Traffic Safety Culture

THE DRIVING DANGER THAT YOU’RE IGNORING

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

by Carole Jackson
Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

Would you let a friend get behind the wheel of a car if he’d just been drinking and wasn’t steady on his feet? The answer is certainly "No." But if you’re like most people in the US, you wouldn’t hesitate to let a friend drive when he’s incapacitated for another reason -- drowsiness. It’s time to wake up to a danger that causes nearly 5,500 deaths a year.

Surprisingly, drowsy driving has gotten little attention compared with other driving dangers, including speeding, drinking alcohol, failing to fasten seat belts or being distracted by cell phones and other devices. That’s why AAA’s recent campaign against drowsy driving caught my attention.

I phoned J. Peter Kissinger, head of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, who told me that, in his opinion, drowsy driving is the largest unrecognized problem on the highways. In a recent AAA survey of 2,000 drivers age 16 and older, 32% said that they had driven while on the verge of falling asleep at some point in their lives, and 41% admitted to actually falling asleep at the wheel at some point in their lives. And that’s despite the opinion of 96% that it’s unacceptable to drive while drowsy! So why don’t we practice what we preach?

BELTS, BOOZE AND SPEED

The 96% have it right. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), drowsiness is very similar in its effects to drunkenness. It causes slower reaction times, vision impairment, lapses in judgment and delays in processing information. In fact, NSF, which has joined AAA in publicizing the problem, says that being awake for more than 20 consecutive hours results in impairment equal to that caused by a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, which is the legal limit for driving in all states. And if you’ve undergone stress or slept poorly the night before, you don’t have to be awake for even that long to experience this level of impairment.

So why are we just now learning about this? As Kissinger put it, traffic safety experts have focused on "belts, booze and speed" and more recently on distractions by cell phones and other electronic devices. Also, statistics, he said, have downplayed the role of drowsiness in fatal crashes because it’s often difficult for investigators to determine if the cause of a crash was drowsiness, drunkenness, distraction or a combination of factors -- in other words, there’s no breathalyzer or blood test for drowsy driving. If a driver veers off the road and hits a tree, for instance, there’s often not any way to tell whether he fell asleep or instead was distracted when he tried to change the station on the radio.

As a result, US traffic statistics typically show that drowsiness is involved in only about 3.6% of fatal crashes, compared with more than 30% for alcohol. AAA has now recalculated the statistics by extrapolating data from accident reports and adjusting for unknown or missing data (like drowsiness). New calculations, Kissinger said, show that nearly 17% of fatal car crashes result from drowsy driving -- that’s on a par with distracted driving, which is thought to account for 16% of crashes. Plus, he added, 60% of people who "nod off" at the wheel do so when driving for less than one hour. "Drowsy driving doesn’t just occur on a long trip," he said. "It can also happen on a shorter trip, such as driving home after a date night with your significant other."

YOUR STRATEGY FOR SAFETY

To prevent an accident caused by drowsiness, Kissinger urges us to...

Take a 30-minute break from driving every two hours or 100 miles to drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage. It takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream.

Sleep at least seven hours the night before a long trip.

If possible, travel with an alert and well-rested passenger who will help keep you awake.

Stay somewhere overnight instead of extending your drive time beyond the length of your typical day.

In addition, he said, besides the obvious case where you have trouble keeping your eyes open or your head up, you are too sleepy to drive when you...

Can’t remember how far you’ve traveled or what you’ve recently passed.

Find yourself tailgating or drifting out of your lane.

Daydream or have disconnected thoughts.

Often yawn or rub your eyes.

Miss signs or drive past your exit.

Veer off the road and hit the rumble strips on the shoulder.

Have to blast the radio and/or roll down the windows in an attempt to stay alert.

What can you say to friends who insist on driving drowsy? Try to talk them out of driving, and if possible, offer to drive them where they're going. If that fails, take away their keys, and don’t be afraid if they become angry. They’ll likely thank you later on, Kissinger said, especially after you mention the statistics on fatalities caused by drowsy driving. A look at the stats will tell them that you may have saved their lives.

Be well,

Carole Jackson
Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

*This article appeared in its entirety in the Bottom Line’s Daily Health News newsletter

Drinking and Driving: A Preventable Cause of Death

2012-01-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post's Letter to the Editor on Monday featured findings from our 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index relating to drinking and driving. In that survey, we found that ‘Almost everyone said that drinking and driving was unacceptable, yet 14 percent said that within the year they had driven with an alcohol level probably near or above the legal limit’.

This means there are people out on our roads who find drinking and driving to be acceptable, and again shows the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude that exists among drivers. With all the progress we have made in this country towards increasing awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence, it’s clear we have a long road ahead when it comes to changing people’s attitudes and behaviors.

It is my hope that every year we publish this index, we will see the percentage of people who put their lives and others at risk by drinking and driving decrease, and finally put a stop to this easily preventable cause of death on our roads.

Cognitive Decline: Not Just a Concern for Seniors

2012-01-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

A new study published last week in the BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal) showed that cognitive decline in skills such as memory and reasoning is being seen in people as young as 45.

Most of us are aware that as we get older, our cognitive skills and abilities begin to decline, and many of us struggle with tasks that up until a few years ago we performed with ease. With the median age of Americans now at 37, this means a large percentage of the population is already, or soon will be affected by a decline in their cognitive skills. When thinking about this decline in terms of driving ability, it's a scary prospect!

When the Foundation partnered with Posit Science back in 2009 to develop a program called DriveSharp, it was originally envisioned as a tool to help the “over 60” population re-train their brains to process information, react faster when driving and to extend their overall safe driving years. The program has shown to reduce the risk of car crash by up to 50%, improve ‘divided attention’ (the skill that enables you to track multiple moving objects at once) and expand ‘useful field of view’(the area over which you can extract information from in a single glance).

Though the Foundation has mainly endorsed this program as a way to help seniors extend their safe driving years, a major clinical trial known as the IMPACT study, showed that every adult can benefit from Posit Science's Brain Fitness Program, regardless of age or other factors. As cognitive decline is now being seen in people as young as 45, this program can benefit users of all ages, and help everyone stay sharp on the road!

To learn more information about DriveSharp, visit Drivesharpnow.com

It’s Not Too Late to Make One More Resolution

2012-01-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

Let me start by wishing you a very happy and safe New Year. Let’s make 2012 a record year in lives saved on our roads. And, it starts with you. Each of us has a responsibility when we get behind the wheel as the driver and as a passenger.

As I reflect on 2011, I think about how often I have commented on driver behaviors regarding traffic safety. And, that is why it comes as no surprise that for the fourth consecutive year the Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index finds that drivers continue to exhibit a “Do as I say, Not as I do” attitude behind the wheel.

While the Department of Transportation recently released updated fatality and injury data which indicates that 32,885 lives were lost in automobile crashes in 2010, fewer deaths on record than any time for the past 60 years, I feel that even one death on our road is too many.

Our survey confirms that Americans desire a greater level of safety than you now experience on our roads and are open to more government action to make it happen. Yet, from driving drowsy to not wearing a seatbelt, many are unwilling to change potentially deadly driving behaviors and candidly admit they are part of the problem. That is why I am challenging you to examine your driving habits and make a resolution to drive safer in 2012 and beyond.

In the upcoming weeks I will share key findings from this study along with other research projects the Foundation is conducting. However, invite you to learn exactly what drivers are saying in the 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index.

Let Traffic Safety be the First Gift You Open

2011-12-22T07:23:00.000-08:00

With the holidays right around the corner, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety wishes you a safe and happy holiday season. Whether you are entertaining family and friends at home, heading to visit loved ones, or setting off for a fun filled vacation, let's not forget that arriving safe is the best present we can give.

To ensure that you arrive safely wherever your holiday celebrations take you, we ask that you consider these tips:

Make sure your car is ready for the trip.

Give yourself plenty of time and know your route. Consider designating a passenger, possibly one of your children, to be navigator.

Check road conditions and the weather report. Be prepared, pack an emergency road safety kit and snow scrapper.

Don't over-pack your vehicle. Make sure you have an unobstructed view.

Pack some snacks for the kids (or yourself) and bottled water, especially if you have a long journey. Know where rest-stops are along the route.

Don't drive drowsy. Be sure that you've had at least seven hours sleep the night before.

Ensure everyone is comfortable and buckled-up.

Obey the speed limits and posted traffic signs.

Never drink and drive.

Stay clear of distractions - put your cell phone in the glove compartment, set your mirrors, navigation and radio station before pulling out of the driveway.

And, most importantly remember to be cautious, focused and safe!

Following these tips will help you enjoy your holiday. On behalf of the AAA family, best wishes for a wonderful holiday weekend.

Senior Safety Remains Important Issue on The Road

2011-12-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

People 65 and older are the fastest growing driving demographic in the United States. The “baby boomers” are becoming grandparents and it is estimated that by 2020, there will be 40 million licensed drivers 65 or older. This means millions of families will soon be looking for answers about issues surrounding senior mobility as well as the resources that are available to help keep their loved one safe behind the wheel.

This week (December 5^th-9^th) is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week and I thought it would be an excellent time to share my thoughts on this subject. First, both the AAA Foundation and AAA Clubs are not in the business of taking the keys out of the hands of senior drivers. In fact, we are dedicated to helping keep seniors driving safely for longer. That’s why the Foundation encourages seniors to assess their driving abilities with programs like Roadwise Review and use training tools like DriveSharp to help maintain cognitive abilities critical to safe driving. It is our belief that the decision to stop driving should not be based on age, but on the ability to drive safely.

However, let’s be realistic, there are issues associated with aging that can’t be changed. Take vision and lighting, for example. People need far more light to see objects clearly as they get older, which can undoubtedly have an impact on someone’s driving ability. Mature drivers can address this issue by planning trips during the day and avoiding driving late at night or in foggy, rainy weather when it can be difficult to see.

Another issue of concern is the use of medications and the impact they can have on the ability to drive safely. We’ve all seen the warning labels that read “Do not operate heavy machinery”. Well those definitely apply when it comes to medications and driving. A 2009 AAA Foundation study found that about two-thirds of seniors take five or more medications every day. Many of these drugs can impair driving, especially in combination with other meds. But, just over a quarter of people surveyed in this study reported knowing that they were taking substances that could affect their driving. Knowing what you’re taking and how it affects you is critical for your safety.

The greatest challenge for many families is simply acknowledging the issue and talking about it. While this can be difficult, the earlier that discussion happens with your loved one, the easier it will be to make a plan of action. Many seniors are afraid they will be losing their independence if they can’t drive and don’t want to become a burden on family or friends. However, people are often unaware of the alternative transportation options that are available to help make this transition easier for everyone.

Seniors are important contributors within the community and we want to see them continue to travel safely – whether that’s behind the wheel, on foot or via public transportation. We want seniors and their families to be aware of the programs that can help extend the driving experience as well as the resources that are available when it is time for them to give up the keys.

For more information about senior driver safety and mobility, visit www.seniordriving.aaa.com or www.seniordrivers.org.

Thanksgiving Travel Means A Full Plate For Drivers

2011-11-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches many people have a lot of things that need to get done. Whether you need to tidy up the house before hosting the big meal or prepare a few dishes to take to dinner elsewhere, there are probably a hundred things on your “to-do” list. Then it shouldn’t be a surprise that the roadways will be equally as busy. AAA forecasts that 38.2 million Americans will be traveling on our nation’s highways for the Thanksgiving holiday, a four percent increase from 2010.

With so many people hitting the roads, it is important to remind drivers that as you rush around on errands or prepare to make a long trip to see family, safety should be your #1 priority. Distracted driving is surely one of the major obstacles drivers will face during this busy season. Calling home to find out what’s needed at the grocery store might be important for the Thanksgiving menu, but it’s not so important that the call can’t wait until you’re safely parked in the parking lot. While the vast majority of drivers agree that using a cell phone behind the wheel is a threat to safety, many continue to exhibit a “Do as I say, Not as I do” attitude when it comes to their own behavior while driving. This attitude has to change because no phone call or text is worth the consequences.

Another issue drivers need to watch out for is drowsy driving. Many drivers will be taking long trips at odd hours of the day so it is important to watch out for signs of sleep deprivation. Nearly one-third of drivers admit having driven when they had trouble keeping their eyes open and this is even more of a concern after a large Thanksgiving meal.

So this Thanksgiving, be sure to put your cell phone down and get plenty of rest before you hit the road. Having the right kind of stuffing at the table is important but the most important ingredient to a successful Thanksgiving is the safe arrival (and departure) of the friends and family you care about. Everything after that is gravy.

Happy Thanksgiving from the AAA Foundation Family!

Much Discussed 'Do as I Say, Not as I Do' Attitude Exists with Drowsy Driving

2011-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

A recent AAA Foundation study again calls attention to the ‘Do as I Say, Not as I Do’ attitude that exists in this country when getting behind the wheel. In this instance, we’re referring to drowsy driving, which kills, just as sure as drunk, drugged and distracted driving does. A study we released last year showed one of every six deadly crashes and one in eight crashes causing serious injury involved a drowsy driver. Now, according to the Foundation’s 2011 Safety Culture Survey, two out of every five drivers (41%) admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, with one in 10 saying they had done so in the past year. Yet, nearly all of these same drivers (96%) feel drowsy driving is an unacceptable behavior and almost a third (32%) admitted driving when they were so tired that they had difficulty keeping their eyes open in the past month.

Drivers have a tendency to underestimate the impact being tired has on their driving ability, which puts themselves and others at risk. To help raise awareness among all drivers of the seriousness of this deadly, yet far too common driving practice, AAA and the AAA Foundation applaud the National Sleep Foundation’s annual Drowsy Driving Prevention Week®.

Most people have experienced the feeling of sleepiness while driving, and many try to power through or dismiss key warning signs that signal their minds and bodies need a break from driving. Please read and pass along the following safety tips and help us continue our conversation on how to change traffic safety culture in this country.

Warning signs of sleepiness include, but are not limited to:

• Having difficulty keeping your eyes open and focused, and/or having heavy eyelids

• Difficulty keeping your head up

• Drifting from your lane, swerving, tailgating, and/or hitting rumble strips

• Inability to clearly remember the last few miles driven

• Missing traffic signs or driving past your intended exit

• Yawning repeatedly and rubbing your eyes

• Feeling irritable or restless

To remain alert and prevent a fall-asleep crash, AAA offers these tips:

• Get plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) the night before a long trip

• Stop driving if you become sleepy; someone who is tired could fall asleep at any time – fatigue impacts reaction time, judgment and vision, causing people who are very sleepy to behave in similar ways to those who are drunk

• Travel at times when you are normally awake, and stay overnight rather than driving straight through

• Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles

• Drink a caffeinated beverage. Since it takes about 30 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream, find a safe place to take a 20-30 minute nap while you’re waiting for the caffeine to take effect

• Travel with an awake passenger

For more information on Drowsy Driving, including the Foundation's b rochure How to Avoid Drowsy Driving, visit aaafoundation.org

Time to Fall Back into Safer Habits

2011-11-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

The growing chill in the air, the rustling of leaves under our feet, and the holidays just around the corner all signal that it’s time to turn back our clocks. As we prepare to fall back an hour this weekend courtesy Daylight Savings Time it can be easy to discount the potential dangers that come with fewer hours of daylight to complete everyday tasks. The sun rising later and setting earlier means that morning and evening activities, like a daily run, walking the dog, commuting to and from work, and walking or biking to school might now be done under the cloak of darkness with diminished visibility for all involved. Colder temperatures also cause people to brace against the elements by using jacket hoods to keep warm and drivers often begin driving with frosty windshields (even though they shouldn’t). Both of these things restrict vision and make it considerably less likely for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to be aware of one another.

Traffic safety is a shared responsibility, so here’s a quick refresher to ensure safer travels via all modes of transportation:

See and Be Seen

- Leave headlights on an hour after dawn and turn them on an hour before dusk.

Don’t Drive Drowsy

- Avoid grogginess behind the wheel on dark mornings by allowing for sufficient prep time to fully wake up.

Walkers Watch Out

- Keep to sidewalks and crosswalks.

- Wear bright or reflective clothing, dark clothing in dark light make you difficult to spot.

- Slow down and stay alert when driving on residential streets and in school zones during early morning and afternoon hours.

Bikers Beware

- Ride on the side of the road (or bike lane if available) and ALWAYS obey traffic signals.

- Like walkers, dress to be seen and be sure you have reflectors and/or lights to make you more visible.

Dodge Debris

- Use caution when driving through piles of leaves, which can hide dangerous debris and become slippery when wet.

- Fall storms means down tree limbs and branches, be mindful of them blowing into the road.

Trick-or-Treat with Care to Avoid the Real Terror on Halloween

2011-10-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Halloween is upon us – the time of year filled with pumpkin carving, haunted houses, parties, and of course, trick-or-treating! When contemplating what to dress up as this year, don’t forget the most important thing that should accompany every Halloween costume—SAFETY. Kids of all ages taking to the darkened streets on a quest for candy can present any number of traffic hazards, so it should come as no surprise that October 31 is the deadliest night of the year for pedestrians.

Remember, costumes do not come with magical powers. Pedestrians, especially young children, are even more vulnerable walking around after dark in poorly lit or high traffic areas. While Halloween and horror go hand-in-hand, there’s nothing scarier than a child being hit by a car because they weren’t able to be seen by the driver.

No matter what your plans are this Halloween Weekend, follow these tips, and dare we say tricks, to ensure your haunts remain harmless:

Tips For Trick-or-Treaters:

Walk—don’t run—in groups or with a trusted adult.

Attach something reflective to your costume or candy bag.

Carry a flashlight or wear something lit, such as a glow stick, make yourself more visible.

Walk on sidewalks or on the edge of the road facing traffic to be easily seen.

Avoid potential hazards by not cutting across yards or driveways.

Cross at a crosswalk or an intersection whenever possible.

Look both ways before crossing the street.

Make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you before crossing.

Set a curfew of 9:00pm to avoid being out too late after dark.

Tips For Drivers:

Be extra mindful of increased pedestrian traffic in your neighborhood.

Avoid driving in residential neighborhoods during trick-or-treating hours.

Turn your headlights on an hour before dusk so you’re more obvious to pedestrians.

Stop at intersections, even if there isn’t a stop sign, to let pedestrians cross safely.

Slow down, be alert and avoid distractions.

Finally, take the pledge for no trick-or-tweeting behind the wheel!

Seatbelts Are Still the Safest “Technology” in Your Car

2011-10-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that roughly 85% of motorists used their safety belts in 2009, nearly half of passengers killed in traffic crashes that year (about 11,500) were not buckled up. So, while automakers continue using technological advancements to make vehicles safer, the easiest and safest thing everyone can (and should) do is use a traditional, yet proven safety device that goes back more than five decades: the 3-point safety belt.

Since the invention of the modern seat belt more than 50 years ago, enormous advancements in vehicle safety have been made with technologies such as front and side airbags, electronic stability control, child safety seats and so on. Among the latest advances, GM debuted a new front-center airbag that is designed to deploy between the driver and front seat passenger during a side-impact collision. These kinds of technological improvements have drastically reduced the risk of injury and death in the event of an accident, but none of them have a greater life-saving capability than the seat belt.

Between 1975—when the 3-point front seat belt became standard in all U.S. cars—and 2009, seat belts have been responsible for saving an estimated 267,890 lives. That’s an average of nearly 11,000 people each year – wives, husbands, brothers, sisters and children – who are alive today because they simply clicked in before they hit the road. Seat belt usage has increased dramatically over the years, with primary or secondary laws now in place in 49 states and the District of Columbia. And yet, despite today’s increasingly high rate of seatbelt usage, we shouldn’t be satisfied as thousands of lives are still lost on our roads each year because they were unbuckled.

The new in-vehicle safety technology becoming available is wonderful, but we should always remember that the simplest thing we can do to protect ourselves from being injured or killed in a crash is use a safety belt. Help protect your family and friends by setting a positive example of always buckling up, no matter how long or short the trip.

Don’t take chances, take action—buckle up.

Teen Driver Safety Week—Teaching Teens Skills to Last a Lifetime

2011-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States and the evidence of this often seen on the news is heartbreaking:

This 18-year-old high school senior from Garrett, Indiana was not wearing a seat belt when she lost control of her car and slammed into two utility poles and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 15-year-old from Iowa lost his life and injured his 15-year-old passenger, after they were ejected from their vehicle while attempting to catch air under the vehicle on the top of a hill.
Unrestrained at the time, an 18-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri was killed when he hit the back of a tractor-trailer that slowed down in front of him.

These are real kids, with real families left behind…and it’s happening every day in this country. We owe it to our children and society to do better, because the rate of teen crashes should be unacceptable to us all. Recent research by AAAFTS found that teen drivers are 50% more likely to crash in the first month of having a license than they are after a full year of experience and most crashes tend to involve three common mistakes – failure to reduce speed, inattention, and failure to yield. During the upcoming Teen Driver Safety Week (October 16 – 22) make teaching your child to drive safely and responsibly a priority. Talk with them. Drive with them. Lead by example when you drive, because they are watching and modeling you, even if they aren’t old enough to drive yet.

Driving comes with a wealth of dangers no matter who is behind the wheel, but proper education and experience in varied, real-world driving scenarios are the keys to combating those dangers. Parental involvement is essential for exposing teens to different scenarios and the development of good driving habits, even after the law allows teens to drive solo.

Parents are best positioned to educate young drivers and ultimately save lives. That’s because, no matter what your kids may lead you to believe, parents remain the biggest influence on teens. Here’s what AAA suggests:

Practice, practice, practice: Ensure that basic skills are mastered and to introduce varied driving conditions (snow, heavy traffic, rural roads) with an experienced driver in the passenger seat.
Keep passengers out: Teen drivers’ crash risks multiply with teenage passengers in the vehicle. Set limits and enforce them consistently.
Limit night driving: Reduced visibility makes night driving riskier for inexperienced teens. Allow new teen drivers to drive at night only if truly necessary or to practice with a parent.
Keep setting rules: Parents can – and should – set and enforce rules above and beyond their state laws. In addition to night and passenger limits, set rules for inclement weather, highways, cities, or other driving conditions in which a teen has not gained enough experience. Find a parent-teen driving agreement on TeenDriving.AAA.com that can help.

Finally, help us spread the word. Talk to others in your community about teen driver safety and forward on this information through your social networks – it just might save the life of a teen.

Calling All Drivers, Put Down Your Phones

2011-10-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

For the fourth consecutive year the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s Traffic Safety Culture Index has found that drivers exhibit a “Do as I say, Not As I do” attitude when it comes to using cell phones behind the wheel. According to the 2011 findings, 95% of drivers consider texting while driving a serious threat to their personal safety. Yet, more than a third of drivers admit to texting while driving in the past month. If that isn’t alarming enough, 88% of drivers also view talking on a cell phone as a safety threat, but a staggering two-thirds fess up they’ve done so themselves in the past month as well.

Addressing this disconnect among motorists thinking something is unsafe and actually doing something unsafe, is the driving force behind Heads Up Driving Week. Running from Sunday, October 2 through Saturday October 8, the Foundation and AAA are promoting this campaign to get drivers to pledge to drive distraction-free for one week. Committing to one week will remove distractions during that time and hopefully show drivers that eliminating distracting habits behind the wheel makes the road safer for everyone.

When it comes to distracted driving dangers, the facts speak for themselves:

More than one million people have died in motor vehicle crashes over the past 25 years in the United States, including 32,788 in 2010.
In 2009, 5,474 people were killed and an additional 448,000 were injured in distraction-related crashes.
Studies indicate that cell phone use while driving roughly quadruples one’s risk of a traffic crash.

Driving distracted makes even the safest driver unsafe. This week the AAA Foundation is calling on all drivers to “Try it for a Week, Do it for life”. You can make the conscious and collective decision to put down the phone and become part of the solution, not the problem.

Safe Habits Start Early - National Child Passenger Safety Week

2011-09-19T06:44:00.001-07:00

National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 18-24, 2011 provides the opportunity to remind and reinforce safe driving and travelling behaviors. Research by the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that when used effectively, child passenger safety seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (children younger than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (children between 1 and 4 years old). Although everyone should buckle up every time they travel in a vehicle, parents and caregivers have a special responsibility to ensure that children are properly secured and protected during travel. That’s why it’s critical that parents with children under the age of 14 get the facts on the child passenger restraint laws that exist in their state and the penalties for not following those rules.

An important part of ensuring a child’s safety is selecting the proper car seat. Seats should be chosen based on a child’s age, height and weight and it always should be placed in the back seat of a vehicle. As a precaution, car seats also can be registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration so you will receive notifications on defects and recalls.

Car seats are essential safety devices and require proper installation. Be sure yours is correctly installed by getting it inspected by a certified technician at any of the participating locations on Saturday, September 24 during National Seat Check Saturday.

Pedestrian Safety is Important to Everyone – Just Ask Reese Witherspoon

2011-09-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

Heading out for a morning jog may be more than just a lap around the neighborhood. Ask Reese Witherspoon who was hit by a car and ended up taking a trip to the hospital instead of completing her run. This incident is important to two reasons. First it is a reminder for many of us that we share the roads with cars, bikes, and joggers. And second, it draws our attention to senior mobility and driving because the driver of the car that hit Witherspoon was 84-years-old.

Sharing the road is the responsibility of everyone – the driver, jogger, cyclists and others. Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind as you head out:

SHARE THE ROAD – be aware that drivers are not the only road users. Watch out for walkers, joggers, bicyclists and motorcycles.
OBEY TRAFFIC PATTERNS – know the rules of the road and obey them.
BE VISIBLE – whether you are a SUV or a jogger make yourself visible to others.

Seniors already make up a large portion of the driving public, and this demographic is continuing to grow. Did you know that by 2025, people aged 65 and older will account for 25 percent of U.S. drivers? As America ages, we need to address the challenges of keeping motorists driving for as long as safely possible and ensuring adequate mobility for those that can no longer drive. That’s why Roadwise Review and Posit Science’s DriveSharp program are such great resources.

The AAA Foundation does not believe that anybody should have their car keys taken away simply because they reach a certain age. Instead, states should have a fair and comprehensive system to screen all drivers applying for new or renewed licenses to ensure they are medically and functionally fit to drive through procedures, such as eye exams and in-person renewal.

If you are facing the decision with a loved one about when to stop driving, visit www.seniordriving.aaa.com for helpful information about how to deal with the very personal and often difficult challenges related to senior driving.

School’s Open – Drive Carefully

2011-08-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Back to school marks a change in seasons and a change in traveling for everyone. With school buses lining the streets and crossing guards posted at street corners it is important to be alert and aware on our roadways. That is why since 1946, AAA has conducted its annual School’s Open – Drive Carefully campaign in an effort to educate the public on important traffic safety messages and ultimately reduce school-related pedestrian deaths. This campaign helps support the work of more than 600,000 school safety patrollers in 31,000 schools across the U.S. Also, this year AAA decided to collaborate with Richard Scarry’s Busytown Mysteries to help spread the word about the importance of back to school safety.

Whether commuting to work, carpooling to school or heading out for daily activities please take caution to ensure that everyone gets to where they are going and back home safely. Here are some helpful hints for everyone to keep in mind as we adjust to the increased traffic in our neighborhoods:

Take Your Time – Allow extra time for school zone traffic or adjust your route to avoid it.
Avoid Distractions – Keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Focus on where you’re going, no matter how you’re getting there.
STOP at Stop Signs. Treat a stop sign as you would a red light—come to a complete stop every time.
Slow Down! – Speed limits in school zones tend to be 5 to 10 miles per hour below the posted speed.
Brake for Buses – Passing a stopped school bus is against the law, so don’t do it.
Watch for Walkers and Cyclists – Be cautious and prepared, especially on sidewalks and be extra cautious around driveways, intersections and residential neighborhoods.
Cross at the Crosswalk – Keep to where you’re most likely to be seen, and where you have the right-of-way.
Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers. If you see one of the more than 600,000 AAA School Safety Patrollers at 31,000 schools across the country, you know you’re approaching a school zone.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

2011-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

UPDATE (8.29.11)- Check out Secretary LaHood recent blog about the upcoming Labor Day Weekend and the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

According to NHTSA, drunk driving claimed the lives of 10,839 people in 2009, approximately a third of all fatalities on our nation’s roadways that year. In fact, 87% of people surveyed feel that drunk driving is a very serious threat to their personal safety (page 7)—second only to distracted driving—and 98% say they personally consider driving while intoxicated an unacceptable act. As law enforcement gears up for their annual crackdown with a new campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, it is clear that impaired driving remains a critical safety issue despite public perceptions.

Changing this potentially deadly behavior is a long-term effort. Success truly hinges on drivers making the right decision at the end of the night to find a safe and sober way home. Combining highly visible enforcement with strong public education equals a recipe for success when combating such challenging safety culture issues as drunk driving, seat belt use and most recently distracted driving. Recognizing that laws are most effective if there’s a strong belief that they’ll be enforced, this national effort will be cracking down on impaired drivers.

Respect the law, respect other drivers and respect yourself enough to remove drugs and alcohol from your driving equation. A single bad decision, like getting behind the wheel after a few drinks, may get you caught, killed or kill someone else.

Drivers Reminded to Stop On Red Next Week

2011-08-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

Next week (August 7-13) is National Stop on Red Week, a program started back in 1995 by the Federal Highway Administration to remind the public how important it is to pay attention to traffic signals and how dangerous it can be to try and sneak through an intersection as the signal changes from yellow to red. Red means stop is a lesson learned in elementary school and a fundamental building block of driver education. However, red-light running crashes are responsible for an average of 885 traffic fatalities a year—more than two fatalities a day—from 2000 to 2009, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Most tragic is that these fatalities are 100% preventable. Drivers who run red lights typically are in a hurry, driving aggressively, are distracted or believe they won’t get caught for such a minor infraction. In fact, in a 2010 survey, more than one-third of motorists admitted going through a red light when they could have stopped safely in the previous month. Multi-vehicle or pedestrian-related crashes caused by red-light runners can be devastating, leaving fatalities or severely injured people in their wake. Waiting at a red light, especially when you’re feeling rushed, can be annoying and even make you late for work, but the results of running a red light can last a lifetime.

So, use this week as a reminder to go back to basics behind the wheel:

Green means GO.
Yellow means SLOW.
Red means STOP!

If you’re still not convinced, check out the top 10 reasons to stop on red. Stopping at a red light is the law and it applies to everyone. Saving lives beats saving time every day of the week.

Five Summer Dangers and Tips For Safer Cruising

2011-07-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

Summer driving can hold hidden dangers for drivers. With the sweltering summer heat dominating weather reports, keeping vehicles running in top condition and taking a few simple precautions can help avoid serious safety and financial consequences.

Five Summer Driving Dangers

Sweltering Interiors: According to NHTSA, 27 children die from vehicle-related heat-strokes each year. Never leave children or pets in a vehicle unattended, temperatures can rise dangerously high in just a few minutes even with the windows cracked. Always lock your car and keep keys out of reach of children to avoid them playing in an unattended car and getting trapped. Also to avoid burns, use caution when entering a vehicle with dark interiors, especially leather, which can become too hot to even touch.
Vehicle Over-heating: Check your car´s cooling system, engine hoses, drive belts and battery. This is especially important if you are planning to tow a boat or full load up a vehicle for a long trip.
Tire Blowouts: Hot weather can cause air pressure inside the tire to expand, causing tires in poor condition to blowout. Keeping tires properly inflated and maintained is not only safe, but benefits fuel efficiency. To avoid inaccurate pressure readings due to the heat, try to inflate tires when they are at their coolest (usually when they’ve been parked for a while).
Slick Spots: Summer rainstorms can create mini-oil slicks on the road. Extreme heat can causes oils deposited from vehicles to be absorbed, causing these slick spots when it rains.
Poorly-packed Vehicles: Secure items to prevent dangerous shifting and/or dangerous flying debris while on the move. To ensure a safer load, check the vehicle’s payload capacity and do not overload the trunk or rear cargo compartment, and ensure any cargo top carriers are properly installed, closed and do not exceed recommended weight limits.

Five Tips to Safer Summer Cruising

Share the Road: Watch out for pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles out enjoying the summer weather. Pedestrians and these two-wheeled vehicles may be harder to spot in your mirror. (Motorcyclists – Check out our top 10 tips for safe riding)
Keep your Cool: Don’t let summer heat get the best of your temper, stay calm and keep your passengers and your safety in mind.
Stay Connected, But Safely: Carry a cell phone and charger in case of emergency or breakdown. However, don’t use it while driving and avoid similar distractions! Also, consider taking a GPS navigation device to help you stay on course in unfamiliar areas but, don’t attempt to program it while driving.
Pack Smart: Keep a basic emergency kit stocked in the event of a breakdown. Key components may include a cell phone charger, water, snacks, necessary medications, first aid supplies and portable cooling devices, such as battery-powered fans.
Fill the Tank: A well-fueled car will keep you from being stranded with an empty tank and filling the tank at night will make for a cooler and less crowded task.

Regular maintenance and safe driving are essential to keeping scorching temperatures from causing major driving disasters. Be sure to buckle up and stay safe this summer!

Cool Off Aggressive Drivers with an Overdose of Courtesy

2011-07-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Temperature gauges aren’t the only thing escalating with summer heat. Many things can cause tempers to flare behind the wheel, especially as roads become clogged with vacationing families and teens basking in their summer freedom. Instead of allowing frustration on the road to get the best of you, here are some tips to keep your cool and squash would-be aggressive drivers with your courtesy driving:

Check Your Emotions at the Door … of Your Car.

Being overly emotional, whether sad, glad or mad, can cloud your ability to focus on driving.
Learn how to let things go on the road. Don’t let another driver’s bad behavior get the better of you.
Remember when the windows are down, others can both see and hear you.

Share the Road and Parking Lots.

There is plenty of pavement for everyone, so don’t crowd other cars, bikers or pedestrians.
Use your signals and avoid abrupt starts and stops, no one enjoys those kinds of surprises.
Go slow and be alert in parking areas, distracted by hot leather seats and oppressive humidity drivers and pedestrians may not watch for you.

Obey the Speed Limits.

Guinness doesn’t give records for fastest commute or “beating the traffic.”
They are the law, not the suggestion. The road is not the place to make up time if you’re running late.
If a car wants to pass, let them. Don’t get offended if you’re passed by a faster moving car—they’re breaking the law, not you.

Don’t Block the Box.

Keep traffic moving in intersections. If your entire vehicle can’t make it before the light changes, then wait out the light.

Stay behind the crosswalk—both pedestrians and drivers traveling in the opposite direction will thank you.

If any of these tendencies struck a chord, go online and take our quiz to find out if you could use a bit more courtesy in the car. Just imagine how many traffic accidents could be prevented and how many lives could be saved if all motorists embodied a more summery and relaxed, easy-going attitude behind the wheel.

National Summit On Quest Towards Zero Deaths

2011-07-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure to present at the annual National Summit for Rural Traffic Safety Culture in Big Sky, Montana, alongside many of our friends and colleagues in the traffic safety industry. Together at this Summit we continue our quest to advance the goal of zero deaths on rural roadways. While there’s been much to celebrate in recent years with a steady decline in roadway fatalities and injuries, losing even one life to a preventable incident is unacceptable.

Utilizing research—past, present and future—on the causes of traffic crashes, how to prevent them and how to minimize injuries when they occur, the Foundation helps to reframe the debate on the need for traffic safety improvements as a public health issue. We hope to bring the conversation back to our founding goal of saving lives and reducing injuries on the roads by finding out what is motivates current attitudes and tendencies toward unsafe driving behaviors.

We understand that the true key to saving further lives lies in transforming the culture around driving. In addition to road and vehicle improvements, challenges remain that can be overcome with a shift in the traffic safety culture, especially in rural areas with issues such as seat belt usage, distraction and impaired driving. Similar to past cultural crusades against smoking and drunk driving, two epidemics once considered socially acceptable that now bear the stigma of poor judgment and lack of respect for oneself and others, there needs to be revitalization in the idea that engaging in dangerous behaviors behind the wheel is inherently wrong and socially irresponsible.

This will not happen overnight, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But, with continued rigorous pursuit of this goal with our friends and colleagues in the traffic safety industry as well as campaigns like the Decade of Action, we are confident that the culture of complacency and ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude can be overcome.

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” - Margaret Mead

Fourth of July Deadliest Day on Our Roads—Stay Safe and Sober This Weekend

2011-07-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

You might be surprised to learn, as you’re piling the family in the car to head to that Fourth of July barbecue, ballgame, picnic or firework display, that Independence Day is the single deadliest day for traffic fatalities across the county. According to new AAA Foundation analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2000 and 2009 more people lost their lives in traffic accidents on July 4^th than any other day of the year. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it also was shown to be the second deadliest day for drunk driving deaths, second only to New Year’s Day. An average of 40% of traffic fatalities on July 4^th in that same 10-year period involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit (.08 or higher).

Drunk drivers put everyone on the road in danger and these numbers are a frightening reminder of how easily a holiday celebration can turn to tragedy. That's why the AAA Foundation and AAA are urging motorists everywhere to visit TakeThePledge.AAA.com to sign a quick online pledge to drive only while drug and alcohol-free this holiday weekend and all year long. Once you’ve taken the free pledge, you can share it via Facebook and Twitter, or even send personalized E-cards to encourage others to do the same. Staying safe and sober will help ensure the only red, white and blue lights filling the sky are from fireworks, not emergency vehicles.

Here are some quick tips for a Safer Holiday Celebration:

Plan Ahead

o Plan ahead and designate a driver if you’re planning on drinking at a party.

o Use alternative transportation like taxi cabs or public transit to get to and from an event.

Party Responsibly

o Keep track of how many drinks you’ve had and how quickly you’ve consumed them.

o Eat while you drink, specifically high protein foods like meats and cheeses that stay in the stomach longer, thereby slowing the body’s alcohol absorption rate.

o Use non-carbonated mixers, as the body absorbs alcohol faster when mixed with carbonization.

Tend the Bar

o Have non-alcoholic beverage options available.

o Keep the alcohol consumption under control by designating a bartender to mix the drinks.

o Never serve anyone underage.

o Don’t serve anyone who appears to be impaired

Take the Keys

o NEVER allow an impaired friend or guest to get behind the wheel.

o Step up and offer to call your friend a cab, let them sleep it off or find a sober friend to give them a ride.

Following these tips will help ensure your Fourth of July celebration is a safe one. On behalf of the AAA family, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!!

10 Safety Tips for Enjoying Motorcycle to Work Day

2011-06-17T11:05:00.001-07:00

This Monday be prepared to share the road during national Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day. To ensure that everyone remains safe on the road with the potential influx motorcycles, here are the AAA Foundation’s top safety tips for both bikers and drivers alike:

Make Yourself Visible – Follow the left tire track of the vehicle in front of you to avoid being hidden in their blind spots. Wear reflective clothing when possible and assume that other drivers don’t see you.
Share the Road, Not the Lane – Never share another lane with a moving vehicle and never take a short cut between stopped or slow moving vehicles.
Light Up – Keep your headlight on or use supplemental running lights at all times.
Go with the Flow – Drive at the speed of traffic to make yourself more obvious to other vehicles.
Treat Yellow Lights as Red Lights – Stop for yellows, don’t speed up. Motorcycles can be difficult to spot in an intersection.
Know How to Stop – Periodically practice quick stops in empty parking lots, without sliding tires. Courses also are available to refresh motorcycle riding skills.
Drive Defensively, Not Aggressively – Be respectful and courteous to other commuters. Avoiding antagonistic behaviors like stopping short, tailgating or cutting off drivers.
Keep an Eye on Other Drivers – Anticipate a vehicle’s change in direction by watching the driver’s head movements, hand motions on the steering wheel or the changing direction of the vehicle’s front tires.
Protect Yourself – Wear a helmets and protective clothing such as jackets, gloves, boots, and pants to minimize injuries in the event of an accident.
Be Alert – Constantly look for road surface hazards, and at night, watch for sudden tail light movements of the vehicle in front of you as a warning of surface hazards ahead.

For more biking best practices, check out our previous blog highlighting Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May. Motorcycling can be an excellent commuting alternative that offers both fuel efficiency and free hair drying services, not to mention the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without the hindrance of being enclosed in a car. So if you choose to dust off your Harley and brave the elements on Monday morning, do what you can to make your ride as safe and secure as possible. Oh, and watch out for bugs in your teeth!

Treat Your Tires to Some TLC

2011-06-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Last week was National Tire Safety Week and the AAA Foundation wants to help you ensure that your vehicles are road trip-ready before embarking on any vacation adventures this summer. Tire safety is serious business, Secretary LaHood recently shared data that shows, from 2005 to 2009, nearly 3,400 people died--and an estimated 116,000 were injured--in tire-related crashes. However, proper tire care doesn’t take much effort and can help prevent breakdowns and blowouts during your summer travels.

Unfortunately, knowing how to keep tires in tip-top condition isn’t necessarily common knowledge, according to a recent tire care awareness survey by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. More than half of drivers don’t know how to check if their tires are bald, only 15 percent properly check their tire inflation, and 62 percent don’t know where to find the correct inflation pressure for their vehicle.

Here is a quick tire safety checklist, provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to help ensure your next road trip is a blast instead of a blowout.

PRESSURE:

Maintain proper tire pressure, particularly during hot weather. Find your vehicle’s correct tire pressure on a label on the driver side door or in the owner’s manual.
Check tire pressure often (at least once a month), and don’t forget about the spare.
Always check tire pressure when tires are “cold,” meaning they’ve not been driven on for at least three hours.
Purchase a tire gauge and keep it in your vehicle.
Make sure your tire valves have caps.
Always check tire pressure before going on a long trip.

TREAD:

Inspect tires for cracks, foreign objects, uneven wear and other signs of damage.
Remove any items wedged in the tread.
Check to see if your tires are bald using the Lincoln’s Head penny test: Place a penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing toward you—if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head above the tire tread, it’s time for new tires.

ROTATION:

Rotate your tires to help prevent uneven wear and increases their longevity.
A good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires approximately every 5,000 miles (or every other oil change!).

ALIGNMENT:

Have a tire dealer check your vehicle’s alignment periodically to avoid tire damage.
Avoid running over potholes or hitting the curb while driving or parking, which can throw off your alignment.

White House Rural Council & usRAP: Two Peas in a Pod

2011-06-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

This morning, President Obama signed an executive order to establish a White House Rural Council, which would be the first of its kind to focus on policy initiatives for Rural Americans. In a statement posted to the White House Blog, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who chairs the Council, noted that this will provide an opportunity to focus on a number of critical issues, including upgrading and modernizing infrastructure in these areas.
This is especially welcome news in light of the fact that rural roadways continue to pose numerous safety challenges. While the level of safety on the nation’s road network varies, rural roads often fall under the highest risk category. In fact, two-lane rural highways – many of which are characterized by narrow travel lanes, hairpin turns, limited sight distances, and abundant roadside hazards – see fatality rates double or triple those found on America’s safest roads, our Interstates. President Obama has already made large investments in infrastructure in rural America, but much more is needed.

The AAA Foundation is proud to lead a major undertaking – the U.S. Road Assessment Program (usRAP) – to develop a systematic assessment of the nation’s road network. The project uses crash location and roadway data to create risk maps, wherein road segments are color-coded according to the level of relative risk they pose as indicated by measures like crash rate and density. In addition, road segments are evaluated for safety and assigned star ratings based on their design features. Star ratings look at roadway elements that impact the likelihood of crashes occurring and the level of protection afforded to road users in the event that a crash does happen.

With many local agencies struggling under tight budgets and staffing shortages, collecting the data required to systematically prioritize roadway project investments can be extremely burdensome, yet without this data limited resources may not be targeted to the projects yielding the greatest safety benefits. What makes usRAP so innovative is that it can provide highway departments and transportation officials with the additional tools they need to make these allocations effectively. By limiting the highest risk category to 5 percent of roadway length, usRAP also helps States meet Federal obligations to report their 5 percent of roadway locations with the most urgent safety needs.

Given that infrastructure upgrades do not occur overnight, many of the usRAP materials are presented in a “consumer-friendly” manner, with the goal being that the general public can access them in order to learn about the level of safety offered by the road networks they rely on every day. Given the dangers posed by many rural roadways and the lack of transportation alternatives in many rural communities, this may be a valuable – and lifesaving – public service to rural Americans looking to factor safety considerations into route choices.

Secretary Vilsack stated that he will be communicating with Rural America to “ensure that every American is aware of the programs and services they can access.” We hope that state and local governments will take a closer look at usRAP in light of the Administration’s renewed commitment to Rural America and learn about the significant role it could play in shaping the future of the nation’s infrastructure by guiding investment decisions and always keeping safety the top priority.

Safety Doesn’t Take the Summer Off

2011-06-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

As the weather warms, students everywhere have started counting down the days until summer vacation. These three months of freedom usually include graduations, parties, road trips, vacations and summer jobs, all of which mean more teenagers behind the wheel. In preparation for this season, AAA and the AAA Foundation would like to remind parents that safety doesn’t take a summer vacation. In fact, seven of the ten most deadly days occur during the summer months.

Traffic-related crashes are still serving as the leading cause of death among teens in the United States and as we want both parents and teens to be aware of that heading into what many refer to as the “100 deadliest days” of summer. Teen drivers need to know that driving is a privilege and understand the responsibility that comes with it. To ensure you and your teens are properly prepared for the summer roadways, visit our teen driving website, which offers a variety of state-specific resources, such as tips and quizzes. Parents also can download a copy of AAA’s Parent-Teen Driving Agreement, which can help set realistic expectations and establish boundaries for teen drivers.

Keep your teen safe this summer by talking with them about the Top 10 Deadly Teen Driver Mistakes:

1. Risk Taking

2. Un-buckled

3. Speed

4. Rowdy Riders

5. Cell Phones

6. Messing with Music

7. Late Night Cruising

8. DUI

9. Peer Pressure

10. Overconfidence

Driving is a rite of passage that every teen dreams of and most parents dread. But a little preparation, trust and shared responsibility at the start will go a long way to instilling safe driving practices that will last a lifetime of summers, not to mention falls, winters and springs.

Tips to Steer Clear of Dangerous Drivers

2011-06-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

The latest viral video sensation, courtesy of would-be good samaritan Sean Symons, demonstrates the all-too-common outcome of drunk, drowsy or distracted driving. However, attempting to film dangerous drivers from behind the wheel can be just as reckless.

Encountering an erratic or dangerous driver like Sean Symons did can be a scary experience for any driver so the AAA Foundation has a few tips to help you watch out for and handle these situations safely:

Pay Attention to the Entire Road – Being alert helps you identify and avoid dangers on the road. Monitor what’s going on in front, to the sides and behind you at all times while driving, paying particular attention to pedestrians, bicyclists and debris. Keep an eye on your rearview and side mirrors so you’re not caught off guard by a dangerous or speeding driver approaching you from behind.
Avoid Tailgating – While it is tempting to get a closer look at a bad driver to determine exactly what you’re dealing with, tailgating often leads to a rear end accident. So, maintain the three-second interval between you and the vehicle you’re following. If you are the one being tailgated, move to another lane if possible, or slow down to encourage the driver to pass you.
Don’t Rely on Other Drivers to Do the Right Thing – Your driving behavior is the only thing you can control on the road, so be sure to drive defensively behind the wheel and anticipate danger before it happens.
Distance Yourself – Distance is a safe driver’s best friend against hazardous roadway scenarios, and the more distance the better. If you see someone driving erratically in front, next to or behind you, slow down to let them safely pass and change lanes if possible. Avoid speeding up, braking suddenly or abruptly changing lanes as that might exacerbate the situation.
Call in the Professionals – When you see someone driving erratically, report them to the authorities. Their behavior endangers everyone on the road and police are trained to get them off the roads safely.
That Said..Stay Off Your Phone Behind the Wheel – Ask a passenger to make the call, or make a mental note of the situation, location and license plate information of the vehicle in question and safely pull off to report it. Engaging in any form of distracted driving to report unsafe conditions only increases the risk of circumstances going from bad to worse.

While taking videos leave a lasting impression of how damaging reckless driving can be, it’s not worth putting yourself in harm’s way to capture the action. A video won’t do anyone any good if the camera becomes part of the wreckage, so stay safe by steering clear of dangerous drivers and driving distraction-free.

Safety First This Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend signals that the warm weather of summer is just around the corner. Students are counting down the days until summer break and parents are making the family vacation plans. Most people plan to spend this weekend outside attending barbeques with friends and family. However, all of this means increased traveling and congestion on our roads and the AAA Foundation wants to remind you that even in the midst of Memorial Day excitement, safety needs to be a priority.

Driving in beautiful weather with the windows down and sunroof open can make the shortest drive across town seem like joyful experience. However, drivers need to be careful because there is the potential of an increasing number of distractions as people start to spend more of their time outside. It’s simple; one minute you’re waving to a friend that is walking on the sidewalk and the next you’ve rear-ended the car in front of you. This example would be a minor incident but make no mistake, distracted driving in any form can have serious consequences.

Distraction isn’t the only thing drivers should be conscious of during the holiday weekend. Afternoon barbeques also means there will be the temptation to drink and drive. Drunk driving is not a game and a DUI, or even worse a serious accident, will ruin anyone’s holiday weekend. Drowsy Driving is also something people should watch out for this weekend, specifically anyone making a longer drive out of town or planning to drive late at night.

Memorial Day is a time to remember all of the people who have lost their lives serving our country. Let’s honor them by making responsible decisions and protecting the lives of each other while we’re on the road this weekend.

National EMS Week—What to Do When You Hear the Sounds of Sirens

2011-05-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Have you even been driving down the road when all of the sudden you hear a siren in the distance or see flashing lights in your rearview mirror and immediately ask, “What is going on?”, “Where is that coming from?”, or even “What have I done?” It is easy to get surprised by an emergency vehicle and even more important to know how to respond quickly as this teen found out while in the car with her dad. Your reaction, however, could help save a life.

In honor of National Emergency Medical Services Week and the first responders helping to save lives on our roads, here are some quick tips to help drivers react the right way and clear the road quickly:

When an emergency vehicle is approaching, pull as far to the right as possible and stop until the vehicle safely passes.
If you’re on a two-lane road, at an intersection or stuck in gridlock, yield the right-of-way as best as possible to give the vehicle room to get past and keep intersections clear.
If there is no safe way to pull over and stop, slow down to at least 20 MPH under the posted speed limit, or 5 MPH if the speed limit is already 20 MPH or less, and let the emergency vehicle go around you.
When you happen upon an emergency vehicle on the side of the road with their lights flashing, this is not the time to try to get a closer look at the action. Slow down, stay focused to watch for emergency personnel in the area and keep your distance until you’ve safely made your way past the scene.

To get to emergencies without delay, ambulances, fire trucks, police and other emergency vehicles depend on the cooperation of other roadway users. Keep these tips in mind the next time you hear a siren squeal to do your part to support these lifesaving heroes!

Ten Years Toward Zero Deaths – Decade of Action Launches Worldwide

2011-05-11T06:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that traffic crashes kill tens of thousands of people each year in the United States, most of which could easily be prevented. A recent Foundation survey found that even amidst the calls for smaller government and decreased budgets, Americans are supportive of government involvement when it comes to improving roadway safety. And while the number of US traffic fatalities has declined in recent years, traffic safety remains a major health issue both in US and around the world. Have you ever stopped to think about how many people around the world die in traffic accidents each year?

Every six seconds someone somewhere is killed or injured on the world’s roads. Road traffic accidents are among the top ten causes of death around the world, claiming 1.3 million lives every year—that’s three times the total number of traffic deaths in the U.S. over the past 10 years (411,574 fatalities from 2000-2009). The younger you are, the higher your odds—the number one cause of death among young people worldwide is roadway accidents.

That’s why the United Nations is launching the Decade of Action for Road Safety with the goal of stabilizing and then reducing global road deaths by 2020. Today, May 11, 2011, events are taking place on every continent to kickoff this worldwide initiative. Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and CDC Director Thomas Freiden will join the ranks by voicing their support at a press conference on Capitol Hill this morning, reaffirming the need for all of the nation’s highway safety agencies to adopt “Toward Zero Death” goals over the next 10 years.

But this isn’t just about lowering the number of lives lost on roads around the world. This is about a universal change in safety culture. This is about communities, cities, towns and countries working together to make our roads safer, to protect one another. We must go beyond single-solution thinking toward more strategic, broader reaching goals. There is a need to place a higher value on human life as you travel, be it your own, your neighbor’s, your family member’s or someone you’ve never even met. These are issues the Foundation continues to highlight with our annual safety culture survey and through discussion within the transportation community at events like the Traffic Safety Culture Summit. This is about taking a pledge over the next decade to elevate road safety to the upper echelons of global causes.

Where will you be in 10 years? Hard to say, but the better question is how safe will your roads be? Act now.

Ride Safe in May, and Everyday

2011-04-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

May, which happens to be Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, is just around the corner, and the AAA Foundation sees no better time to shed some light on the subject of biking best practices, particularly on the heels of a recent report on motorcycle fatalities released last week by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). The report found that while motorcycle deaths declined by 2 percent overall in 2010, the third quarter actually saw a spike in fatalities compared to the previous year. This has some experts worried that the upward trend in motorcycle deaths the United States saw from previous years might be returning.

While these numbers could be attributed to a variety of things, such as an improving economy stimulating motorcycle sales or less rain and warm weather extending the riding season, the fact remains that more bikers on the road means more exposure to risk. With temperatures heating up, daylight lingering longer and gas prices soaring, people are likely to dust off the Harleys and hit the open road as both an economic and enjoyable transportation alternative. The Foundation just wants to ensure that in doing so, safely and responsibly remain top of mind for riders.

Motorcycles are entitled to the same rights as any other vehicle on the road, and as such they need to follow the same rules. A motorcyclist has a much greater risk of experience a serious, life-threatening injury in a crash than a driver or passenger of a car because there is far less protection for riders. Most states have implemented helmet laws and encourage riders to take extra precautions before hopping on the back of a bike, like always wearing a helmet, never riding drunk, keeping speed in check, and most importantly receiving the proper training. This is especially true for the baby boom generation—a group that seen a recent uptick in motorcycle registrations—who are reaching retirement age and looking to recapture the riding passion of their youth. No matter the age or the perceived experience level, training is a must for all motorcycle operators.

But make no mistake, the responsibility for keeping our roads safe extends to motorists of every stripe. Car and truck drivers need to be mindful of motorcyclists’ vulnerability and exercise increased caution when encountering them on the road. Sharing the road is the only way to reduce traffic crashes, so do your part this month and every month to be safe behind the wheel … and the handlebars.

Distraction May Be Closer than It Appears

2011-04-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

With the 2011 Illinois Distracted Driving Summit taking place this week, the AAA Foundation wants to remind everyone of the many forms distraction can take behind the wheel and how important, and simple, it is to avoid. While cell phone use and texting behind the wheel is a potentially deadly distraction, drivers shouldn’t forget about other sources of distraction inside a car that have been around for years, long before cell phones were even invented.

Experts estimate that drivers do something potentially distracting more than 15 percent of the time their vehicles are in motion. This can range from changing the radio station to eating on the go to punching an address into a GPS. These potentially deadly actions pull your hands off the wheel, your eyes away from the road and your attention away from the task at hand—operating a powerful piece of machinery at high speeds over changing terrain alongside others doing exactly the same thing. While some car designs practically encourage this behavior—iPod connections in the console, cup holders for every passenger and dashboard navigation systems becoming more and more common—drivers need to remember the safe ways to engage in these activities, which is while the car is stopped.

The Foundation offers a few simple tips to help keep distractions while driving to a minimum:

Don’t touch that dial – adjust your seat, air conditioning and music before you even turn on the car, or wait until your stopped at an intersection when you’re on the road.
Stop to eat and drink – while it’s tempting to cruise through the drive-thru to save time, it’s always safer to stop for meals on road trips.
Plan ahead – set up your navigation system before your car leaves the driveway, or have a passenger make adjustments to your route for you along the way.
Don’t multitask and drive – in a world where speed and efficiency rule and multitasking is becoming a necessity in nearly every situation, make driving a place of refuge to do just one thing at a time, DRIVE.

We also challenge you to take the pledge to drive distraction-free for a one week. Driving while distracted is something we are all guilty of from time to time, but we all agree that its dangerous. Changing the “do as I say, not as I do” mindset is the first step to reducing the more than 5,500 deaths every year that result from this tendency. So do your part and lead by example. The next life you save could be your own.

Road Debris and Distraction, Double Danger

2011-04-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

This week on “Good Morning America,” the AAA Foundation was asked to comment on the dangers of road debris as part of a story featuring a viral video of a 2x4 crashing through a car windshield. The video was captured by the car’s driver, Wendy Cobb, who said she was using her cell phone camera to film the two trucks driving erratically in front of her when both trucks hit the 2x4 lying in the road and caused it to come flying through her windshield! Fortunately no one was hurt, but our research shows that vehicle-related road debris causes an estimated 25,000 similar crashes per year, resulting in approximately 80-90 fatalities. This video is an example of just how hazardous and frightening a collision with road debris can be.

But, there are two important lessons to learn from this video as well that can minimize your risk for a similar collision.

1. Be alert and avoid distractions. Using a cell phone while driving, to text, make calls, or to video another driver’s behavior, is distracting and makes it difficult to react quickly or to identify potentially dangerous situations … like a 2x4 heading for your windshield. Accidents can happen anywhere at any time, and driving while distracted only increases your odds of being in one.

2. Keep your distance from suspicious items or activity on the road. Despite Wendy’s good intention of closely following to record the two trucks driving recklessly, it would have been far safer to drop back to disengage from their behavior, or to stop and call the police to report the activity.

A matter of inches can mean the difference between life and death when encountering road debris. Unfortunately, not everyone will be as lucky as Wendy. So, learn from her close call to protect yourself and the ones you love.

Code Orange - Safety is Key In Work Zones

2011-04-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

This week (April 4–8) is National Work Zone Awareness Week and with work zone crashes averaging 13 a week, it is a good reminder of the critical need to drive safely when encountering construction. Most people mistakenly may think that the real danger work zones pose is to roadway workers, but nearly 85 percent of fatalities in work zone crashes are those driving or riding in the cars. The good news is these deaths have declined significantly over the past eight years (1,186 fatalities in 2002 to 667 fatalities in 2009), but the ultimate goal is to prevent them altogether.

The AAA Foundation offers the following work zone safety tips for motorists:

· Plan Ahead – Check for planned construction before hitting the road. AAA’s online TripTik^® Travel Planner alerts drivers to long-term construction areas, and the free Trip-Tik Mobile app helps drivers navigate a detour (with a passenger’s help of course).

· Slow Down – Speed limits are normally lowered in work zones, and several states double fines for speeding in these areas. Drivers should take these speed limits seriously and allow for extra time to slow down when approaching work zones. It is also key to leave a safe distance between vehicles ahead, as conditions can change quickly.

· Stay Alert – Watch for police officers, fire fighters or road crews giving instructions, as well as for any posted advisories or signage. Keep distractions in the car to a minimum as cones, flashing lights and unusual barriers can pull your attention away from the road. Drivers also should never turn off their vehicles when stopped on the road in work zones unless instructed to by a uniformed worker or the specific length of a delay is known.

Following these simple guidelines along with exercising patience while traveling through these areas will go a long way toward saving the lives of both those who improve our roads and those who travel them.

In honor of this week, the Foundation is also highlighting our Driver-Zed training program during the month of April. Designed for novice drivers, this training program allows users to learn how to safely navigate through different driving scenarios – including through work or construction zones.

Friday! Friday! Gotta BE SAFE on Friday!

2011-04-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

That’s right, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety can count itself as one of the 64+ million viewers of YouTube’s latest video sensation: Rebecca Black’s “Friday” song. While we, like so many others, found the song unexpectedly beguiling, we couldn’t help but fixate upon one startling element throughout the video: the blatant lack of seat belt use. Funny as that sounds, it potentially demonstrates an underlying lack of concern for safety among young adults out having a good time. Understanding that this video is fictional, the fact that it targets young, impressionable audiences and portrays cool looking teenagers riding improperly in both the front and back seats of a convertible sends a dangerous message in an otherwise fun video. It’s a great example of safety being overlooked as a priority and unfortunately reflects the current state of our traffic safety culture.

Teen driving safety is one of the cornerstones of the AAA Foundation. Habits developed by teens when first learning to drive can last a lifetime, and those habits should be safe ones. A seat belt is a person’s absolute best defense against injury or death in an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2009 alone, seat belts saved 62 percent of teens (ages 16-20 years old) involved in fatal car crashes. So whether you’re “kickin’ it in the front seat” or “partyin’ in the back seat,” the coolest thing anyone can do is buckle their seat belt. You can’t “get down,” “hang out” or have “fun fun fun” if you never make it to the party. No matter what day of the week, every day should include safety, and safety means always remembering to buckle up.

Post by Dan Bleier, Communications Coordinator, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

U.S. Dept. of Transportation Partners with AARP on Roadway Safety

2011-03-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood recently blogged about the Department of Transportation’s partnership with AARP and their united effort to ensure that as our nation’s drivers age that they are safe, secure and prepared on our roads. A key area of this new partnership focuses their “We Need To Talk” program, which offers families helpful guidance on how to broach the sensitive subject of determining the appropriate time for an elderly family member to stop driving. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is encouraged by the actions taken by USDOT and AARP and hope to see similar partnerships develop in the future. With the number of drivers 55 and older expected to increase by more than half by 2030, senior driver safety is something all road users need to be informed about.

The Foundation shares in this commitment and understands what a difficult decision and subsequent conversation it can be to take away a parent or grandparent’s keys. The senior driver resources offered by AAA Foundation and AARP can help ease this process and related anxiety and resistance. The Foundation’s senior driving website provides resources such as free online quizzes, brochures, and a self screening tool that tests certain physical and mental abilities that are important for safe driving. Additionally, AAA’s senior driver website also offers valuable information including the effects of aging on drivers, tips for family members, and a list of warning signs to watch for among aging drivers. Safety is our ultimate goal, and we want to equip senior drivers and their families with as many tools and resources as possible to combat this vital transportation issue.

usRAP Working to Make Safety as Much a Priority as Speed When Planning a Road Trip

2011-02-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

As featured on the front page of February 23^rd’s USA Today, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is studying ways to help drivers navigate the safest route to their destination thanks to the United States Road Assessment Program (usRAP). Pilot programs have been conducted in eight states—Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico and Utah—with more states to be added this year. These pilots used crash and other relevant safety data to map the relative risk of roadways in the states. The goal over the next few years is to implement usRAP nationwide and ultimately use data and technology to provide drivers with information for avoiding dangerous corridors at the touch of their GPS navigational screen. By doing this, drivers could access the safest route from place to place in addition to the fastest or least congested.

According to a recent foundation survey of 2,141 drivers, 73% said they would consider this type of information helpful when seeking driving directions in unfamiliar areas, such as traveling out of town for business or on long car trips with the family. usRAP was initiated to more effectively manage road safety and ensure that assessment of risk plays a key role in strategic decisions on road improvements, crash prevention and standards of route management.

To learn more, take a look at our brochure, or view maps of high risk areas in states from the program’s early phases.

LaHood Highlights AAA's Contribution To Driver Education

2011-02-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood gave special recognition in his blog to the AAA Family for the extensive contributions made over the years in the area of driver education. The Secretary acknowledged AAA’s work in supporting teen driver education, including a new teen website containing information useful for parents and teens, as well as contributions and research that have been made on other issues such as driver distraction and drunk driving.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has been a strong contributor to the AAA Family’s success in these areas over the years. The Foundation has conducted research related to Graduated Licensing, brought awareness to the problem of cell phone use while driving and highlighted the repeated dangers of drunk driving during the holidays.

I’m proud of the work the AAA Foundation has done and will continue to do in support of the AAA family’s goal of improving the safety of our roads through both driver education and meaningful research.

Winter Weather Means You Need To Adapt Your Driving

2011-02-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature has brought harsh conditions to many regions already this winter and recent weather reports seem to be predicting more of the same. While winter can be a great time for traveling and fun activities like skiing, snowboarding and ice skating, it’s important that drivers learn how to adapt to the challenging conditions winter can present.

The most important thing you can do while driving in winter weather is simply to slow down and pay close attention to your surroundings. Driving at higher speeds can cause tires to spin or “fishtail”, but moving a slower speed will help you maintain control of your car when going across patches of ice and snow. It’s also important to pay extra attention to how others around you are driving. This can help give you a clue about the road conditions ahead, but you should always try to compensate for the weather by giving yourself added stopping distance between you and the car in front of you. Here are some other quick tips:

•Understand what kind of brakes your car has (standard or anti-lock) and how to use them in slippery road conditions.

•Plan ahead by checking road condition reports before you drive and leaving early to give yourself time to drive slowly and safely.

•Put a winter driving kit in your car that includes blankets, water, snacks, a first-aid kit, cell phone, shovel and kitty litter or sand.

I also suggest that all drivers take a look at these AAA brochures, Get A Grip and How to Go on Ice and Snow. For more tips on how to prepare for and handle driving in winter weather, visit the AAAExchange website.

Don't Let Traffic Jams Make You A 'Road Rage' Offender

2011-01-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

Most drivers have experienced being stuck in traffic and I'm sure almost everyone would agree that it can be a frustrating experience. Nobody enjoys sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, especially when you’re in a rush to get to work or have an appointment to be at, but it’s important not to let that frustration turn into anger, cloud your judgment and turn into road rage.

While there isn’t reliable data on the exact number of ‘road rage’ incidents happening on our roads, stories about them still show up in news headlines every day. In fact, a recent article in the Washington Post about traffic congestion reported that the number of drivers in the DC area that say they frequently feel anger towards other drivers has doubled in the past five years. The Foundation’s 2009 study on aggressive driving behaviors also supports the idea that aggressive behaviors are more commons than we think – simple things like speeding, running red lights and cutting someone off are all aggressive driving behaviors that in some cases results in a more violent act of road rage.

All drivers need to take a deep breath sometimes and remember that most important thing about your commute is getting to your destination safely. Here are a few tips on how to avoid aggressive driving from our road rage brochure:

1. Don’t offend
• Avoid cutting other drivers off and apologize if you accidently do so
• Avoid tailgating and aggressively honking the horn as these things anger other drivers
• Avoid making inappropriate or offensive gestures

2. Don’t Engage
• If you notice an aggressive driver, do your best to get out of their way
• Avoid eye contact to prevent any encounter from becoming more personal
• Seek help if you think someone is following you by driving to a safe/crowded location

3. Adjust Your Attitude
• Don’t focus on “making good time”, instead leave earlier to allow yourself extra time in case there is traffic that slows you down.
• Put yourself in the other driver’s shoes – would you want to be cut off, tailgated, or yelled at?
• If you find yourself getting angry while driving, take a deep breath and remember any escalation of a situation will only make things worse.

Make Your Resolution to be a Safe Driver This New Year's

2010-12-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

With New Year’s just two days away, this is a time when people take time to look back at what they’ve done over the past year and make resolutions to do things differently in the future. Most people resolve to go to the gym more, floss more often or to read more books instead of watching television. But why not making a resolution to be a safer and more responsible driver?

The AAA Foundation’s 2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index survey found that nine out of ten drivers agreed that people who drive after drinking alcohol are a very serious threat to their personal safety and even more people said that it was completely unacceptable for someone to drive when they may have drank too much. However, one in ten drivers also admitted to having driven when they thought their BAC was close to possibly over the legal limit. This “Do as I say, not as I do” attitude among drivers is something we can all help eliminate from our roadways this holiday season.

New Year’s in particular is recognized as a night prone to increased drunk driving and a recent analysis of NHTSA data found that in the past decade an average of 80 people have been killed in alcohol-related crashes on New Year’s Day. This is almost 150% higher when compared to the same day of the week during the weeks surrounding New Year’s. Every alcohol-related traffic death is preventable and it’s the responsibility of all drivers to make the right choice before getting behind the wheel. So on behalf of the AAA family, I’d like to call on all drivers to be safer and more responsible drivers in 2011. You can start by pledging to drive alcohol and drug free this holiday season.

AOTA Hosts Older Driver Awareness Week

2010-12-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Senior Safety & Mobility is one of the AAA Foundation’s four strategic focus areas of research; we understand how important this issue is for seniors, their families and roadway safety overall. That’s why I was pleased to hear that the American Occupational Therapist Association’s (AOTA) is hosting Older Driver Safety Awareness Week this week (Dec 6th-10th). The goal of the week is to “promote understanding of the importance of mobility and transportation to ensuring older adults remain active in the community—shopping, working or volunteering—with the confidence that transportation will not be the barrier to strand them at home.”

This description is very similar with the Foundation’s goals when it comes to promoting senior driver safety. It’s important that both older drivers and their families understand what resources are available to help address this sensitive topic. When a teenager gets his or her driver’s license it is a big step towards becoming an independent young adult. The opposite feeling can occurs with older drivers as many seniors feel their independence is being threatened when it comes to giving up the keys. However, driver training tools like DriveSharp can help seniors retain some abilities critical to safe driving and when the time does come to give up the keys, options such as Supplemental Transportation Programs (STP) are available. The Foundation offers several free resources including an online senior evaluation tool, Roadwise Review Online, and a searchable license policy database containing current licensing policies for seniors in each state. Also, we recently redesigned and updated our most popular older driver brochure, Drivers 65 Plus. All of these resources, along with other useful information regarding seniors, can be found at seniodrivers.org and through AAA’s new senior driver website AAASeniors.com

Putting a Face Behind Traffic Statistics

2010-11-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

Like many industries, transportation officials use statistics to show current trends or to illustrate the scale of certain issues. For instance, earlier this year the Department of Transportation reported that traffic fatalities fell by 9.7% from 2008 to 2009, reaching the lowest death toll since 1950. The reaction by most people reading that statistic is undoubtedly positive because it shows a downward trend in road fatalities. However, the statistic that needs to be mentioned is that despite the trend, 33,808 people still died on U.S. roads in 2009. This is an outrageous number of deaths and we need to remember that numbers like 33,808 is not just a statistic. These are the family members and friends of Americans from accross the country.

This is why I was pleased to read about the DOT’s new video series, Faces of Distracted Driving, on Secretary Ray LaHood’s blog. This campaign helps tell the stories of those who have been personally affected by the issues of distracted driving. Last year, nearly 5,500 deaths and another 500,000 injuries resulted from crashes involving distracted driving. Statistically speaking, 5,500 may sound small, but after hearing the stories of those who’ve been affected, I guarantee these numbers won’t seem like just another statistic. Distracted driving is a dangerous driving behavior and it’s up to all drivers to individually take responsibility for their actions to make our roads safer.

Drowsy Driving

2010-11-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

People underestimate the dangers of drowsy driving, but driving while fighting the urge to sleep puts everyone on the road at risk. Sadly, a new analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash data estimates drowsy driving is a factor in nearly one in six fatal crashes. As recently covered by the Good Morning America, CNN, USA Today, the New York Times and others, the AAA Foundation recently published a study showing that two out of five drivers surveyed (41 percent) admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at some point. In fact, just recently in Maryland two highway workers were killed by a drowsy driver in the middle of the day.

In recognition of Drowsy Driving Prevention Week®, sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation, the AAA Foundation is calling attention to the serious issue of driving drowsy. Just like drugs and alcohol, sleepiness can impair important functions behind the wheel like response time, awareness and judgment. Many people think they can force themselves to stay awake, but science shows us that isn’t always the case, and dozing off behind the wheel, even for a few seconds, is plenty of time to drive off of the road or over a centerline.

AAA offers some helpful tips from the Foundation’s brochure, How To Avoid Drowsy Driving, include:
• Get plenty of sleep (at least six hours) before a long trip;
• Travel at times when you are normally awake or stay overnight rather than driving;
• Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles;
• Stop driving if you become sleepy;
• Do not plan to work all day and then drive all night;
• Drink a caffeinated beverage;
• Avoid driving during sleepy times of day; and
• Travel with an awake passenger

Parents and Teens Driver Study

2010-10-15T14:08:00.001-07:00

The AAA Foundation released a major report on Parents and Teen Drivers this past Tuesday. This was the first naturalistic study that observed the interactions of parents and teen drivers during the learner stage of driving using in-vehicle cameras which were mounted the dashboard. The study found that while many parents do a good job of providing good advice, the wasn't enough practice time overall and specifically there wasn't enought practice in different conditions such as heavy traffic, incliment weather or driving at night. This is an important message for parents of teen drivers to hear because there is absoulutely no substitute for practice when it comes to driving. Footage from our study was used by a variety of news shows including on NBC's Today Show and ABC's World News with Diane Sawyer.