safety on the road – Page 3 – Risk Management 365

Eight Secrets of Super Driving

When you drive defensively, you’re aware and ready for whatever happens. You are cautious, yet ready to take action and not put your fate in the hands of other drivers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 90% of all crashes are attributed to driver error.

Following these defensive driving tips can help reduce your risk behind the wheel:

Think safety first. Avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies yourself will put you in a stronger position to deal with other people’s bad driving. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. Always lock your doors and wear your seatbelt to protect you from being thrown from the car in a crash.
Be aware of your surroundings — pay attention. Check your mirrors frequently and scan conditions 20 to 30 seconds ahead of you. Keep your eyes moving. If a vehicle is showing signs of aggressive driving, slow down or pull over to avoid it. If the driver is driving so dangerously that you’re worried, try to get off the roadway by turning right or taking the next exit if it’s safe to do so. Also, keep an eye on pedestrians, bicyclists, and pets along the road.
Do not depend on other drivers. Be considerate of others but look out for yourself. Do not assume another driver is going to move out of the way or allow you to merge. Assume that drivers will run through red lights or stop signs and be prepared to react. Plan your movements anticipating the worst-case scenario.
Have an escape route. In all driving situations, the best way to avoid potential dangers is to position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing and being seen. Having an alternate path of travel is essential, so take the position of other vehicles into consideration when determining an alternate path of travel. Always leave yourself an out — a place to move your vehicle if your immediate path of travel was suddenly blocked.
Follow the 3- to 4-second rule. Since the greatest chance of a collision is in front of you, using the 3- to 4-second rule will help you establish and maintain a safe following distance and provide adequate time for you to brake to a stop if necessary. But this rule only works in normal traffic under good weather conditions. In bad weather, increase your following distance an additional second for each condition such as rain, fog, nighttime driving, or following a large truck or motorcycle.
Keep your speed down. Posted speed limits apply to ideal conditions. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your speed matches conditions. In addition, higher speeds make controlling your vehicle that much more difficult if things go wrong. To maintain control of your vehicle, you must control your speed.
Separate risks. When faced with multiple risks, it’s best to manage them one at a time. Your goal is to avoid having to deal with too many risks at the same time.
Cut out distractions. A distraction is any activity that diverts your attention from the task of driving. Driving deserves your full attention — so stay focused on the driving task.

via The Keys to Defensive Driving.

School Buses and Child Safety Tips

With the start of the new school year motorists should also re-familiarize themselves with the yellow school buses and changes in traffic flow and speed they bring. Drivers should be on the watch for school buses and know school bus safety rules. Parents of young drivers, especially those driving themselves to school for perhaps the first time this school year, should review the rules and warnings with family members. Those big yellow buses transport our most precious commodity–our children–and bus drivers report that motorists need reminders about do’s and don’t’s around school buses every fall. After all, motorists will be sharing the road with school buses during the hectic morning commute.

via Child Safety: School Buses and Child Safety Tips.

Back-to-School Safety

When summer comes to an end, children get ready to go back to school. This is a great time for parents to talk to their kids about how to safely travel to and from school. Following a few safety tips can help prevent children from suffering serious injuries.

School Bus Safety Tips

Children riding the bus to school should learn and practice a few safety rules for getting on and off the bus.
Get to the bus stop early. Do not run to the bus.
Wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before walking toward it.
If crossing the street, wait for a signal from the bus driver. Look both ways to make sure there is no moving traffic from either direction.
Always cross in front of the bus so the driver can see you.
If the bus has lap and shoulder belts, use them.
Once the bus is in motion, remain in your seat.
If the window is open, keep your arms and head inside the bus at all times.
Do not stand up to get off the bus until it has completely stopped.
Only get off the bus at your assigned spot.

Walking Safety Tips

Children should only walk to school alone if they are old enough and ready to make the walk safely.
Children are not ready to walk to school without an adult until they are at least 10 years old.
Younger kids cannot be trusted to make smart traffic choices on their own.
Plan and practice a safe walking route with your child until she knows it well.
Use streets with sidewalks, crosswalks and crossing guards. Avoid as many intersections as possible.
Have children walk with a friend or in a group.
Talk to your child about what to do if they are approached by a stranger.

Safety Tips for Drivers

Drivers should be aware of children walking to school or to the bus stop. Everyone can follow a few safety tips to help kids get to school safely.
When backing out of the driveway, watch for children walking to school or to a bus stop.
On streets without crossing guards, watch out for children trying to cross the street.
Be careful on streets without sidewalks or streets with on-street parking. It might be hard to notice a child behind a car.
Be alert. Children may dart into the street without looking.
Slow down.

via Injury Research and Policy Back-to-School Safety :: Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

Motor Vehicle Safety on The Job

Risk of work-related motor vehicle crashes cuts across all industries and occupations. Workers who drive on the job may be “professional” drivers whose primary job is to transport freight or passengers. Many other workers spend a substantial part of the work day driving a vehicle owned or leased by their employer, or a personal vehicle. In the United States, companies and drivers that operate large trucks and buses are covered by comprehensive safety regulations. In contrast, there are no Federal occupational safety regulations that cover the workers who use smaller employer-provided vehicles or personal vehicles.

For all workers who drive on the job, employer safety policies are a critical element in reducing crash risks. Employer policies may be limited to supporting and reinforcing state traffic laws. However, many employers choose to manage road risk more proactively through programs and policies to promote safe driving behaviors, ensure that work-related driving takes place under the safest possible conditions, and ensure that worker vehicles are safe and properly maintained.

via CDC – Motor Vehicle Safety – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

What to Do After a Car Crash

Driving is probably the most dangerous thing most of us will ever do. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA, there are more than 30,000 deaths and over 2 million injuries from motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. every year.Although you do your best to drive responsibly and defensively, its still smart to know what to do just in case you end up in a collision.

Crashes can be very scary, but here are some tips if one happens to you:Take some deep breaths to get calm. After a crash, a person may feel a wide range of emotions — shock, guilt, fear, nervousness, or anger — all of which are normal. But take a few deep breaths or count to 10 to calm down. The calmer you are, the better prepared you will be to handle the situation. This is the time to take stock of the accident and try to make a judgment about whether it was a serious one.

Keep yourself and others safe. If you cant get out of your car — or its not safe to try — keep your seatbelt fastened, turn on your hazard lights, then call 911 if possible and wait for help to arrive. If the collision seems to be minor, turn off your car and grab your emergency kit. If its safe to get out and move around your car, set up orange cones, warning triangles, or emergency flares around the crash site.

via What to Do After a Car Crash.

The Keys to Defensive Driving

Driving is risky business. As a defensive driver, you can avoid crashes and help lower your risk behind the wheel.If youve been out on the roads, you know that not everyone drives well. Some people speed aggressively. Others wander into another lane because they arent paying attention. Drivers may follow too closely, make sudden turns without signaling, or weave in and out of traffic.

Aggressive drivers are known road hazards, causing one third of all traffic crashes. But inattentive driving is becoming more of a problem as people “multitask” by talking on the phone, texting or checking messages, eating, or even watching TV as they drive.

via The Keys to Defensive Driving.

Texting and Driving is Dangerous

A texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver.

One million people chat and text while driving each day. People feel pressure to remain in constant contact, even when behind the wheel. What drivers do not realize are the dangers posed when they take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel, and focus on activities other than driving.

The average text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for nearly five seconds. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field. The message being conveyed is that texting while driving isn’t multitasking, it’s essentially driving blind.

via Texting and Driving Prevention.

Things to Do After a Car Accident

Use your cell phone to take pictures of the accident.
If you are purchasing a new vehicle, be sure to note the standard and optional safety features, such as where and how many air bags come with the car. Research crash test results, and consider built-in monitoring services such as General Motors’ OnStar system. These can notify emergency personnel of an accident.
If you have a cell phone, make any calls you need to make either in the privacy of your car, if you can, or away from any witnesses. Again, do not try to explain what happened to anyone on the phone, e.g. the tow truck driver. Just say, there has been an accident.
Remain calm and above all remain silent. You will likely be disoriented and confused after a serious accident, even if think you’re uninjured. Many people will arrive at the scene of the accident and ask you “What happened?” You do not have to speak to anyone about what you think may have caused the accident. Above all, avoid saying anything that may incriminate you, such as “I’m sorry” or “I think it may have been speeding” etc. Such comments could end up causing you thousands of dollars.
Write a list to yourself of what to do in case of an accident and keep it in your glove box. Read it and follow the instructions which you wrote to yourself.
If you aren’t the one driving, in most, if not all cases, the middle back seat is the safest place to be, that is, with seatbelts. If the car crashes, you are in the middle seat and you are not wearing a seatbelt, you could be ejected from the vehicle, with fatal results.
Be sure to exchange information with others involved in the accident and get information from eyewitnesses.

via 3 Ways to Survive a Car Accident – wikiHow.

Be Aware of Common Road Hazards

Here are the more common road hazards:

-Pedestrians: People crossing the street become a hazard when they fail to use pedestrian crosswalks. If it is the pedestrian’s right-of-way, then he or she should not have to yield for an oncoming vehicle.

-Children: Children are curious and can sometimes be left unattended. They may dart into the street for any toys or to chase any objects. Drivers should use extreme caution when driving through child-populated areas.

-Animals: Just like children, these creatures can be curious and unpredictable. Some animals may have the sense to get off the street, but those who do not increase the chance of causing an accident.

-Debris: This can be any loose objects on the street such as: tree branches, tires, bags, boxes, and objects that have fallen off another vehicle.

-Potholes and Uneven Roads: These items may cause damage to an automobile and can lead to a bigger accident involving two or more vehicles.

via Common Road Hazards.

Ride Safe – Motorcyclist Safety Tips

Among all motor vehicles, motorcycles are the most vulnerable on the road. Because motorcycles do not have seat belts, you can be thrown off your seat in a crash, which can result in serious injury or even death. Imagine your chance for survival if a truck strikes you, or if you strike it. Hitting a truck is like hitting a steel wall. However, your chance for survival will be increased if you wear a helmet and follow the safety tips below when riding your motorcycle.

WATCH THE NO-ZONES

Never hang out in a truck’s blind spot or “No-Zone.” Trucks have large No-Zones on both sides, the front and behind the truck. Truck drivers cannot see you when you ride in these blind spots, which allows for a greater chance of a crash. The front blind spot is particularly dangerous if you need to stop quickly. Because of their lightweight and braking system, motorcycles can stop much faster than trucks. A truck may not be able to stop as quickly as you do, so you need to take special precautions to avoid crashes before they happen.

ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET

Make sure to always wear a helmet. Beware of helmets that do not meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. Check for the DOT label inside your helmet. Helmets are the most important piece of equipment you can wear when riding your motorcycle. A helmet could be your only source of protection in a serious crash.

DRIVE TO SURVIVE

Motorcycles are the smallest vehicles on the road. Unfortunately they provide virtually no protection in a crash. Other drivers may not see you on your motorcycle, so you must be aware of everything on the road. Be extra cautious, paying attention to the signals and brake lights of other vehicles, especially trucks. However, you still need to be prepared in the event their signals or lights don’t work. Ride with caution and drive defensively. Even though your motorcycle may be small, you must adhere to the laws of the road. Never ride in between lanes in traffic or share a lane with another vehicle. Don’t instigate aggressive driving with other motorists; you will only increase your chance of a crash.

CHECK YOURSELF AND YOUR BIKE

Conduct a safety inspection of your motorcycle before each ride, and wear protective clothing including gloves, boots and a jacket. Proper maintenance and protective clothing will help reduce your chance of an crash or the severity of injury if you are involved in a crash, especially with a large truck or bus.

WATCH YOUR SPEED

Of all vehicles, motorcycles accelerate the fastest, while trucks and buses are the slowest. Please watch your speed around trucks, especially in bad weather or at night. Colliding with the back of a truck will end your riding days.

via FMCSA | Share The Road Safely Program: Motorcyclist Safety.