safety on the road – Page 4 – Risk Management 365

Driving in Flood Conditions

The following are important points to remember when driving in flood conditions:

Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.
A foot of water will float many vehiclesTwo feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles SUV’s and pick-ups.
Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of water is not always obvious. The road bed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped.
Do not drive around a barricade. Barricades are there for your protection. Turn around and go the other way.Do not try to take short cuts. They may be blocked.
Stick to designated evacuation routes.Be especially cautious driving at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

Texting and driving is a deadly combination. You are 23 times more likely to be in a crash texting while driving. The distraction caused by mobile phone use while driving impacts a driver’s reactions equivalent to driving under the influence. A recent University study found “using a cell phone while driving – whether it’s handheld or hands-free – delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08. The legal limit for drivers 21 and over in all states.” Another study found that 4 out of every 5 accidents (80%) are attributed to distracted drivers. In contrast, drunk drivers account for roughly 1 out of 3 (33%) of all accidents nationally.

via Don’t Text & Drive – The No Phone Zone.

The Distracted Driving Epidemic

Distracted driving has become an epidemic in the United States, and its often fatal consequences are a threat to your workers, your business and the public.

Because millions of workers’ jobs require them to spend part or all of their work day driving ― visiting clients and customers, making site visits, or delivering goods and services ― the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Transportation (DOT) are joining forces in a campaign to stop distracted driving and save lives.

Year after year, the leading cause of worker fatalities is motor vehicle crashes. There’s no question that new communications technologies are helping business work smarter and faster. But getting work done faster does not justify the dramatically increased risk of injury and death that comes with texting while driving.

The human toll is tragic. DOT reports that in 2009, more than 5,400 people died in crashes linked to distraction and thousands more were injured. “Texting while driving” has become such a prominent hazard that 30 states now ban text messaging for all drivers.

via Distracted Driving.

Work Zone Safety Tips

Everyone plays a role in maintaining a safe work zone area during roadway construction. To play your part, follow these tips while driving through a work site:

DO…

Pay attention to the orange diamond-shaped warning signs or electronic message boards posted in advance of a road construction project.
Stay alert. Dedicate your full attention to driving.
Minimize distractions. Avoid changing radio stations, using a cell phone, etc. while driving in a work zone.
Drive carefully and slowly through the construction site; always obey the posted speed limits in the work zone area.
Pay close attention and heed directions on work zone warning signs. Signs and work zone flaggers save lives.
Watch for stopped or slowing traffic. Do not tailgate.
Expect the unexpected. Anticipate potential dangers.
Watch how the traffic ahead is flowing.
Keep an eye out for construction workers, their equipment and vehicles, as well as the vehicles around you.
Use extra caution when driving through a site at night.
Watch for detours and lane diversions.

DO NOT…

Speed up or slow down significantly while going through a work zone.
Slow down to look at the construction work being done.
Resume normal speed until after you emerge completely out of the work zone area.
Tailgate. Most of the accidents within a work zone are rear-end collisions.
Change lanes within a work zone.

Most states have instituted new laws regarding work zones; penalties for speeding in these areas are double that of the normal penalties for speeding in a non-work zone stretch of road.

via Work Zone Safety Tips | EHS Today | Construction content from EHS Today.

What’s Your Reason For Not Wearing a Seat Belt?

“I’m only going to the shopping center.” Actually, this is the best time to wear a safety belt, since 80% of traffic fatalities occur within 25 miles of home and under 40 miles an hour.
“I won’t be in an accident: I’m a good driver.” Your good driving record will certainly help you avoid accidents. But even if you’re a good driver, a bad driver may still hit you.
“I’ll just brace myself.” Even if you had the split-second timing to do this, the force of the impact would shatter the arm or leg you used to brace yourself.
“I’m afraid the belt will trap me in the car.” Statistically, the best place to be during an accident is in your car. If you’re thrown out of the car, you’re 25 times more likely to die. And if you need to get out of the car in a hurry – as in the extremely tiny percent of accidents involving fire or submergence – you can get out a lot faster if you haven’t been knocked unconscious inside your car.
“They’re uncomfortable.” Actually, modern safety belts can be made so comfortable that you may wonder if they really work. Most of them give when you move – a device locks them in place only when the car stops suddenly. You can put a little bit of slack in most belts simply by pulling on the shoulder strap. Others come with comfort clips, which hold the belt in a slightly slackened position. If the belt wont fit around you, you can get a belt extender at most car dealerships.
“I don’t need a belt – Ive got an airbag.” Lucky you! An air bag increases the effectiveness’ of a safety belt by 40 percent. But air bags were never meant to be used in place of safety belts, since they dont protect against side impacts at all.

via Seat Belts: Why You Should Use Them.

Safety Tips: New Year’s Eve

If you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party, following a few simple rules could prevent a tragedy:

Plan ahead by naming a “designated driver.” Make this your responsibility as the host.
Contact a local cab company to provide rides for your guests.
Serve non-alcoholic beverages as an option to your guests.
Stop serving alcohol to your guests several hours before the party ends.
Provide your guests with a place to stay overnight in your home.
If you are attending New Year’s Eve parties and celebrations:
If you drink, don’t drive.
Plan ahead and always designate a sober driver before the party or celebration begins.
If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit, or get a sober friend or family member to come pick you up.
Or, stay where you are until you are sober.
Take the keys from someone if you think he/she is too impaired to drive.

via USA.gov: Safety Tips: New Year’s Eve.

Winter Safety – prepare for winter

Winter is a wonderful time of year. Spending time with your family, the many holidays, the New Year, snow and the warmth from a fireplace all remind us of the upcoming season. But, as with any time of the year, there are specific things we need to be aware of to keep our family safe and injury-free.

Home fires are more prevalent in the winter months than any other season. Cooking is the leading cause of all winter residential building fires. Other winter fire hazards include space heaters, fireplaces and candles.
The cold weather increases your chances of getting frostbite or hypothermia. Between the years of 1999-2004, an average of 647 people died each year from hypothermia.
In 2009, over 16,000 Americans were treated for head injuries in emergency rooms because of playing winter sports (skiing, sledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling).
Fatal crashes were 14% more likely to happen on the first snowy day of the season than on days following. It takes drivers a few days to regain their sense of driving in this weather.
According to the CDC, most carbon monoxide poisonings happen in January; the second most in December. Carbon monoxide detectors save lives, but less than one-third of American homes have one installed.

via Winter Safety – prepare for winter, driving tips.

Cell Phone Policies of Companies with Best Fleet Safety Performance

Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) fleet benchmarking study of companies with a combined fleet of 350,000 vehicles found that policies banning all cell phone use while driving were common among companies with the best fleet safety performance:

83% of fleet safety leaders banned all cell phones, versus 43% of other companies.
17% of fleet safety leaders allowed hands-free use, versus 57% of other companies.
83% of fleet safety leaders responded to policy violations with disciplinary action, and 50% percent include termination as a disciplinary response.

via Employer Policies, Distracted Driving Resources, Free Cell Phone Policy Kit.

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING?

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

Texting
Using a cell phone or smartphone
Eating and drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading, including maps
Using a navigation system
Watching a video
Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

via Distracted Driving | Facts and Stats | Texting and Driving.

Adult Seat Belt Use Saves Lives

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 5 – 34. Adult seat belt use is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes. The percentage of adults who always wear seat belts increased from 80% to 85% between 2002 and 2008. Even so, 1 in 7 adults do not wear a seat belt on every trip. Primary enforcement seat belt laws make a big difference in getting more people to buckle up.

In 2010, 19 states–where 1 in 4 adult Americans live–did not have a primary law.

via CDC Vital Signs – Adult Seat Belt Use in the US.

Tag: safety on the road