Humor

Distracted driving a "menace to society"

On USA Today. Excerpt:

The panel of government officials, safety advocates, researchers and lawmakers hoped to develop a consensus on the roadway hazards and hear warnings from young adults who caused car accidents because they were texting while driving.

The new data underscored the major problem of distractions involving young drivers. The greatest proportion of distracted drivers were those age 20 and under. Sixteen percent of all under-20 drivers involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving, the government said.

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws making texting while driving illegal and seven states and the District have banned driving while talking on a handheld cellphone, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Many safety groups have urged a nationwide ban on texting and on using handheld mobile devices while behind the wheel.

Click here to read full article...

Read Bob Barr's opinion in the AJC here.

Article on Alan Brown in USAToday

Click here for full text.

Utah tackles texting while driving

Read (or listen) to article here on NPR.

Car Crashes, Travel Deaths, Prevented by Technology

Study Reveals High-Tech Safety Features Could Prevent or Lessen the Severity of Nearly Two Million Accidents a Year.

Read the article: ABC News: New Technology Successful in Reducing Severity of Car Crashes

Watch the VIDEO: ABC News - Highway Safety Exclusive

Is texting PSA too graphic?

Photo ©2009 MSNBC

A video about teens texting that was originally produced in Wales appeared on MSNBC's Today show September 1, 2009.

READ THE ARTICLE: MSNBC's Today Show

WATCH THE VIDEO: MSNBC's Today Show commentary

“The messages contained in the film are as relevant to the people of Tennessee as they are to the residents [of Wales],” he said on the department’s Web site. “Texting and driving can have tragic consequences, and the more this film is viewed, the better.”

Required viewing?

Appearing on TODAY Tuesday, noted ad executive Donny Deutsch said he believes the ad may be the most powerful ever — and agreed that it needs to be required viewing.

“I will show this to every kid I know, and I salute the police department,” Deutsch told TODAY’s Ann Curry. “I would really implore various local stations: Run this stuff, put this on the air. It will help.”

Ford's MyKey to safety for teen drivers controls speed, stereo

Read full article here.

New data from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute provides insight into cell phone use and driving distraction

"All cell phone use should be banned for newly licensed teen drivers. Our research has shown that teens tend to engage in cell phone tasks much more frequently -- and in much more risky situations -- than adults. Thus, our studies indicate that teens are four times more likely to get into a related crash or near-crash event than their adult counterparts."

Read the full article here.

18 Months Jail for Mom that gave Teen alcohol in fatal crash

Cobb mom gets jail time in teen alcohol case - AJC

“I want her to think twice,” Reed said. “I want the community to think twice.”


Reed’s 17-year-old son Garrett died after police say he obtained alcohol from Whitfield’s step-son, Lyndon Winfree, on Jan. 23. In court Wednesday, Whitfield, 44, testified she purchased the alcohol that night, but didn’t know her step-son planned to give it to friends.

Newly Licensed on CNN

Tagging teen drivers for their protection - CNN.com

Young Adult Driver Task Team member Susan Kessler's program, "Caution--Newly Licensed," was featured on CNN this morning.

Kessler has developed signs for teens with learner permits and first-year licenses. They are attached magnetically to the car's sheet metal and display the words "Caution Newly Licensed."

It's not hard to imagine the signs being a nightmare to teens obsessed with what their peers think. But, Kessler, a Kennesaw, Georgia, mother of six, says the real horror is out on the highway: thousands of young people are killed and injured in traffics every year.
More than 15,000 of people have ordered the signs since Kessler and a group of other moms introduced them four years ago

Humor...

It even looks like Kal a little... more here.

Young Adult Driver Task Team Meeting - August 12 - GDOT TMC

The next YADTT Meeting will be August 12, 2009.

Please RSVP to be added to the security clearance list.
PLEASE NOTE: *PHOTO ID IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY*

Our agenda includes the following items:
• SHSP Update

• Safe Speeds Law (“Super Speeder”)
• Underage Drinking Summit
• Hazard Recognition


Wednesday - August 12, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Georgia Department of Transportation
Traffic Management Center
935 East Confederate Avenue, Building 24
Atlanta, GA 30316
Contact: Ron Boodhoo 404-635-8008


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Texting

Adults who should know better feel driven to text. Read article here.

Check out article on CNN about the Newly Licensed Car Magnets!

Way to go Susan! Click here to read.

Virginia Tech cell phone research on driving distraction

New data from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute provides insight into cell phone use and driving distraction

Combined, these studies continuously observed drivers for more than 6 million miles of driving. VTTI’s studies that included light vehicle drivers and truck drivers, manual manipulation of phones such as dialing and texting of the cell phone lead to a substantial increase in the risk of being involved in a safety-critical event such as a crash or near-crash. However, talking or listening increased risk much less for light vehicles and not at all for trucks. Text messaging on a cell phone was associated with the highest risk of all cell phone related tasks.

U.S. withheld data on risks of distracted driving

Read article in New York Times (MSNBC) on research conducted by NSTSA on use of cell phones while driving.

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel.
They sought the study based on evidence that such multitasking was a serious and growing threat on America’s roadways.
But such an ambitious study never happened. And the researchers’ agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, decided not to make public hundreds of pages of research and warnings about the use of phones by drivers — in part, officials say, because of concerns about angering Congress.

More here.

Another device to block cell phone use by drivers

Featured in USAToday. Read more here...

Local teen killed in car crash

“This is certainly a tragedy,” said WCSO Chief Deputy Bruce Wright. “He was a senior at Monroe Area High. If anything is learned from this, it should be that it is important for everyone to wear their seat belt.” Click here for more information.

New Device Prevents Driving While Using Cell Phone

A new automobile ignition key can prevent teenagers and others from talking on cell phones or sending text messages while driving.

Invented by researchers at the University of Utah, the system is called Key2SafeDriving and is aimed at cutting down on road deaths. It relies on Bluetooth technology to wirelessly connect keys to phones. Click here for more...

USA Today article on limiting drivers' cell phone use

More than 250 bills prohibiting or restricting cellphone use while driving are pending in 42 state legislatures despite disagreement over the risks cellphones pose and the effectiveness of enforcement. Read more here...

Georgia's Seatbelt Exemption for Pickup Trucks

Latest UPDATE 02/26/2009:

SB 5 is in a House Agriculture sub-committee. Following are the sub-committee members:

Tom McCall, Chairman
Terry England, Vice Chairman
Gene Maddox, Secretary

Committee Members
Ellis Black, Jon Burns, Winfred Dukes, Carl Epps, Penny Houston, Lynmore James, Kevin Levitas, Billy Maddox, DuBose Porter

Update 02/24/2009

2007 CODES DATA FACT SHEET (DOWNLOAD THE .pdf FACT SHEET HERE)

Key points from the new data:
- From 2002-2007, Georgia experienced a 14 % increase in the number of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes involving pickup trucks.

- Rural Georgians face a greater risk of being injured or killed in a traffic crash.

- While only 18% of Georgians live in rural areas, 37% of the total pickup truck fatalities occurred on rural roadways.

- Unrestrained pickup truck occupants are 37 times as likely to be killed as those restrained.

- Compared to restrained pickup truck occupants, unrestrained pickup truck occupants were 4 times as likely to be admitted to the Hospital ($65,000 avg. charge) instead of treated and released from the Emergency Room ($2,800 avg. charge). (Georgia CODES Data, 2005)

- 71% of pickup truck occupants were restrained compared with 91% of car occupants. (Georgia Observational Safety Belt Survey, June 2007)


Update 02/12/2009:

Senate Bill 5 passed today by a vote of 49 to 4. The bill will now go to the House for consideration.
Read about it in the AJC here.


Original Post 01/23/2009:
The Young Adult Driver Task Team (YADTT), part of the Governor’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, has looked at Georgia's seatbelt exemption for pickup trucks many times in the past two years. The following facts and figures related to pickups are taken directly from our extensive research and officially published 2007-2008 recommendations. You can download a copy of the full document from the link at the top right of this web page.

As you are probably already aware, state agencies are prohibited from lobbying. However, we have collected the following facts to answer frequently asked questions about Georgia's seatbelt exemption in pickup trucks. These are taken directly from our research, which is properly cited in the full recommendations:

1) How does Georgia's current law rank?
Georgia is the last state in the nation to exempt an entire class of adult drivers and passengers from wearing seatbelts in pickup trucks.

2) How many lives does Georgia’s seatbelt exemption in pickup trucks cost us?
According to the Georgia Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES), if pickup truck restraint use rates were the same as the rates for other vehicles in Georgia, there would be 105 fewer deaths per year(NOTE: estimate is based on 2007 Georgia Crash Data released after the YADTT 2007-2008 recommendations were published). Additionally, the National Highway Safety Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation estimate changing the law would prevent 300 injuries each year.

3) The exemption for adults doesn't affect teens and children, does it?
Although Georgia’s law does not exclude them, the adult exemption directly results in lower seatbelt usage rates by teens and children in pickup trucks. As occupants, teens and children do what their parents do. If the adult driver is buckled up, 92 percent of the time their children are buckled too. The impact of the exemption for adults becomes apparent when teens become drivers. In 2007, restraint use by 16-17 year-old teen drivers was a full 3.25% less in pickups than in other passenger vehicle types.

Additionally, the pickup exemption for adults reinforces a teen’s belief that crashes are survivable without wearing a seatbelt. A 2006 NHTSA study found that teenagers are likely to believe stories that people wearing safety belts are likely to be decapitated, or that unrestrained drivers or occupants are more likely to “walk away” from crashes when they are ejected from the vehicle. This is despite the fact that seatbelts increase the chance of survival by three times. Unfortunately, 64% of Georgia’s teen crash fatalities were unrestrained.

4) Wouldn’t a new seatbelt requirement impose a burden on farmers and those driving pickup trucks in rural areas?
The opposite is true—requiring seatbelts would protect farmers and those living in rural areas. In 2006, 515 people died on Georgia county roads compared to 418 on interstates and city streets combined. In fact, 7 out of 10 fatalities occur on two-way roads without dividers, barriers, or any separation. These rural roadways are arguably the most likely area for pickup trucks and include a higher incidence of severe crashes which include run off and rollover crashes. Additionally, rough terrain, less vehicle traffic, and longer times between the crash and time of discovery make the injury outcomes more severe. Another consideration is roadway geometrics; rural roads may have narrow lanes, less enforcement, limited sight distances, and lack of clear roadsides since many rural roads evolved from farm roads which have been upgraded to accommodate increased traffic volume and vehicle size.

5) If the law does pass this year, which part of the state will be impacted the most, South Georgia, North Georgia, or Metro areas?
Media coverage frequently cites South Georgia farmers as being "impacted" the most by a new seatbelt requirement. However, YADTT predicts that North Georgia may actually be impacted the most. YADTT investigated Georgia’s changing demographics as having a sustained influence on crash data. According to the U.S. Census housing unit estimate, the Peach State has 24 of the nation’s 100 fastest-growing counties. Those figures show that much of the state’s population increase is in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountain counties. The vehicle of choice there, both by observation and registration?...You guessed it: Pickup trucks. This region faces the challenges and issues of both a growing population and the roadway issues discussed in #4 above.

6) Is money the real reason to pass the legislation?
Requiring seatbelts in pickups is about Dollars and Sense—Yes, changing the law would instantly give the state about $4 million in federal highway funds. Georgia would also save an estimated $25.1 million in Medicaid expenses over a 10 year period if legislation were enacted. However, the real issue is far greater.

Utilizing NHTSA’s human capital estimate of one life producing an average of $3.75 Million dollars, the 21 pickup truck fatalities in the State of Georgia last year correspond to almost $78 Million dollars of lost human capital for our state. Of course, the real issue isn’t productivity. The Georgians we lose in pickup truck crashes can't be replaced as spouses, parents, siblings, employees or friends. No price can return a life to his or her loved ones that could have been saved by simply requiring the use of a seatbelt .

February 25 Meeting - KSU Kennesaw

The next YADTT Meeting will be February 25, 2009.

Our agenda includes the following items:

1) Project Development for funding consideration by the SHSP Board to include:
- Case Dismissed for Judges and Prosecutors
- Caution: Newly Licensed Magnets
- TIDS
- P.R.I.D.E. Participant and Instructor Incentives
- Street Smarts

2) Georgia Driver Education Commission Recommendations

3) 2009 Recommendations Update
- Driver Education
- Alcohol

MEETING TIME & LOCATION:

February 25, 2009
9:00 a.m. - Noon
A.L. Burruss Institute*
Kennesaw State University (*NOT the main campus)
3333 Busbee Drive
Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
770-423-6464



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January 29 Meeting - GDOT TMC

The next YADTT Meeting will be January 29, 2009.

Please RSVP to be added to the security clearance list.
*PHOTO ID IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY*

Our agenda includes the following items:

1)Project Development for funding consideration by the SHSP Board to include:
- Caution: Newly Licensed Magnets
- TIDS
- P.R.I.D.E. Participant and Instructor Incentives
- Case Dismissed for Judges and Prosecutors
- Street Smarts

2) Georgia Driver Education Commission Recommendations

3) 2009 Recommendations Update
- Driver Education
- Alcohol

January 29, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Georgia Department of Transportation
Traffic Management Center
935 East Confederate Avenue, Building 24
Atlanta, GA 30316


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The Staggering Cost of Teen Driving

Read the full article here.

$4 million at stake over Georgia's seat belt law

Excerpt from the Augusta Chronicle - READ THE FULL STORY HERE

"The economy might give Georgia legislators the extra push they need to require adults in pickups to wear seat belts -- changing the law would instantly give the state about $4 million in federal highway funds."

"I don't necessarily think we ought to do it for the federal money," Governor Perdue said. "But the kids I'm concerned about are those that are in modern-day pickups, when they get a crowd of friends in there, and they're fooling around."

Ban on cell phones while driving- NSC

http://www.wsbtv.com/technology/18459080/detail.html

Proposed bill targets teen drivers on cell phones

When the General Assembly convenes later this month, Rep. Matt Ramsey plans on introducing legislation that would make it illegal for drivers under 18 to talk, text, e-mail or instant message on their phones while operating a vehicle.

Read the full AJC article here.

Study: 1 in 25 Teens Drive Without a License

A study released in the November issue of Pediatrics and conducted by Center researchers focuses on an often-overlooked group of teen drivers: those without a license. The 2006 National Young Driver Survey (NYDS) of more than 5,500 teens across the country revealed that about 6 percent of students in grades 9 through 11 reported driving unsupervised without a license. However, according to the national fatality data, a full 20 percent of 14- to 18-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2006 did not have a license. This means unlicensed teens are significantly over-represented in fatal crashes.

Read more about the study at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and see the news article at U.S. News


Find out who the teens are in Pediatrics.