Safe Driving. Introduction/Overview. Safety Belt Use. Distracted Driving

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Sabrina Elliott
5 years ago
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1 Safe Driving Introduction/Overview Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for all ages. Crashes on and off the job have physical, financial, and psychological effects on employees, their co-workers, and their families. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports the following figures for A crash occurred every 5 seconds. An injury occurred every 13 seconds. Someone died in a motor vehicle crash every 13 minutes. Many of these incidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work. Company safedriving programs can be effective in reducing accidents. Safety Belt Use Seat belts are the single most effective means of reducing deaths and serious injuries in traffic crashes. By 2008, safety belt use in the United States reached 82 percent, the highest level yet recorded. Among passenger vehicle occupants over 5 years old, it is estimated that safety belts saved over 15,000 lives in In fatal crashes 76% of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from vehicles were killed. During a crash, anyone not wearing a seat belt will slam into the steering wheel, windshield, or other parts of the interior, or can even be ejected from the vehicle. Distracted Driving Longer commutes, hectic schedules, an increase in heavy traffic, and the availability of in-vehicle technology are all factors that distract drivers. More time in your vehicle results in less time at home or on the job, causing drivers to feel the pressure to multitask to keep up with their responsibilities. Countless distractions tempt drivers to forget that their primary responsibility is to remain focused and drive carefully. Events inside and outside the vehicle can distract a driver. Adverse roadway and weather conditions require a driver s full attention. While taking one's eyes off the road presents obvious risks, activities that take a driver's mind away from driving are just as risky. A driver's ability to manage distractions varies widely and can change from day to day depending on stress level and fatigue.

2 Distracted drivers may fail to recognize potential hazards in the road and react more slowly to traffic conditions, decreasing their margin of safety. Research suggests that distracted driving increases the risk of rear-end and single-vehicle crashes. Do you know when you're guilty of distracted driving? Has a passenger in your car ever screamed or gasped because of something you did or did not do? Have you ever run a stop sign unintentionally? Have you slammed on your brakes because you didn t see the car in front of you stop? Do you sometimes not remember driving from one place to another? Avoid distracted driving Studies have shown that drivers make more than 200 driving-related decisions during every mile traveled. It is critical for employees and their families to make safe driving their primary responsibility when they are behind the wheel. Safe driving practices require that you constantly search the roadway ahead for situations that could require you to take quick action. Recognize that driving requires your full attention. Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving On our congested roadways, it s more important than ever to drive with a clear head and a sharp focus. Make it a life-governing rule not to drive when you ve been drinking. Not only will you be a safer driver, but you will be in a much better position to defend yourself from the driver who doesn t make that choice. Drive focused. Stay safe. Alcohol, certain prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and illegal drugs can all affect a person s ability to drive safely due to decreased alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time. NHTSA estimates that alcohol was involved in 32 percent of fatal crashes. There is an average of one alcohol-related fatality every 40 minutes. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can dramatically impact your life, even if you are lucky enough not to be involved in an accident. Nearly 1.5 million people are arrested each year for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Two-thirds of all drivers arrested for DWI are first-time offenders. A DWI/DUI conviction on a person s driving record in the past 3 years will prevent him or her from attaining driving status.

3 Nine out of 10 insurance companies automatically cancel the policy of a driver convicted of a DWI/DUI violation. Consequently, the driver must find a high-risk insurance company and face substantial rate increases. Fatigued Driving As a driver, your number one responsibility is to get yourself and your passengers to your destination safely. When behind the wheel, you always need to be alert and focused. At 55 mph, a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds. This is no time for a mini snooze. Being an attentive driver, and looking out for the driver who isn t, is increasingly important. Drive focused. Stay safe. Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. A typical crash related to sleepiness has the following characteristics: The problem occurs during late night, early morning, or late afternoon. The crash is likely to be serious. The crash involves a single vehicle leaving the roadway. The crash occurs on a high-speed road. The driver does not attempt to avoid the crash. The driver is alone in the vehicle. Drowsy driving can happen to anyone. A recent study revealed that one- half (51%) of adults have driven while drowsy, and 17% report having fallen asleep while driving within the past year. These numbers represent only the tip of the iceberg, since these crashes are seriously underreported. Some warning signs of fatigue: You can t remember the last few miles driven. You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane. Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected. You yawn repeatedly. You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open. You tailgate or miss traffic signs. You have trouble keeping your head up. You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane.

4 Avoid fatigued driving Drivers must be well rested, alert, and sober on the road so that they are in a position to defend themselves from drivers who do not make the same choice. Be aware of your behavior and the behavior of others on the road during the late night, early morning, and midafternoon hours when drowsy driving crashes are most likely to occur. Plan a rest stop during these hours. Get a full night of rest before driving. If you become tired while driving, stop. A short nap (15 to 45 minutes) and consuming caffeine can help temporarily. Stop at regular intervals when driving long distances. Get out of the car every 2 hours to stretch and walk briskly. Set a realistic goal for th1e number of miles you can safely drive each day. Avoid taking medications that cause drowsiness. If you re tired and are in danger of falling asleep, you cannot predict when a mini sleep may occur. A driver often does not react quickly to road dangers when tired. Getting enough sleep will not only help you feel better it can save your life. Focus on Defensive Driving With so many drivers on the road who are distracted, fatigued, impaired, and aggressive, it is important to drive defensively. Keep your eyes on other drivers and expect them to do the unexpected. Watch for cars passing, merging, or changing lanes without warning. Try to anticipate what other drivers plan to do. Watch for brake lights or turn signals. Not only should you look at the car directly in front of you, you also need to look at the cars in front of them. If you see a car that is three or four cars ahead of you signal its turn lights, you should begin to slow down. Don t wait for the car directly in front of you to slow down because that driver might be distracted. Give the cars behind you a warning by tapping quickly on your brakes once or twice. Use the 2 second rule to maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. This means that you maintain a distance of 2 seconds. Find a point on the side of the road such as a utility pole or sign. As soon as the car in front of you passes that point, begin counting. If you pass that same point before 2 seconds is up, you are following too closely. Watch for pedestrians, bicyclists, animals, potholes, and debris. Be prepared to stop or take evasive action. Watch for tailgaters. If another driver is following you too closely, do not become angry or impatient; merely pull over and allow the tailgater to pass. Use turn signals well in advance. Give drivers behind you plenty of opportunity to see your warning lights so that they can be ready to react properly. Check your blind spots. Keep an eye on vehicles that slip into your blind spots. Know which cars have entered these spots and watch for them to leave. Know the location of vehicles around you at all times.

5 Bad Weather Conditions Snow, ice, rain, fog, severe winds, and other weather conditions significantly impact driving conditions. Icy, wet, and slippery roads make it difficult to control your vehicle and increase your stopping distance. Rain and fog reduce visibility, making it difficult to see the road and other vehicles around you. Severe winds can blow debris into the roadway and also make it difficult for larger vehicles to stay in their lane. Driving in the rain Even a light rain can make the roads very slick. Slow down in rainy conditions. In addition to slick roads, visibility is decreased not only from the rain but also from the spray of the vehicles in front of you. Avoid puddles and other standing water, which can cause cars to hydroplane. This is when the tires no longer have contact with the road surface and are skipping across the surface of the water. Applying your brakes will increase your chance of hydroplaning. Instead, take your foot off the gas pedal and allow your vehicle to slow down gradually. Increase your visibility to other drivers by turning on your headlights, even during the day. Keep your wiper blades in good condition and change them regularly so that they are always ready to help provide good vision when the rain does come.

DRIVING SAFETY III DRIVING HAZARDS

Safety Training Topic DRIVING SAFETY III DRIVING HAZARDS Purpose of Meeting To remind workers that distracted or unsafe driving can result in a serious injury. To reince driving safety rules. To consider