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E*Driveline: July 2010

THE UNITED SAFETY COUNCIL RELOCATES INTO A NEW, MODERN HEADQUARTERS FACILITY:

1505 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL  32803

THE FOLLOWING GMAC INSURANCE DRIVERS TEST RESULTS ARE ALARMING: The annual GMAC Insurance National Drivers test polled 5,202 licensed drivers from 50 states and the District of Columbia with a 20-question test derived from state department of motor vehicles exams. A passing grade was 70% or better. The survey also asked additional questions about distracting habits such as texting while driving.

Overall scores dropped. Licensed drivers posted an average score of 76.2% versus 76.6% in 2009.

"It's discouraging to see that overall average test scores are lower than last year," said Wade Bontrager, Senior Vice President of GMAC Insurance, in a prepared statement.

Nearly three out of four couldn't identify safe following distances and some 85% incorrectly responded to questions about what to do when approaching a steady yellow light. This signals that licensed drivers lack knowledge of fundamental road rules, GMAC Insurance said.

Test performance varied widely by region. Drivers in the Midwest scored 77.5% on average, the highest among all regions, and had the lowest failure rates at 11.9%. Conversely, the Northeast scored the worst with an average score of 74.9% and had the highest failure rate of 25.1%.

Statewide, drivers in Kansas topped the nation with an 82.3% average score, while New Yorkers were last on the list with a score of 70%.

Even more alarming is that Americans are increasingly multi-tasking while behind the wheel, the study found. About 25% of those surveyed admitted to driving while talking on a cell phone, eating, or adjusting their radios.

While only 5% of drivers said they texted while driving, Bontrager said that the "surprisingly low" number is still higher than it ought to be, adding that drivers may not have responded honestly to this question.

"The really sad thing is that you see [texting while driving] more and more in young drivers," said Bontrager. "They are not only the least experienced, but also need to pay the most attention to the road."

According to Bontrager, historic data supports that women tend to have fewer accidents than men, but the survey found that they were more likely to engage in distracting activities while driving than their male counterparts. And women also scored nearly four percentage points lower on the overall test than men, who averaged a score of 78.1%.

Although complete knowledge of the rules of the road won't shield drivers from all accidents, being informed helps to ensure that they are more prepared to deal with unexpected events, Bontrager said.  "An informed driver is a safer driver, period," he said.

COMING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCES: 

• 2010 ADTSEA Conference.  July 24-29.  St. Louis, MO.  For information: http://www.adtsea.org/adtsea/conference/2010
• 2010 Annual ADED Conference and Exhibits.  July 29 - August 3.  Kansas City, MO.  Contact: www.aded.net  
• 2010 NSC Congress and Expo. Oct. 3 - 8. San Diego, CA.  For information:  www.congress.nsc.org

FREE VIDEO CATALOG:  If you wish to learn more about the Driver And Traffic Safety video programs offered by United Safety Council, please order your free copy of our DVD Video Catalog through the United Safety Council website www.unitedsafetycouncil.com or call toll free 877-892-0002.

 

E*Driveline: May 2010

Programs reduce deaths: There is little debate about the effectiveness of good Graduated Driver License (GDL) programs on highway safety. States that impose major restrictions have seen crash reductions of 10%-30%, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In Massachusetts, fatal crashes involving drivers younger than 18 dropped 75% in the three years after the state implemented tougher restrictions for young drivers; injury crashes involving these drivers fell 38%.

What is sparking controversy is a key component of the proposed federal legislation: It raises the age at which young drivers can get a learner's permit from 14 or 15 in most states to 16; it also sets 18 as the minimum age at which young drivers can get an unrestricted license.

FOR ECONOMIC REASONS: Again this year vacation and holiday travel is expected to be less than in previous years.  However, travel forecasters say that more people will travel shorter distances, and by personal vehicles rather than by air. Thus, the number of vehicles on our roadways this summer will likely be near or higher than in previous summers. In this regard, I offer the following Summer Driving Tips that were compiled by the Texas Motor Transportation Assoc. (TMTA):

1. Perform a Pre-Trip Inspection - Check your tire pressure, wipers and fluids. Simple maintenance can prevent many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road.
2. Pay Attention - Looking away for even two seconds doubles the chances of an accident.
3. Allow a Safety Cushion - Look 1/4 mile ahead for a safe path. Leave yourself an out.
4. Slow Down - Chances of a crash nearly triple when driving faster than the surrounding traffic. (Slowing down will also save fuel)
5. Large Trucks Have Blind Spots - If you can't see the truck driver in his/her mirrors, then the truck driver can't see you.
6. Buckle Up - It is the law; safety belts save lives.
7. Abide by Traffic Rules - Follow traffic signs and signals.
8. Be Careful When Backing - One in four preventable collisions involve backing. Be sure to look before backing; walk around your car before you begin the maneuver.
9. Do Not Cut in Front of Large Trucks - Remember that trucks are heavier and take longer to make a complete stop, avoid cutting quickly in front of them.

REMINDER: The DRIVER PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (DPAS) is now available in Spanish.  With the assistance of Loomis Fargo & Company, and other high volume DPAS users, United Safety Council conducted an in-depth validation analysis of the Spanish Edition of the DPAS and found it to be a reliable measure of driver performance. If you wish to preview the Online Spanish DPAS, call 1-877-892-0002 and request a no-obligation free demonstration.

COMING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCES: 

• 2010 ADTSEA Conference.  July 24-29.  St. Louis, MO.  For information: http://www.adtsea.org/adtsea/conference/2010
• 2010 Annual ADED Conference and Exhibits.  July 29 - August 3.  Kansas City, MO.  Contact: www.aded.net  
• 2010 NSC Congress and Expo. Oct. 3 - 8. San Diego, CA.  For information:  www.congress.nsc.org
  

2010 LIFESAVERS CONFERENCE and EXHIBITS: 
Once again the LIFESAVERS Conference was well attended with over 1,600 participants. The United Safety Council manned a booth and we met several hundred of the people attending. We met new people as well as old friends. It was great having the opportunity to share with everyone some of the products we endorse, such as the Driver Performance Analysis System (DPAS). We would like to thank all of you that stopped by our booth (#716) to chat, and to those that let us know you enjoy reading the E-Driveline.

FREE VIDEO CATALOG:  If you wish to learn more about the Driver and Traffic Safety video programs offered by United Safety Council, please order your free copy of our DVD Video Catalog through our website www.unitedsafetycouncil.com or call toll free 1-877-892-0002.

SAFETY VIDEO:
Here is a short safety video that was extremely well done and everyone needs to see it. Embrace Life, www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM  

THIS IS A REPEAT FOR MY GOLFING FRIENDS:  Last year while searching the Internet I learned that many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled that it would be 'Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden'...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language. THIS WAS CLEARLY A BAD ACRONYM FOR A GOOD GAME.

E*Driveline: April 2010

VOICE CONTROLS: A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study, commissioned by Ford Motor (F), has found that drivers using voice controls for electronics took their eyes off the road far less than drivers who fiddled with music players and cell phones.

Shane McLaughlin, a researcher with the Center for Automotive Safety Research at VTTI, says that as he picks apart crash reconstructions, he's left with one message: "Don't ever look down."
The study looked at 22 users of Ford's Microsoft-based Sync voice-activated controls in real-world driving situations. That's important, says McLaughlin, because many such tests done in labs fail to pick up on how drivers behave in the real world.  The study found drivers looked away from the road 2.5 times more often when using hand-activated rather than voice-activated controls for a phone call. It was 10 times more often for operating a music player.

BRITISH STUDY SUGGESTS YOUTH COPY PARENT'S
DRINKING HABITS: A British Broadcast News (BBC) article on February 16, 2010, reported on results from an underage drinking study that was commissioned by the Department for Children, Families, and Schools. The purpose of the study was to investigate parental and youth attitudes and use of alcohol. Analysis of data from 4,000 interviews with parents, children, and young people, revealed that parents underestimate the influence their own drinking habits have on their children's attitude to alcohol, and that about half of the young people who have drunk alcohol were given it by their parents. According to the article, the data suggested children from heavy-drinking households are more likely to use alcohol themselves.

This and other research has led the chief medical officer for England to advise parents/guardians that an alcohol-free childhood is the best option; but if children do drink alcohol, they should not do so before the age of 15. The "Why Let Drink Decide?" campaign is one attempt of the government to curb underage drinking, along with new funds for police enforcement, the development of a best practice guide for local authorities, and provision of positive alternatives to drinking for youth.

COMING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCES: 

- 2010 ADTSEA Conference.  July 24-29.  St. Louis, MO.  For information: http://www.adtsea.org/adtsea/conference/2010
 
- 2010 Annual ADED Conference and Exhibits.  July 29 - August 3. Kansas City, MO.  For information: www.aded.net  

- 2010 NSC Congress and Expo. Oct. 3-8. San Diego, CA.  For information:  www.congress.nsc.org

FREE VIDEO CATALOG:  If you wish to learn more about the driver and traffic safety video programs offered by United Safety Council, please order your free copy of our DVD Video Catalog through the United Safety Council website www.unitedsafetycouncil.com or call toll free 1-877-892-0002.

HUMOR:                         
 

 

E*Driveline: March 2010

Are you planning to attend the 2010 Lifesavers Conference (April 10 – 13 in Philadelphia)?  If so, look us up.  The United Safety Council will have Exhibit Booth #716 at the Conference again this year.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) is pleased to release the report, An Evaluation of Graduated Driver Licensing Programs in North America. This study analyses the relative fatality risks of 16-, 17-, 18- and 19-year old drivers using a meta-analytic approach and was the result of a collaborative effort between TIRF and the Transportation Research Institute at Hasselt University in Belgium (IMOB).

Reviews of the evaluation literature to date have confirmed the overall beneficial safety effects of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL), but have provided few reliable insights into which GDL programs are most effective and which specific program features are most successful. The objectives of this study were to calculate a summary statistic of GDL effectiveness, to identify the most effective components of GDL programs, and to help understand how GDL components achieve their effect.

FMCSA rolls out first phase of driver pre-employment screening program: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on Feb. 26 announced the launch of Phase I of a driver pre-employment program that, when fully activated, would give motor carriers access to commercial motor vehicle drivers' crash and safety inspection histories.
According to a FMCSA press release, Phase I gives motor carriers the opportunity to visit the Pre-Employment Screening Program Website and pre-register for the program by submitting company contact information. In accordance with federal privacy laws, drivers first must give written consent for their records to be released to a prospective motor carrier employer. FMCSA expects to fully launch the program this summer.
In related news, the Department of Transportation made final an interim rule that requires disclosure of test results for CMV licensed drivers who have drug and alcohol violations. According to a notice (.pdf file) published in the Feb. 25 Federal Register, the interim final rule, published June 13, 2008, now is a final rule authorizing employers in DOT's drug and alcohol testing program to disclose such violations to state commercial driver licensing authorities.

FREE VIDEO CATALOG:  If you wish to learn more about the Driver And Traffic Safety video programs offered by United Safety Council, please order your free copy of our DVD Video Catalog through the United Safety Council website www.unitedsafetycouncil.com or call toll free 1-877-892-0002.

A little humor about the dog or cat in your life:

• “The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.” – Anonymous
  
  
• “Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.” – Ann Landers
  
  
• “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” – Josh Billings
  
  
• “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.” – Andrew A. Rooney
  
  
• “If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.” – Unknown
  
  
• “Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” – Robert A. Heinlein

E*Driveline: February 2010

Again an offer we hope you cannot refuse:  The United Safety Council is offering each person or company that receives this E*Driveline a FREE copy of the CADS Video Program titled "DRIVER DISTRACTIONS".

Like our other CADS video programs, Driver Distractions is a three-part driver improvement program, which sells for $95.00, and is designed for use as either a driver self-study program, or group driver performance session. 

WHAT'S THE CATCH?  To receive your free copy of the CADS Driver Distraction video program you must order the program through the United Safety Council website http://www.unitedsafetycouncil.com/edriveline.asp, and pay the shipping costs ($20.00 in the U.S., may be somewhat more outside the U.S.).  For your information, the Crash Avoidance Driving video is available only in the DVD format, and the Instructor Manual is on a CD Disk.  Note:  This offer expires June 30, 2010.

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE CADS VIDEO PROGRAMS: In the 60's the president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) concluded that driver risk taking behavior could not be improved, and thus changed the focus of IIHS from driver improvement to vehicle improvement.  It is difficult to argue with the success IIHS has had in bringing down the number of deaths and injuries through its vehicle crash worthiness and occupant protection approach to driver and traffic safety.

I, and many others, applaud the IIHS for their highly significant contribution to highway safety.  However I, and many others, continue to believe that driver performance and driver behavior can be improved.  The earliest evidence of success in bringing about improvements in driver behavior was demonstrated in a research carried out by Drs. Peltz and Shuman at the University of Michigan. 

Essentially the research used the "Trigger Film Approach" designed to provoke dynamic discussion among a group of young drivers from the Detroit area.  Traffic violation and crash data showed a statistically significant improvement in the risk taking behavior of the drivers that participated in the study.  Whereas, as a control group that did not participate in the group dynamics sessions, did not show a corresponding statistical change;

CADS is an acronym for Crash Avoidance Driving Series.  The CADS video programs were first developed in 1996 in response to numerous requests for video oriented traffic safety programs that could be used for group discussion behavioral modification sessions.  The dynamic discussion approach utilized successfully in the University of Michigan Study was selected as the model for the early CADS video programs.  For the most part, the early CADS video programs proved to be effective when used by group discussion leaders that did not dominate the discussion sessions.

INCIDENTALLY, you do not need to order the Crash Avoidance Driving Series video program to receive future editions of the E*Driveline.  We will be pleased to add your email address to our E*Driveline mailing list, and email you each new edition of the E*Driveline without cost.  To add your name to the E*Driveline mailing list, open the United Safety Council website http://www.unitedsafetycouncil.com/edriveline.asp select Driver Training and Evaluation Videos, click on "Crash Avoidance Driving" Order Now, and enter your name, email address, etc. on the Contact Information Form.  Leave the Video Selection spaces blank. 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:  The United Safety Council offers a variety of Driver and Traffic Safety Programs and Services that may be helpful in your efforts to assess the driver’s knowledge and skills, and prepare the drivers for specific driving requirements.  For information relating to the available driver testing and training programs, please see the United Safety Council website (http://www.unitedsafetycouncil.com/) or call toll-free 1-877-892-0002.

YOUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEED:  If you purchase a video driver testing or training program from United Safety Council, and the program does not meet your needs or expectations, you may return the program within 30 days for a refund (less shipping and handling costs).
 
COMING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCES: 

-  United Safety Council Annual Safety Awards Luncheon. January 22, 2010. Orlando, Florida. To register call 407.897.4443 or e-mail: OccAsst@FloridaSafety.org

-  SERA/ADTSEA 2010 Conference. February 26 - 27, 2010. Myrtle Beach, SC. For information go to the following website: www.adtsea.org/sera

- Transportation Research Forum. 51st Annual Forum. Washington DC, USA. March 11-13, 2010.  For further information visit: http://www.trforum.org/

-  Lifesavers Conference. April 11-13, 2010. Philadelphia, PA. See Lifesavers Website http://www.lifesaversconference.org/ for conference details.

FREE VIDEO CATALOG:  If you wish to learn more about the Driver and Traffic Safety video programs offered by United Safety Council, please order your free copy of our DVD Video Catalog through the United Safety Council website http://www.unitedsafetycouncil.com/ or call toll free 1-877-892-0002. 

E*Driveline: September 2009

A Driver and Traffic Safety Newsletter edited by Jack Weaver Ph.D. and produced by the United Safety Council. 877-892-0002 www.unitedsafetycouncil.com