ If you are uncertain that the vehicle attempting to pull you over is a police car: Turn on your flashers Drive at reduced speed Drive to nearest well-lit, populated area Do not open your window all the way Keep your doors locked

24 Recognizing a Police Car (continued) æ If the person who stopped you is not in uniform, ask for identification æ Police officers always have photo ID and a badge æ Read the ID and badge carefully æ If you are still unsure of the person s identity, ask for a marked car and uniformed officer to come to the scene æ Ask for phone number to the station to verify the person s name and position or æ You don t have to get out of the car if you are uncomfortable explain your reasons

25 What Happens Next Once you are convinced that the officer is legitimate: æ The police officer will tell you what you did wrong æ You may be cited for a traffic violation or receive a warning æ Do not argue with the officer æ If you disagree with the citation, you may go to court and present your argument æ You may be able to reduce the points and or lower the fine

26 Common Offenses and Points Assigned Offense # Points Assigned æ License restriction violation (eyeglasses, etc.) 2 æ Driving too fast for conditions 2 æ Failure to stop at red light 3 æ Failure to yield to oncoming traffic 3 æ Improper passing 3 æ Following too closely 3 æ Failure to stop at stop sign 3 æ Failure to yield at yield sign 3 æ Illegal U turn 3 æ Careless driving 3 æ Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage 4 æ Failure to stop for a school bus (+ 60 day suspension) 5 æ Exceeding speed limit by: æ 6-10 mph 2 æ mph 3 æ mph 4 æ mph 5 æ 31+ mph (Department hearing and sanctions) 5

27 You driving privilege will be suspended or revoked for any of the following traffic violation convictions: æ DUI æ Reckless driving æ Highway racing æ Fleeing from a police officer æ Driving with a suspended or revoked license æ Hit and run æ Failure to stop for a school bus with stop arm extended and red lights flashing æ Homicide by vehicle æ Felony involving a vehicle æ Failure to comply with a railroad crossing gate or barrier æ Driving without lights to avoid identification

28 Be Warned If you are under 18 and accumulate 6 or more points on your driving record or are convicted of driving 26 mph or more over the posted speed limit, your license will be suspended for 90 days Any additional offenses after the initial suspension will result in a 120-day license suspension

29 Seatbelt laws in PA æ All drivers and front seat passengers must wear seat belts æ If you are carrying passengers between the age of 8 and 17, regardless of where they sit, they must wear seat belts æ If you are under 18, you may not carry more passengers than there are seatbelts in the car æ Penalty for not wearing seat belt is a fine æ Your chance of being killed in a car crash is 25 times greater if you are thrown from your car

30 Miscellaneous Offenses and their Penalties æ Parking in handicapped parking spaces: $50 - $200 fine æ Littering on highways or dropping trash from a vehicle: up to $300 fine æ If you don t carry your insurance card with you: you must present the insurance card to the issuing police station within 5 days, if you don t present the insurance card, you will be fined æ If you are convicted of driving without insurance you will lose your license for up to 1 year æ If you don t have your license with you, you must present the license to the issuing police station within 5 days, if you don t present the license, it will be suspended

31 Drivers License Compact (DLC) æ All out of state traffic convictions and driver s license suspensions/revocations are reported to the home state-licensing agency æ The home state treats offenses committed in other states as though they were committed in home state