Motor Vehicle SafetyMotor Vehicle Safety

Driving SafetyDriving Safety

• How safe are the roads?• Driving injuries—on or off the job• Unsafe acts behind the wheel• Driving under the influence • “Road rage”• Unsafe conditions• Vehicle safety features• Did you know?

How safe are the roads?How safe are the roads?

• 2005 data for the U.S.

– 45,800 deaths

– 2.6 million nonfatal injuries

– Rise in accidents during summer months

– Friday (especially evening/night hours) has more fatal accidents than any other day

Driving injuriesDriving injuries

• The most hazardous environment

– For most of us, whether on or off the job, it is on the road

– Faced daily by millions

Unsafe acts behind the wheelUnsafe acts behind the wheel

• Shaving• Putting on makeup• Reading a map• Not using a seatbelt• Unsafe passing of

another vehicle• Tailgating• Not using blinkers• Cell phone use

• Driving at unsafe speeds• Eating • Failing to stop or yield

Speeding truck rolls and burnsSpeeding truck rolls and burns

A truck traveling over the speed limit hit a traffic control vehicle and burst into flames in a rollover.

The driver of the signal truck was injured and the driver of the truck was burned to death.

Marine terminal worker is run overMarine terminal worker is run over

A laborer at a marine shipping terminal was critically injured when he was run over by a trailer being backed onto a barge.

He died seven days later of complications related to the injuries.

“Road Rage”“Road Rage”

• Road rage is driving under the influence of too much anger.

• What causes Road Rage?

• Relax!

Driving under the influence (DUI)Driving under the influence (DUI)

• No Driving Under the influence– Includes more than alcohol

• Sobering facts:– About 3 in every 10 Americans will be

involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some time in their lives

DUI victims rememberedDUI victims remembered

The first county memorial in the United States to be devoted to victims of drunk driving crashes has been unveiled in Everett, WA. The DUI Victim's Memorial Wall honors 45 victims, with room for 115 more names.

Persons convicted of DUI (driving under the influence) pay for the memorial tiles as part of a program allowing them to donate money instead of serving time in jail.

Unsafe conditionsUnsafe conditions

• Poor visibility

• Poor road conditions

• Improper vehicle maintenance

Vehicle safety featuresVehicle safety features

• Daytime running lights

• Lap/shoulder safety belts

• Air bags for driver and passenger

• Side impact airbags

• Anti-lock brakes

Did you know?Did you know?

• When driving on a road that is new to you:– Your eyes tend to scan the road from left to

right, which is an excellent driving habit– We tend not to scan when in familiar territory

• How closely can you safely follow another car? – Use the 2 or 4 second rule