Safer Driving Pledge

The most important advance you can take to improve road safety is not by getting a new device. It is by making a commitment

-The Miami- Dade county Expressway ( MD-X) triggered the second phase of its Holiday Safety Campaign by getting drivers to "Make the Pledge" to drive safer this July 4^th weekend. Hopefully people will take this more seriously and keep the commitment through to July 4th next year. Drivers submit their info www.mdxsafety.com and pledge to take extra measures of safety on the road, be more alert and of course avoid destracting electrionic usage.

There is so much competition for our attention when we get into the car. Music, cell phones, texting and now some people are even attempting to use their mini computers while driving. Distracted drivers play a part in one out of every four crashes – that’s 1.5 million collisions a year and more than 4,300 crashes each day.

MDX’s year-long safety compaign actually started earlier this year during Memorial weekend, to make the first steps forward included radio commercials, printed ads and a new site (www.mdxsafety.com) encouraging drivers to stay alert and keep the roads of South Florida safe. This is one of the primeir programs of its kind in the country which many are hoping will take hold in many towns and segments of the country quickly.

About MDX

MDX is a state sanctioned, locally administered, public agency created in 1994 by the State of Florida and the Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. MDX is governed by its Board, comprised of 13 volunteer members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and the Governor of the State of Florida. MDX oversees, operates and maintains five expressways: State Road 836 (Dolphin Expressway), State Road 112 (Airport Expressway), State Road 874 (Don Shula Expressway), State Road 878 (Snapper Creek Expressway) and State Road 924 (Gratigny Parkway). MDX is funded almost entirely by toll revenues and is dedicated to the enhancement of mobility in Miami-Dade County. For more information on MDX visit the website at www.mdxway.com.

Safety Devices

Engineers in Germany have unveiled an innovative driver assistance system that automatically stops vehicles from spinning out of control in the event of a collision.

According to Dr Werner Struth, president of chassis systems at Bosch, 29 per cent of all accidents in which people are injured feature an initial collision and a series of further ones as the driver loses control. The secondary collision mitigation (SCM) system, which is now ready for production, aims to eat into these statistics.

The system combines data from the airbag and the Bosch Electronic Stability Program (ESP): an increasingly ubiquitous technology that is now fitted on 50 per cent of all new European cars and is set to become mandatory in Europe by 2014. In the event of crash, the airbag sensors register the collision and the airbag unit calculates the force and direction of the impact. This information is then sent to the ESP unit, which automatically triggers the brakes and brings the vehicle to a halt.

Struth said that the requirement for such systems, one of a number of technologies demonstrated at Bosch's biannual automotive technology showcase, is being driven partly by the changing shape of today's cars. 'With the growing trend toward smaller and lighter vehicles in Europe and the US, accident prevention systems have become all the more important. Better active and passive safety systems and driver assistance systems must bolster the structural safety of smaller and lighter vehicles,' he explained.

The company also presented an automatic emergency braking system, which is designed to reduce rear-end collisions. Due to enter production later in the year, this system combines the existing radar sensors in Bosch's adaptive cruise-control technology with video sensors that monitor the road ahead in even greater detail.

When the system senses that a collision could be imminent, it automatically applies a braking force equivalent to 30 per cent of deceleration to give the driver time to react. If it then determines that an accident is unavoidable, it instigates an emergency stop. Bosch believes that the technology could reduce the speed of impact by 55 per cent. 'According to our estimates, automatic emergency braking will be able to prevent three out of four rear-end collisions involving serious injury,' said Struth.

The coming months will also see the introduction of some of the first systems to exploit the safety benefits of navigation technology, according to the company's car multimedia chief, Dr Dirk Hoheisel. 'Navigation can make a significant contribution to driving safety because it is able to recognise the route, the traffic conditions and the area in which particular caution is advised,' he said.

Hoheisel added that this year will see the commercial launch of a curve speed warning system that uses prior knowledge of a driver's route to warn if the car is travelling into a curve too quickly. Future systems will be even more advanced, he said: 'Ongoing developments plan to have the curve warner provide information early to other vehicle systems as well so that the seat-belt tensioner is prepared or the braking systems instructed to provide for the corresponding braking pressure, just in case.'

New Driver Fatique Device in Mercedes

The New Mercedes E-Class now features quite a few cutting-edge sophisticated gadgets to help make safer driving. Some of the new technology deployed ares night vision devices, easy to miss blind-spot detection enhancers, and a cruise control that suits your personality. Many of these features are also in the Mercedes-Benz S550, but the E-class adds a new powerful driving aid called |Attention Assist". It is a new feature for Mercedes-Benz that uses the lates technology to help keep you from dozing off at the wheel.

Attention Assist monitors the driver using 70 parameters to determine the alertness and prevent the driver from dozing off. When it detects a drowsy driver, a strong audio alarm is sounded and lights flash on the dashboard or on the speedometer display. The advanced system relies heavily on the input given by the driver to the steering wheel. The assumption is that a more tired driver will drift, and make more corrections in greater frequency then an alert driver.

This design is not totally unique as Volvo launched a similar feature last year in the S80, with a mug of coffee picture flashing on the dash. During our testing of that car, we tried our hardest to make it think we were falling asleep.

Perhaps in the not so distant future the car will no longer flash warnings but automatically steer the car to the side of the road for a well defined nap!

Other Driver Safety Devices

Intel Designing New Car Safety Device

Intel has projects aim to open up new industries for chip markets and fuel demand for computing power. Intel processors are found in approximately 80 percent of the world’s personal computers, revealed projects during an annual event at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

One of the most exciting exhibits was a mockup of a car, with a computer built into the dashboard slot, in place of a stereo or navigation. The computer is more like an information robot that collects tremendous amount of data regarding the trip. It recognizes almost everything that is going on in the car. The number of occupants and wirelessly connects with their phones, computers and other devices to make music or other content available to the car’s entertainment system.

Unique sensors connected to the computer can engage the headlights to communicate with stoplights, transmitting traffic data. The system could warn the driver that there is an emergency vehicle coming, the head researcher Van Ngyuen said. It also could allow cars to communicate with one another and automatically engage the brakes in an emergency.

“There are many devices in cars that do one thing very well, but they can’t handle additional information,” Ngyuen said. “A PC in the car will allow you to do that.”

Intel chief executive officer Paul Otellini is hoping that these projects will not only make the roads safer but also bring in as much as $10 billion per year in revenue for the company

It is good to know that Intel has included environmental improvements to their list of goals with increasing revenue

More Driving Safety Devices

California Cell Phone Driving

People in California are convinced that police are not enforcing the law, and few drivers fear getting stopped.

The records show that 200,000 or more tickets have been issued across California as of May 31. The Highway Patrol handed out 101,676 citations for using a handheld phone or text messaging. Statistics from city police this is state wide. However verification with several South Bay agencies suggested that their tickets easily matched or exceeded the CHP figure.

Officers in San Jose, Palo Alto, Campbell, Santa Clara, Milpitas, and Los Altos have issued 6,086 tickets, while Highway Patrol officers who cover most of Santa Clara County have issued 2,831.

And the pace is accelerating. In May, the CHP wrote

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12,606 tickets statewide, a 60 percent jump from 7,854 issued in July.

These statistics show a significant continuation of a healthy crack down on cell phone usage in moving vehicles especially when fines typically start at $125. That makes for an expensive conversation and when you add the time wasted it is extremely costly.
On the other hand it is not nearly as expensive as an accident.

Driving Safety and Cellphones

We used to see police constantly ticketing drivers for using the cell phone while driving. Now the statistics are showing that the number of tickets are actually going down annually. Is it because people are now putting down their cell phone or is it something else?

See this video that explains the situation in Chicago and likely in you town as well



With people driving faster and longer, no body will claim that cell phone use while driving enhances the safety of the those in the car or those outside. So why do we put ourselves at risk?

Next time you want to talk on the cell phone while driving we need to ask is it worth the risk? And before we answer think of those in hospitals or worse because they chose to talk or text while driving

Devices that help driver safety

Free Driving Course

Taipei City offering free safety courses for drivers, cyclists
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/06/15/2003446244
Monday, Jun 15, 2009, Page 2

The Taipei City Government Motor Vehicles Office’s new Center for Education and Driving Safety in Shihlin (士林) offers free safety classes for drivers and cyclists.

The new facility, which opened earlier this month on Chengde Road, offers classes every Wednesday ranging from bicycling skills for beginners and defensive techniques for motorists to driving lessons for senior citizens and a course for drivers who are afraid of driving on local streets, said Tsai Hsi-chen (蔡錫琛), coordinator at the office.

Tsai said the office sought to educate drivers about correct driving concepts through free courses and seminars. The center, which is also used as a driving site for licensing tests, is equipped with standard driveways and professional staff for the free classes, he said.

Department of Transportation statistics show that scooter accidents account for more than 75 percent of traffic accidents in Taipei. The department expects the courses will help reduce the number of scooter-related accidents, Tsai said.

The department also hopes the center will improve bicycle safety as the number of cyclists has increased significantly in recent years.

In another attempt to protect cyclists, the department is constructing a 2m-wide bicycle lane on Dunhua N and S roads that will connect Taipei Songshan Airport, Taipei Dome, and the Gongguan area. The section between Minquan E Road and Minsheng E Road was opened on Friday

More information on the free driving lessons and other classes can be obtained by calling the center at (02) 2831-4155, ext. 300, or visiting the center’s Web site at www.mvo.taipei.gov.tw.

Crash Courses in Driving Safety

Sunday, June 21, 2009 Post a Comment
Wisconsin: Crash laboratory teaches more than driving safety
One purpose is to aid the design of better technologies to protect auto occupants.
BY DAVID STEINKRAUS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=247458

MILWAUKEE -- If ever there was a place to convince you of the need for careful driving it is this one, tucked into a pair of nondescript buildings in an obscure corner on the grounds of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center.

The crumpled cars are a clue even before you step inside the long, high shed where 471 feet of concrete track ends in a collision chamber lined with concrete blocks to contain the energy of colliding vehicles. With the summer driving season's unofficial kickoff this weekend, with the likelihood of more people driving to nearby vacations in this economically troubled year, it's worth looking for lessons amid the pieces of glass and metal in the automobile crash laboratory run by the Medical College of Wisconsin.

There is a dual purpose for the regular bashing of Audis, Toyotas, Fords, Jaguars and others, said Narayan Yoganandan of the medical college, and both purposes are rooted in trying to understand how injuries occur in a motor vehicle crash. One purpose is to aid the design of better technologies to protect auto occupants. The other is to generate knowledge that will help physicians provide better treatment. Yoganandan, who holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, is chairman of biomedical engineering in the Neurosurgery Department at the medical college.

The crash lab has been running tests in this spot for about 20 years and is one of the contractors used by the federal government to test vehicles for their response in side impacts. (There's another testing contractor in Wisconsin, too: MGA Research Corp. of Burlington.)

Side impact crashes are done at 39 mph as cars are hit by a wheeled sled weighing 3,000 pounds with a front that replicates a car bumper. Front-impact tests are done at 35 mph.

The result is the government's crash ratings in which the occupants of a 5-star vehicle would suffer serious injuries in 10 or fewer of every 100 crashes. In cars rating 1 star, occupants would have serious injuries in 46 or more of every 100 crashes. (You can look results up by model year and make at http://www.safercar.gov)

The newest part of the lab is next door in the neurosurgery research facility.

Here a metal platform is shoved down a track by an air-powered ram, and on the platform is a test dummy.

The platform can carry more sensors, and cameras can be mounted all around the room to photograph what happens to the dummy from various angles, and it's easier to measure all the forces by taking dummies out of cars.

More importantly, from the standpoint of science, is the ability to repeat an event. Unlike a car crash, a computer controls the platform, and can change the forces applied in minute ways, and can do that again and again.

Michael Schlick, a research engineer and the lab manager, flipped open a notebook and showed a graph plotting the forces recorded in a crash. Instead of being a smooth line covering a few tenths of a second, the plot had little steps in it. Those minute changes in force may come from a bumper crumpling or an engine mount absorbing energy and then failing, he said.

"There's two cars, identical cars, you'll never get the same result," Yoganandan said. "Whereas here, if you set up everything perfect, you can get absolute repeatability."

At the moment the lab is studying crash dummies as part of a national project to design a better one. Schlick illustrated the need by bending the neck of a standard crash dummy. It's stiff, which means that in a frontal impact, the dummy's head snaps down and the forehead hits the steering wheel. In reality, he said, the human head moves forward slightly first in a crash, as if you were pushing your face forward. In reality that means that people's chins, teeth and noses hit the steering wheel.

Yoganandan said we have made great progress in auto safety. When the government began issuing crash worthiness ratings, most cars earned only 1 or 2 stars. "And now what has happened is there are very few cars at 1."

But we're also learning that modern technologies, the ages of occupants, how their weight is distributed, and other factors affect injuries, he said.

Last month, a group of medical college researchers published a study saying that newer vehicles, because of their better protection, have decreased the likelihood of facial fractures, the most common injury in motor vehicle collisions. But at the same time, the study said, the frequency of injuries hasn't dropped in side-impact collisions, suggesting that there is work to be done.

We may have reached a plateau in crash safety. Nationally crashes have killed about 43,000 people annually for several years, said Jacob Nelson, national director of traffic safety policy for AAA.

Information from the state Transportation Department shows the number of crashes and fatal crashes in Wisconsin was relatively steady from 2002 to 2007, and the number of crashes per 100 people varies little from year to year and county to county. For Racine County, that has meant about two crashes per 100 people.

"There's no way to know exactly why that is, but there definitely is a culture of complacency about the toll that you pay for travel on America's roadways," Nelson said.

"A lot of what causes crashes is basically preventable. They're decisions people make. People make a decision to speed." Or they decide not to wear seat belts, or to drive drunk. Those are the three largest factors in traffic crashes.

"So I think we really need to start looking at driver behavior and how we can change driver behavior in a positive way." AAA is starting on just such a project, he said.

In other words, the road to safer highways is still long, and we still have far to go.

Safe Seniors Driving

A point of "nature shows senior citizens have declining physical functions,and increased medication usage can increase the risk of accidents and injury among older adults, especially after age 75, when the risk of being involved in a collision increases for every mile they drive. The rate of risk for adults over age 75 is nearly equal to the risk of younger drivers age 16 to 24. Fatalities increase slightly after age 65 and significantly after age 75. This is directly related to the inability to withstand physical trauma as a person ages over 75.

These statistics highlight the risk of older drivers. Each family must ask, “Is my older loved one safe while driving?” Once that question is answered, the next question becomes, who should do the talking? Older adults generally prefer to speak confidentially about driving safety with someone they trust. Interesting enough the spouse are less likely to listen to advice to put aside the car keys. Folks that live alone are more likely to listen to their physician over a family member. However, adult children seem to have more influence with parents over 70 than with younger parents in their 50s and 60s. These differences often correlate to health changes and shifts in parent-child relationships later in life. Older drivers also tend to be more open to adult children who live nearby.

Bottom line it is a sensitive issue that must be handled very carefully with sensitivity to the mobitity and respect of all involved

Some steps include:
• Watch for changes in driving habits, general behavior, and health.
• Encourage a driving evaluation through your local Department of Motor Vehicles, along with refresher driving lessons and the AARP Driver Safetycourse.
• Offer the senior some self-evaluation tools to assess driving risk, or work together on these quizzes. See especially the driver assessment questionnaires from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Explore ways to reduce driving, such as making purchases online or through mail-order catalogs. If possible, arrange for home delivery of groceries, and home visits by clergy, medical and personal care providers, and government service providers.
• If necessary, garner support from the older adult’s primary care physician and other family members.
• Research and propose alternative modes of transportation. Maybe the senior can continue to drive some of the time (such as in the daytime or off the freeway), and alternative transportation can fill the need for rides at other times.

Talking to a senior driver who should stop driving...

If you feel that it is time to talk to a senior close to you about stopping driving, approach the issue with sensitivity. A driver’s license signifies more than the ability to drive a car; it is a symbol of:
• freedom
• independence and independent living
• self-sufficiency
• being employed
• fun and spontaneity
• involvement in social and religious activities

Best bet is to make other arrangements for transportation that suits the loved senior.

Understandably, driving is not a privilege that anyone—teenager or elder—wants to relinquish willingly. As important as it is to treat the senior driver with respect and not jump to unjust conclusions, it is also important to help the elderly driver retire from the road. Start slowly and try to persuade the senior to give up the keys. Perhaps first reduce the night driving then hours during the day. Showing that less driving does not necessarily mean not getting what is needed

Teen Car Crashes peak in Summer

Summer is the deadliest time for teen drivers

ST. PAUL, Minn., June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an effort to reduce teen crashes and fatalities in Minnesota, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the Governors Highway Safety Association, Westfield Insurance and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety are hosting Twin Cities' teens at the Ford Driving Skills for Life teen driving summer camp. This free, once-in-a-lifetime driving experience is being held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, June 26-28.

Vehicle crashes are the number-one killer of teens in Minnesota and nationwide. In Minnesota 2006-2008, teen drivers (16-19) were involved in 48,799 traffic crashes, resulting in 226 deaths. In all, 137 teens ages 16-19 were killed in crashes.

Students will receive hands-on advanced training by some of the nation's top professional driving instructors. Participants will learn techniques in four key skill areas: speed management, space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition. Experts have identified the lack of these skills to be the cause of approximately 60 percent of vehicle crashes for newly licensed drivers ages 16 to 19.

Through the training camp, teens will gain valuable driving experience and improve their driving safety skills; parents are welcome to attend as well.

"We are looking forward to bringing the Ford Driving Skills for Life program to Minnesota," said Jim Graham, community relations manager of the Ford Motor Company Fund. "The Ford Driving Skills for Life program is designed to help teens learn important lessons in road safety that are often not discovered until it is too late. The Ford Motor Company Fund is committed to combating the alarming rate of teen crashes and fatalities."

Cheri Marti, director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety and a member of GHSA's executive board, says this event is important to give new teen drivers hands-on experience. She adds the program encourages parents to stay involved in continuing to train and monitor their teen drivers.

"Teen drivers pose a threat to themselves, their passengers and other drivers due to their inexperience and risk-taking behind the wheel," says Marti, noting summer is the deadliest period on the road for teen drivers. "This program is a great opportunity to teach teens valuable skills they need to avoid tragedy on the road."

Ford Driving Skills for Life was created in 2003 in partnership with the GHSA. It is one of the nation's most comprehensive teen driver safety programs. In addition to hands-on events such as the event being held in St. Paul, it consists of learning tools such as an interactive Web site (www.drivingskillsforlife.com) that includes a learning module, quizzes, car care videos, driving tip videos, interactive games and an enhanced eco-driving curriculum. Free educator packets are available for students and parents, as well as teachers and community programs. Additionally, individual programs can be created to meet the specific needs of communities and schools.
Website: http://www.drivingskillsforlife.com

UK Driving Simulator

Learner drivers are being invited to test how good -- or bad -- they are at spotting potential hazards on the road, with the help of University of Nottingham researchers.

Learners are being offered the chance to use the very latest driving simulator at the University to help them sharpen their driving skills -- while getting paid in the process.

Psychologists are looking for 200 learner drivers to take part in a study looking at the way that novice drivers can become distracted, and how they react to common potential hazards that are faced by drivers on the road every day.

And as well as helping them to prepare for their own driving tests with the latest high-tech equipment, volunteers will be aiding research aimed at increasing safety on UK roads in the future.

The researchers are keen to hear from learners aged between 17 and 25, who have had six or more on-road lessons and who are learning to drive in the UK.

They will be put through their paces in a driving simulator recently installed in a laboratory at the School of Psychology. While 'driving', participants wear a special helmet with a sensitive device installed for tracking eye movement. They then follow a route which involves various hazards, and the simulator not only detects how they respond to the hazards, but exactly where they look at each stage of the journey.

Learner drivers will be able to use Risk Awareness package currently offered in driving centres run by BSM, the UK's largest driving school. This involves driving in the simulator, watching a training video detailing certain aspects of hazard perception and then completing a further drive in the simulator. This should take less than one hour and each volunteer will be paid £7 for taking part.

Dr Lyn Jackson, one of the organisers of the study, said: "This package was designed my BSM to improve hazard awareness and we are inviting 200 learners to have it for free.

"The simulator is a real boon to learner drivers because they can encounter hazardous situations, and learn from them, without any actual physical risk.

"Given that hazard perception is a skill that learner drivers need to develop to pass their driving test any extra practice they can get will be beneficial."

New drivers are involved in a disproportionately high number of accidents in the UK, and research suggests one factor might be the way they react when potential hazards appear on the road. One of the main differences between novice and experienced drivers is that novices tend to want to look either straight ahead, or down at the dashboard, while experienced drivers pay much more attention to their surroundings rather than their own car.

The University of Nottingham researchers hope that their findings will be used to help train new drivers to be more aware of hazards and better able to deal with them.

Night Vision for drivers

A group created an electronic system that significantly improves driving ability at night by using information extracted automatically from night visors. Researchers are working within a European project called DRIVSCO, whose participants include researchers from different countries who work on real-time vision and its application to the car industry. The study conducted at UGR developed a microchip which, when installed in a car, makes it easier to extract the information from cameras to elements involved in driving (bends, pedestrians, cars, etc.) which may be present on the road. In other words, this system will inform drivers by means of visual, acoustic or other signs about the obstacles appearing in their way, making intelligent cars even more sophisticated than is currently the case.

Improving visibility

The researcher who carried out this study is Eduardo Ros Vidal, who explained that the aim of this chip is to support the illumination of the car, which is insufficient for ideal vision. "Dipped headlights only illuminate about 56 meters when the breaking distance at 100 km/h is about 80 meters," says Professor Ros Vidal. The system created by his group uses two infrared cameras placed on the car which record the scene even further than the illumination of conventional headlights. Therefore, the chip extracts information about factors such as movement or depth in real time to improve the detection of specific elements and situations of interest.

Current artificial vision systems use this basic information to detect objects, pedestrians, bends etc. For instance, the system generates information about the depth of the scene in real time codifying the distance of every object -- warm colours for close objects (reddish and more dangerous) and cold colours for distant objects (bluish and safer). The system also processes real-time movements, indicating the direction in which the object moves in the scene and how everything changes due to the movement of the car.

Other participants in DRIVSCO include the University of Münster (Germany), which is currently studying where drivers look when driving by using eye-tracking systems. This project is the continuation of ECOVISION, which also focused on the development of Advanced Driving Assistant Systems (ADAS), which are currently applied to high range cars and which will undoubtedly be improved thanks to the progress of DRIVSCO.

ADHD People get medication to drive better

Medication Improves Driving Ability ADHD Patients

Main Category: ADHD
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 21 Apr 2008 - 0:00 PST

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ADHD & Giftedness
Is ADHD a Sign of Genius? Yes! How to Turn ADHD Into a Strength.
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Find other articles on: "adhd driving"

The use of the medication methylphenidate considerably improves the driving ability of people with ADHD. This was shown in research done by Joris Verster of Utrecht University, The Netherlands. The study will appear in the May 2008 issue of Journal of Psychopharmacology.

People with ADHD are often prescribed methylphenidate (brand name Ritalin) to counteract hyperactive behavior and attention dysfunction that may negatively affect their driving ability. Although little was known about the influence methylphenidate had on driving ability, a number of studies using driving simulators did indicate that the medication had a positive effect on driving ability.

Driving test

As part of his research, Verster had 18 ADHD patients take a test drive on a motorway under normal traffic conditions. The patients were asked to drive as safely as possible at a steady speed and fixed position on the road over a distance of 100 km. The test drives were done both with and without medication. The study shows that weaving of the car is much less when patients use their medication than when they drive without medication.

Verster's research shows methylphenidate improves driving ability of ADHD patients.

UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
Postbus 80125
3508 TC Utrecht
http://uu.nl

Mercedez Trains New Drivers

http://www.girlracer.co.uk/motoring/news/1105-learn-to-drive-with-mercedes-benz-.html Learn to drive with Mercedes-Benz

The new Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is set to revolutionise the way British teenagers learn to drive, with the aim of encouraging safer driving on Britain’s roads. With young drivers amongst the most vulnerable on the roads (nearly 1 in 3 car drivers who die or are seriously injured are under the age of 252), the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy promises to coach its students to become good drivers, not to just pass the test. Launching at Mercedes-Benz World in June, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy offers three main modules: Pre-road module (age 12 – 16yrs), Provisional Licence module (age 17+yrs) and Post-test module (for those who have already passed their test). With the handling circuits at Mercedes-Benz World, in Weybridge, Surrey, students as young as 12yrs can enrol in the Academy and start mastering driving skills in a safe environment off the public roads, under the expert tuition of certified personal coaches. This allows them to get familiar with the car, gain confidence and focus on controlling the car before they have to deal with traffic situations out on the public roads. Concentrating on one thing at a time in a stress free environment eventually leads to more effective learning and better driving habits. The positive impacts of learning to drive at a younger age have been demonstrated in Sweden where the introduction of the Swedish Young Drivers initiative reduced accident rates by 40 per cent in the first year amongst drivers who started behind the wheel 18 months earlier - at 16yrs3. Mercedes-Benz has been working with Dr Mika Hatakka (Turku, Finland), an internationally acknowledged expert of driver education, to develop an innovative curriculum-based programme. The structure of this programme takes into account recommendations from a series of EU road safety research projects that look at the benefits of learning to drive younger and earlier, as well as best practice tuition techniques. With over 190 different skills, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy takes a holistic approach to learning to drive. Passing the driving test focuses on two key areas - basic vehicle control and mastering traffic situations. The new research-based Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy curriculum goes far beyond car control with two completely new ‘psychological’ modules covering journey planning, dealing with peer pressure in the car, personal motivations, time pressures, health and wellbeing and social influences - all of which are adapted according to relevance, age, module and ability. Example tasks also include practical lessons in car maintenance, first aid and the best ecological and economical ways to drive. As well as coaching students to master driving skills, the Driving Academy will also teach risk assessment and prevention via practical experiences and role playing exercises. These exercises will include training on how to avoid losing control of a car, the importance of eliminating distractions and what to do with a car full of noisy friends or loud music. Using a variety of techniques from practical tuition on the handling circuits and on the public roads as well as classroom seminars and peer group discussion sessions, students will be tasked with actively thinking about driving as well as learning to drive. Self-evaluation and effective use of feedback are given extra emphasis in the programme via in-car cameras and post-session interactive discussions. In addition, a web-based skills tracker will allow both students and parents to monitor progress throughout the different levels of the Driving Academy curriculum, and to see exactly what has been achieved in each lesson. The Academy’s holistic approach also offers ‘Parent-Partner-Sessions’ where parents are given practical advice (on the handling circuits) on how to become the best possible in-car advisors when they are with their children outside of the Academy. The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy also recognises the importance of supporting young drivers after they have passed their test as their driving experience in traffic develops. The Post-Test Module offers students a series of refresher courses which go beyond ‘Pass Plus’. It includes practical simulations of emergency situations as well as discussion seminars to review and self-evaluate driving experiences in traffic. Peter O’Halloran, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz World commented: “Learning to drive should be like learning to play an instrument. The more practice you have the better you master it and the more confident you become. With Mercedes-Benz, students start learning to drive at a younger age, which removes the stress of passing the actual driving test. In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy provides young people with the skills and thought based experiences that go beyond the requirements of just passing the driving test and prepares them for the actual demands of driving on the public roads, making them better and safer drivers when they have their licence.” Surrey Fire and Rescue Service welcomes initiatives that attempt to raise driving standards in the local area, Area Manager Leslie Dodd said " Last year 14 young people died on our roads and 10 of their passengers were killed. Any scheme which equips drivers with the skills and knowledge to stay safe on our roads deserves our support." www.girlracer.co.uk

Youngster Taught to Drive Safe

http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/Motoring/Article/Youngsters_to_be_taught_safe_driving_from_11-104254.html

Given that young drivers account for a disproportionally high level of accidents on Britain's roads, a majority of motorists would likely give their support to push the age at which people can legally get behind the wheel up to 18, or even 21.

However, according to a new initiative, rather than waiting for youngsters to mature before they are allowed to get their licences, the trick to making the roads safer is to teach them good habits at an early age.

Opened this week, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy will offer kids as young as 11 the chance to take a spin around an old race track in Surrey, with the organisers stressing that the emphasis will be placed firmly on safety rather than just fun.

In addition to learning how to perform all the basic manoeuvres, the next generation of drivers - who must be at least 1.5 metres tall to be allowed a place on one of the courses - will even be taught things that are beyond many adult motorists, such as coping with icy conditions, developing good on-the-road etiquette and driving with music on.

Furthermore, top-up-lessons will also be on offer to those youngster who have just passed their test but who are keen to get more real-life driving experience before hitting the open road on their own.

Nev Pooley, a senior instructor at the school, explained: "Here we can teach aspects of driving you can't do on the roads.

"An emergency stop at 70mph, like we do here, would obviously be dangerous on a public road."

While it is likely that a majority of the school's pupils will see the lessons around the track as fun rather than educational, the aim is to address the fact that around one in three drivers killed or seriously injured on the UK roads are under the age of 25.

Launching the driving school, reigning F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton explained to the Times that "the speed limit is there for a reason and I think everyone should stick to it".

"When you are on a race circuit the target is to be as fast as you can, but away from the circuit you slip into your everyday life and on the roads it’s all about safety," he said.

Meanwhile, the dangers posed by loud in-car radios could soon be a thing of the past as the new recommendations laid out by Lord Carter's 'Digital Britain' report suggest that national and local radio stations will switch to broadcasting solely on digital channels within the next few years.

Though this is unlikely to affect those young drivers tech-savvy enough to hook their own systems up to car speakers, it has already been predicted that many older motorists, and particularly those with older cars, will be left behind and as such will have to get used to driving around without football commentary or music on in the background.

http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/Motoring/Article/Youngsters_to_be_taught_safe_driving_from_11-104254.html#ixzz0J4q2yNRr&D

Safe Driving for Teens

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=94840&cat=15

Pompano Beach, FL 6/18/2009 08:36 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)

A special “Kid Spaces” edition of Designing Spaces features an important topic that doesn’t typically get the attention it warrants: teens on the road. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens in the U.S. and speeding, not drinking or drugs, is the leading cause of car crashes among teens. Special guest Stacy Kagan, an Allstate agent in South Florida, discusses this devastating reality on the upcoming show. She offers advice to parents on how to talk with their teens, set limits and provide rewards so that they better understand the responsibilities and consequences associated with driving, as well as find additional tools and resources like an interactive parent-teen driving contract at allstate.com/teen. The show airs nationally on the WE network on June 19^th at 7:30 am and TLC on June 20^th at 7 am.

“The summer months are historically the mostly deadly for teens on the road, so Allstate is taking a strong stand to educate parents and their teens about establishing rules for safe driving,” says Kagan. “A study conducted by The Allstate Foundation found that 89% of teens said that their parents—not teachers or peers—have the most influence on how they drive. Allstate offers a Parent-Teen Driving Contract that is designed to facilitate communication between parents and teens about safe driving and help ensure safe driving habits.”

Created by Quorum Productions, Designing Spaces is a half-hour informative series that inspires viewers to make every space count and instructs them on the smartest ways to make their homes more beautiful and functional. From advice on large scale renovations to small modifications, simple tips on making everyday tasks easier for decorating on a budget, this is the one show that provides you with all the comprehensive information you’ll need, presented in a fun, easy-to-follow format.

Quorum Productions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of O2 Media Inc., is a Florida-based production company that is nationally renowned for creating award-winning educational programming. Their informative shows are geared towards disseminating innovative ideas and practical solutions to everyday challenges. Guests on Designing Spaces have included representatives from companies such as Microsoft, Disney, MTV, Samsung, Chase Bank, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart, Celebrity Cruise Lines and many others.

For information on how to get your company’s stories featured on Designing Spaces, contact: Lysa Liemer, Executive Vice President of Programming, at: www.designingspaces.tv or call 954-571-5221.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through approximately 14,700 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. Encompass® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and brokerdealers. Customers can also access information about Allstate Financial Group products and services at myallstatefinancial.com.

Senior Citizens Driving Test

By Ariel Wittenberg & Nick O'Malley, DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENTS

GHS http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x413663335/Seniors-weigh-in-on-driving-restrictions

Posted Jun 21, 2009 @ 12:16 AM

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With Massachusetts lawmakers considering more stringent regulations on drivers over the age of 85, area residents who would be affected had mixed feelings about how additional tests should be implemented.

Richard King, 87, did not give a second thought when he drove to the Fairbank Senior Center in Sudbury on Wednesday.

"I'm almost 90 and still driving, and you better believe it," he said while stuffing envelopes for the Center's weekly senior bulletin.

"Well, don't tell the authorities that," his friend, 78-year-old Peggy Angel of Sudbury, replied, "They'll take away your license."

Angel explained she believes that driving tests are necessary for safer roads but "they should look at who has a bad driving record before they test people."

"I've never gotten a ticket in my life. I have no records with the police or anyone else and I am in good health," she said. "I don't want you testing me just because I'm over 70."

But, King responded "giving a 10-year license to a 70-year-old is a bit ridiculous," he said. "Ten years is a long time when you're our age."

At the Holliston Senior Center, Dorris McGrath, 79, said while she welcomes additional driving tests, she believes that they should be administered to drivers of all ages, saying that while senior drivers might have a tendency to be slow and confused, younger drivers are too fast and erratic to be safe.

Roger Meritt, 71, of Holliston said anyone could be a dangerous driver, but said he becomes concerned when he sees handicapped seniors driving.

"Sometimes you see people at Wal-Mart who it takes all the strength they have to get into the store, and they have the walker and everything," he said. "You just have to wonder, how does this person maneuver on Rte. 495? What happens if they have to stop short and they are going 65, 70 miles an hour? Can they make it?"

Northborough resident Robert Flint, 82, does not drive at night per his doctor's request because he has glaucoma. But Flint, who has no problems with his reflexes, said he "would be lost" if he ever had to stop driving completely because the rest of his family relies on him for transportation.

Living in a town with a lack of public transportation, Flint is responsible for driving his daughter, who has epilepsy and is not allowed to drive for medical reasons, and his 12-year-old granddaughter.

Grace Gledhill, 73, of Wayland said "it would throw me in a tailspin" to have to hand in her license because "I've always been an independent person, and to be independent, I need a car."

Still, Gledhill believes additional tests for the elderly are necessary.

"I know people up in their 80's, who can barely walk, and who I would never get into a car with," she said.

Bob Gagnon of Franklin questioned why elderly drivers were being singled out but said, "If they think it'll make it safer, I guess it's all right."

Anthony Grillo said more accidents are caused by people - not seniors - on cell phones. He thought a doctor should make the call on when a senior should stop driving.

Gordon Curtis of Bellingham said it may be difficult to convince some to give up their license.

"Most of the seniors are independent and they don't look forward to that request. Hopefully, they realize it's time to stop on their own. That's the best way to do it," he said.

Unity on Driver Safety

ESB and RSA to promote road safety in workplace

TThe ESB and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have agreed a landmark strategic alliance to advance their goals for safer driving over the next three years.

The new partnership will see the development of a three-year plan 'Achieving Safe Driving Excellence', to provide a best practice model for developing procedures governing road safety in the workplace.

ESB Deputy Chief Executive Johnny Shine said that ESB is committed to the highest level of safety performance in all its activities including its fleet and private vehicle driving. Implementing safe driving policies within the ESB has resulted in a 60 per cent reduction in serious collisions and a 20 per cent drop in material damage collisions between 2003 and 2008."

"This reduction in fatal collisions and in serious injuries has saved untold human misery and saved the exchequer approximately €28 million. In addition our motor insurance premia fell to 15 per cent of 2003 levels," he commented.

"Going forwardthe ESB is implementing a safe driving programme targeted at improving every facet of driving across its businesses and working towards the elimination of incidents and injuries associated with driving and transport activities. The creation of this strategic alliance with the RSA will allow us to tap into their expertise and will certainly strengthen our safe driving programme", he added.

Commenting on the Strategic Alliance, the Chief Executive of the RSA, Noel Brett said that driving for work involves risk not only for the driver, but also for their fellow workers and members of the public.

"As an employer or self-employed person you must, by law, manage the risks that may arise when employees drive for their work. The ESB has pioneered the way in this country when it comes to road safety in the work place. We are delighted with this partnership with ESB. It will ultimately lead to the development of a best practice model for employers to successfully enable them to manage the risks associated with driving for work", he added.

On a practical level the strategic alliance will involve implementing such measures as:

" ESB promoting its safe driving programme to other employers to demonstrate the benefits to employees and the business.

" Collaborating on new vehicle safety requirements associated with the introduction of new legislation and technologies such as electric vehicles.

" Sharing emerging technology advancements and identifying practical issues within Fleet Management and ways of incorporating them into the ESB vehicle fleet.

" RSA providing assistance to ESB in developing Safe Road Use training programmes

The ESB has a 'liveried fleet' of almost 3,000 utility vehicles but, in addition, 4,000 ESB staff use their own private cars on ESB business. These fleets cover almost 80 million kilometres annually. ESB is also an international company and many staff drive abroad, which introduces further hazards.

http://hgvireland.com/news09a/09hgv285.html

New Safe Driving Spokesperson

In-form Freke to play it safe with new sponsors

8:00am Friday 19th June 2009

Comments (0) Have your say »

KIDDERMINSTER driver Nathan Freke has been given a much-needed financial boost after agreeing a sponsorship deal with one of the country’s leading driving safety companies.

The 25-year-old will help spearhead driving safety campaigns after teaming up with the How’s My Driving? organisation.

The deal will take some of the financial strain off Freke, who leads the Ginetta G50 Cup after three podium places at the Croft over the weekend, and help pay for expensive necessities such as tyres for the next few rounds.

The Century Motorsport man had been funding the current season from his own pocket.

“Obviously the speeds we achieve on the track far exceed those reached on the public highway but in either environment, make a mistake and you run the risk of endangering your own life and the lives of those around you,” commented the driver.

The deal will see Freke become a spokesman for the independent service on road safety.

His Ginetta will also have the distinctive How’s My Driving? badge, often seen on the back of professional vehicles, on its rear.

“We are delighted to team up with Nathan and Century Motorsports”, said How’s My Driving? spokesperson Gemma Bowes.

“The aim of our organisation is to promote safe driving in all areas of life including private motoring and commercial haulage.

“We know that there is a high percentage of young drivers in the Ginetta audience and hope that our involvement with Nathan will help to make them aware of the need for safe driving whenever they get behind the wheel of a car, van, lorry, or even a racing car!”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the organisation can go to www.howsmy.co.uk

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/sport/4445631.In_form_Freke_to_play_it_safe_with_new_sponsors/

Safer driving is more than just buckling up in the event of a crash

by Stephen Miller

As part of the national "Click It or Ticket" campaign each May to encourage car drivers and passengers to buckle up, DC and Prince George's County police are out stopping drivers and ticketing them for not using a seat belt, as reported by Bob Barnard of Fox 5:

Unlike some elements of the StreetSmart campaign, "Click It or Ticket" does not focus on encouraging safer driving behavior to reduce crashes; instead the goal is for drivers and their passengers to protect themselves in the event of a crash by using a seat belt. While this campaign is generally a positive one, there were some quotes in the news piece that betray its auto-centricity. "You can't protect yourself all the time against drunk drivers [or] speeding drivers," MPD Assistant Chief Pat Burke told Fox 5, "but if you are a victim in a crash your best defense is wearing a seat belt." This is true unless, of course, you are a pedestrian or cyclist without the benefit of 3,000 pounds of steel and a safety harness.

The news report also noted that, like crosswalk stings, this enforcement action had benefits beyond seat belts: one man stopped for not wearing a seat belt was wanted on a felony theft warrant and arrested at the scene. The police also caught many drivers talking on cell phones, including one woman who was shocked that she got busted for breaking the law: "I'm a mother on the way to pick her son up at day care," Kent Kolb said, as if that should somehow excuse her distracted driving. "And I cannot believe that I'm getting a ticket. I'm getting a ticket?"

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=2502

Driving Refresher Course

By Maria Papadopoulos

ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Posted Jun 20, 2009 @ 11:42 PM

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BROCKTON —

Roughly 20 percent of licensed Americans — or about 41 million drivers on the road — would not pass a written driver’s exam if taken today, according to results from the 2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test.

The online test, in its fifth year, is comprised of 20 questions taken from actual exams given by state motor-vehicle departments.

Overall, findings from the 2009 survey indicate the number of American drivers with knowledge of basic road rules is decreasing, with this year’s average test score, 76.6 percent, lower than last year’s, 78.1 percent.

Respondents continued to have difficulty on questions about yellow lights and safe following distances, while almost all drivers answered correctly what a solid line meant.

The test “is a just a good reminder to refresh your knowledge of the rules of the road,” said Mike Dunklee, spokesman for the Detroit-based GMAC Insurance.

The 2009 survey polled more than 5,000 licensed Americans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Massachusetts drivers, with an average score of 73.8 percent, ranked 45th on the list.

Idaho and Wisconsin drivers tied for first in the nation, with an average test score of 80.6 percent; New York drivers ranked last, with an average score of 70.5 percent.

To check your knowledge, take the test at www.gmacinsurance.com/SafeDriving.

Maria Papadopoulos can be reached at mpapadopoulos@enterprisenews.com.

Urging to Raise Driving Age

Raise Driving Age

Written by Jeffrey Scott

Thursday, 18 June 2009 11:55

States urged to raise age for driving, but ‘it’s a tough sell’ By Jeffry Scott This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it The Atlanta Journal-Constitution AJC.com Thursday, September 11, 2008 The numbers, the prevailing body of research, perhaps even the common sense of it have been known for years: Teenagers are more likely to have accidents than any other drivers on the road. The younger drivers are, the more dangerous they are behind the wheel. On average in this country, about 4,600 teenagers a year die of injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. Yet, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety this week recommended states across the country, including Georgia, raise the driving age from 16 to 17 or 18, the group admitted that probably wouldn’t happen. “It’s a tough sell,” said institute spokesman Russ Rader in a telephone interview from Scottsdale, Ariz., where the group presented its findings to the Governors Highway Safety Association. “Over the years Americans have come to treat 16 as the driving age as somehow carved in stone.” That sentiment was echoed by Georgia officials, who have been among the most aggressive in the nation in regulating teens on the road. “There is a of lot evidence that the longer you put off the driving age the better it is because people’s cognitive abilities and judgment improve,” said Georgia state Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome). “But when we have floated this idea to voters, it’s very clear they don’t want the age raised.” Smith sponsored Joshua’s Law. The measure, which took effect in 2007, says 16-year-olds must either take driver’s education classes to get a license, or wait until they are 17. Joshua’s Law is named for Joshua Brown, a Cartersville 17-year-old who was killed in July 2003 when he lost control in the rain and slammed into a tree. His father, Alan Brown, has since made it his mission to see that his son did not die in vain. “My son hydroplaned at 45 miles an hour in the rain; he didn’t do anything wrong,” said Brown, who said he considered suicide after his son’s death. “How do you teach a kid that? He was young. But you do everything you can. You make kids take driver’s education.” When Joshua’s Law was passed, only 38 schools in Georgia offered driver’s education. Today, driver’s education is taught in 161 Georgia schools. Brown said he has met with 93 school boards selling them on the idea and “I’ve been successful 91 times.” Arthur Goodwin, a senior research associate at the Highways Safety Research Center at the University of North Carolina, has studied driving laws across the country. He believes states will raise the driving age to 17 —- eventually. “There’s no question that raising the age saves lives,” he said. “But right now, 16 is the balancing act people have decided on between safety and mobility. I think over time that attitude will change.” Atlantan LeAndrea Carter, 34, knows all about that balancing act. She said she would prefer the driving age be raised to 17 because she believes her 16-year-old daughter, Silkki, who didn’t take driver’s education classes, would be more mature and prepared to drive. Instead, she has been teaching her daughter how to drive the old-fashioned way: white-knuckle rides around the neighborhood as Silkki, who turns 17 in February, drives. Mom rides, guides and gives advice. “I’ve got to say, it’s nerve-racking,” Carter said. “When she is behind the wheel and a car is coming towards her, she stays in her lane but she just slows down. I tell her you can’t do that, you’re in your lane —- you should remain calm.” In Warner Robins, Eric Collins, 16, just got his license after taking driver’s educations classes, most of them online. He says he feels comfortable behind the wheel and sees no need to raise the legal driving age. “I mean, it’s been 16 for a long time,” Collins said. “I don’t know why they would change it.” And they probably won’t, not in Georgia, not anytime soon. Bob Dallas, director of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, said this week his office is still trying to digest the latest argument and statistics from the IIHS, a research group funded by the auto insurance industry. “In our mind, it’s very, very early in the data,” Dallas said, adding that he is not aware of any effort by officials or state politicians to push for raising the driving age in Georgia. The last concerted effort to raise the driving age in Georgia was in 2001 when Roy Barnes was governor. The backlash from that was particularly pronounced in rural Georgia, where Barnes met resistance from farmers who said the age needed to stay 16 —- or lower —- so teens could continue to drive vehicles to help with chores and bring in the crops. In New Jersey, there’s evidence that waiting until you’re 17 to drive is a good thing. According to the IIHS study, the rate of crash-related deaths among 16- and 17-year-olds was 18 per 100,000 in New Jersey, compared with 26 per 100,000 in Connecticut, where the age is 16. Those rates, researchers said, have dropped even further since both states instituted graduated driver’s license programs, which Georgia adopted in 1997. Graduated licensing requires teens to spend more time driving with a parent or other responsible adult Associated Press NEW JERSEY'S DRIVING AGE IS THE OLDEST Most states allow unsupervised driving between the age of 16 and 16 1/2. A new report argues that issuing licenses at age 18 Ð like most European Union countries do Ð would reduce driving accidents. Age U.S. states permit unsupervised driving* Map shows a color shaded U.S. outlined map that represents ages when teens are allowed to drive: 14 1/4, 15 - 15 1/2, 16 - 16 1/3, 16 1/2, 17 * Some with restrictions on night driving and passengers Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Testing Elderly Drivers

Older Age Limit on Driving

Thursday, 18 June 2009 13:27

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/puopinion/local_story_168223946.html Editorial: Testing elderly drivers a necessary step in the name of safety A string of accidents involving elderly drivers — including one that seriously injured a 1-year-old Gloucester girl at the Danvers Wal-Mart two weeks ago, and one that killed a 4-year-old in Stoughton last weekend — has renewed a push in the state Legislature to require new road tests for drivers above and beyond the age of 85. That, in turn, is renewing familiar complaints that such a requirement would be discriminatory. It would. In fact, it would be the right kind of discrimination. While the word now carries almost exclusively negative connotations, many kinds of discrimination are necessary and good. It is good to discriminate between good and evil, between something of value and something that is worthless, between food that is good for you and food that will harm you. And it is good to discriminate in issuing driver's licenses when a group is at risk of putting themselves, and others, in harm's way. Society has imposed discrimination on young drivers for generations. The age at which they are allowed to get a license keeps creeping up. They have to operate under "junior operator" rules at the start. And while, yes, that's discriminatory, too, there is a justified context to it. As any insurance actuary will tell you, young drivers are some of the most dangerous out there. Not all of them, of course, but enough to matter, and enough to merit these blanket limitations. The same, for different reasons, is true of elders as a group. The recent accidents were not isolated anecdotes. It's right there in broad statistics. The number of accidents per mile driven spikes as people get older. And statistics show that drivers over the age of 85 are 3 to 4 times more likely to be involved in an accident than even their teenage counterparts. That requires some "discrimination" — and some regulations as well. Some elders have attacked proposed legislation filed by state Sen. Brian Joyce, D-Milton, to require the testing of drivers aged 85 and older as if the Legislature is out to confiscate their licenses on a given birthday. They complain that lawmakers want to punish all of them for the infractions of a few. That is demonstrably false. Anybody who is 85, 90, 100 or even older can indeed keep driving — if he or she passes the necessary test. A test is no more a punishment for an 85-year-old than it is for a 16-year-old. All it does is screen out impaired drivers. State Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Methuen, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, says he is trying to "balance the demands of the advocacy groups with the interests of public safety." Fair enough. Elders deserve a respectful hearing. But they have received that, and their contention that driving is a right they have earned is not what they taught their children a generation ago. They taught them that driving was a privilege, not a right, and that public safety must trump individual desires. That's still the case today, perhaps more than ever.

Drowsy Drivers Consumer Report

Thursday, 18 June 2009 10:50

blogs.consumerports.com June 17, 2009

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Drowsy drivers: Study finds motorists asleep at the wheel

A good night’s sleep seems to elude many of us. A recent study conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that about half of respondents either had trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or wake up too early. Sleeplessness can affect your daily performance at work, school, and on the road. Drowsy driving crashes can be hard to detect due to difficult and unreliable reporting, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates there are about 100,000 sleep-related crashes per year and 1,550 fatalities.

A 2005 survey from the National Sleep Foundation found 60 percent of drivers (168 million people) drove while drowsy in the past year and more than a third have fallen asleep behind the wheel. Four percent of these people, or 11 million drivers say they have either been in an accident or almost had an accident.

We’ve all been there—trying to stay awake while driving. Using all the tactics such as opening the window, playing loud music, and drinking caffeine, but the best and safest remedy is to pull over and take a short snooze or not drive at all if you’re tired.

Sleeplessness can lead to slow reaction time, poor vision, missed exits or traffic signs, and trouble staying in the lane. This puts the driver, as well as others on the road, in serious danger. The effects have been compared to driving while drunk.

The groups that are most at risk for drowsy driving are young males under age 26, shift workers, commercial drivers, and those with untreated or undetected sleep disorders. However, there are some things that can be done.

A number of trucking companies are screening their drivers for sleep disorders, such as apnea and helping them to receive treatment. They are also looking at studying the effects of installing a drowsy driving warning system in their rigs. NHTSA recently conducted a prototype study on these devices and found that it could have a positive impact on driver safety, but there are still a number of considerations such as cost to companies and driver acceptance.

For young people, a number of states have instituted graduated licensing laws that help build driving experience through a multi-stage program. One part of the program is a restriction on nighttime driving, which has helped to reduce accidents and deaths by up to 60 percent.

So, what else can be done? Here are some tips to help reduce or prevent drowsy driving.

• Get adequate sleep before you get in the car.
• Take breaks—especially if driving a long distance.
• Arrange for a travel companion to swap driving duties.
• Avoid alcohol and/or medications that can cause drowsiness.
• If feeling tired, pull off the road and nap for 15-20 minutes.
• Caffeine may help, but can take some time to get into your system and when it wears off can leave you even more tired.
• If you have a teen driver, implement your own nighttime driving restrictions.
• Drinking a good quantity of water helps as it prevents dehydration that can cause drowsiness. It also requires you to pull over regularly and stretch your legs for a bathroom break.

—Liza Barth