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Showing posts from April, 2011

Safe Driving can Save Gas Money

With gasoline prices on the rise (again!), drivers can benefit greatly from a few tips on how to reduce gasoline expenses said the U.S. Department of Energy. According to this agency, reckless driving includes speeding and rapid acceleration and braking, and this can result in lowering your gas mileage by nearly 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent in town. In general, it is a known fact that every 5 miles that you drive over 60 mph is going to result in you paying an additional $24 cents per gallon of gas. Excessive engine idling also results in wastage of gasoline. Using your car’s overdrive gears and cruise control appropriately also leads to better mileage. Try not to place unnecessary heavy items in your car, as adding an extra 100 pounds to your car will reduce the miles per gallon by nearly 2 percent. Maintaining your car regularly can save you a lot of money on gasoline. Fixing any serious problems like a faulty oxygen sensor can result in nearly 40 percent improvement

Aggressive Driving Targeted in Cleveland

If you’re in Cleveland, then you’ve probably noticed the increase in the number of traffic control cruisers along I-271 and I-90. And if you’re going to drive like a nutcase, the traffic cops are going to catch you for sure. State troopers have been doing their rounds looking for aggressive drivers. 8 troopers are on duty in Cuyahoga County are on the lookout for tailgaters and other driving miscreants. Some of the traffic violations that troopers will be on the lookout for are: Improper lane changing. Tailgating. Drinking and Driving. Speeding. Attempting to push other cars into the next lane. Following too closely. If any of these are observed, the drivers will be pulled over and may get a ticket.

Drivers increasingly using Twitter behind the Wheel

Police offers across the country have warned drivers about the dangers of using Twitter and other social networking sites behind the wheel after studies were shown that more and more people have been using social networking sites while driving. Research has shown that at least one in five drivers have admitted to checking Twitter and other social networking sites when driving. This makes social networking a great danger behind the wheels and is high up there amongst other driving dangers like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and driving under the influence. In spite of it being illegal to use mobile phones while driving, drivers are carelessly ignoring this law and still using mobile phones to tweet and check Facebook.

Are Distracted Driving laws going too far?

A lot of citizens are of the belief that the distracted driving laws carried out by the state government are going a wee bit too far. A lot of people feel that this is management at its worst! Where will it end? People with children feel that the biggest distraction when driving is their kid, so should their kids be outlawed? Should taking pickles off your burger be banned? Should texting while at a red light also be banned? The law maintains that any motor vehicle driver should devote all of his time and attention to driving and should refrain from any kind of activity that could cause distractions. A lot of people have been complaining about these laws and want to know how to identify a specific distraction. Many drivers are calling out for a little more common sense as far as legal restrictions are concerned. Yes drivers tend to eat, talk to passengers. Change CD’s and deal with misbehaving children. Laws should take this into consideration before coming up with restrictions. What d

Bicyclists have Road Rage!

Of course, bicyclists too have every right to use our roads, except for those roads from which they are excluded legally. Many drivers today complain about sharing the roads with bicyclists, as they have to endure a few more seconds of delay. However, coexisting with your cyclist counterparts is just a basic driving skill. And those drivers who cannot do this should not be made to drive. But every once in a while, we hear news of bicyclists wrecking havoc as well! There have been many incidents where cyclists were found to flaunt the traffic rules and were caught riding their cycles on the road for automobiles. When admonished for this, many cyclists have used expletives and other aggressive behavior to prove their point. Running a signal, rude behavior and riding on the wrong side of the road can get many cyclists in trouble with the law. Bicyclists who are looking for protection of the 3-foot rule should always observe it themselves in the first place. People who operate 3 pound vehi

Safety Driving Tips that never change with the Season

Although is long gone, the traffic Police are still reminding drivers that roads are equally as busy, and it is important for motorists to not let their guards down as far as safety driving is concerned. Here are a few important tips to remember in all weather conditions: Keep those mobile phones aside: Many motorists repeatedly defy the law regarding the use of mobile phones will driving. Distracted driving is becoming one of the major reasons for motor vehicle crashes. Keep those Seatbelts Buckled: All passengers and drivers should wear their seatbelts in a securely fastened and properly adjusted manner. Ensure that children are also secured in a baby seat or a properly installed child restraint. Obey the Speed Limit: Speed is one of the major causes for fatalities. Obeying the speed limits and slowing down can greatly reduce the chances of crashed and injuries from taking place. Slow down or move over: If you find yourself passing an emergency vehicle with its emergency lights on, t

Do Hi-tech Gadgets on Vehicles compromise their safety?

Having too much of a good thing is just not possible, and this applies to vehicle safety as well. More and more engineers are getting increasingly excited about developing new safety gadgets for vehicles. What with gadgets like the Brake Assist Plus system, the DISTRONIC proximity control systems and the Traffic Jam Vehicle Follow Assist systems, drivers now literally have very minimal control over their own vehicles. Systems are being engineered to self-steer vehicles and to keep vehicles at a safe distance from the one in front, as well as to follow various traffic safety procedures. Companies have been boasting about developing vehicles that can park themselves, slow down if you get too close to another vehicle and check your blind spots for you. So, what’s next? Is there going to be a vehicle that can wipe your nose for you now? The most concerning aspect about these electronic driver aids is that when a motorist gets into a vehicle and doesn’t have to do anything, because he’s use

Teens learn the dangers of Impaired Driving

With spring on its way in and the summer holidays just around the corner, high school students have been spending more time behind the wheel. And this can only mean that the potential for more accidents involving teens is at an all time high. This is why Hall County officials have been doing their rounds around the high school areas to educate kids on the dangers of impaired driving. Lt. Gene Joy, Hall County’s Sheriff said that the team was at the Johnson High School on Thursday, educating the students through a realistic skit called “Fatal Vision” that uses actual vehicles that were present in actual crashes. There are actual smoke grenades that go off to make it look like an actual car crash said Lt. Joy. The actors and actresses in the skit have fake “blood” on them to make it look more realistic. Also, emergency personnel respond to the scene of the accident to make it more realistic. The goal behind this is to ensure that teen drivers make better driving decisions behind the whee

Students Video’s warn others of the risks of distracted driving

Dylan Lard, an 18 year old guy from Montevallo, hopped into his car with a friend to drive from Auburn to Tuscaloosa. While driving on Interstate 459, Lard began to feel very drowsy behind the wheel and closed his eyes for a bit. In doing so, he not only lost control of the car, but also lost control of his life. But miraculously, Lard woke up in the hospital after nearly 2 days after the wreck but found out that his neck was broken and his left hand would be permanently paralyzed. Today, Lard is a full time senior broadcast student at the University of Montevallo and he, along with 15 other students, have completed a recent campaign to spread awareness about the dangers and risks of distracted driving. The students created a video called, “Distracted Driving: A Deadly Mixture”. Being a community service project, the video was filmed, edited and produced in a series of segments covering a wide range of topics from distracted driving and impaired driving to texting and driving and drows

Go back to Driving School and Learn about Roundabouts

Sioux Falls is now building its second roundabout on 69th Street and Southeastern Avenue. This circular intersection is a relatively new concept for most of the traffic engineers in town. The recent success of the first roundabout has led to plans of building a second one. The first roundabout on Career Avenue has the University Center surrounding it and was a fairly new concept for the city. But it has also taken off fairly well. And this is why city engineers have decided that it is time for another one. This move has led to a fairly favorable response from the city resident and the next roundabout to come up will be in a more residential setting. However, intersection safety is a very important topic to cover. The safety council in the city will talk about intersection safety and roundabouts in its defensive driving classes. A roundabout is nothing more than just a circular intersection but it is important to pay careful attention to the road signs and pavement markings. This way, v

American Trucking reaches record levels of driver safety!

The American Trucking Association has just released a record that says that American trucking has never been safer than it is today! According to these records, the number of truck-related injuries and fatalities in the United States fell to nearly 1.17 percent per 100 million miles in 2009 – which is now called the industry’s safest year. This comes as great news to the trucking industry as well as to the entire motoring public! The improvements made to the trucking industry are a clear testament to the commitment to safety that is made by the industry. The drivers of course deserve most of the credit. And ATA as well for its efforts in training and educating the motoring public. Since the highways are where most truckers spend their working hours, it is very important for them to be as safe as possible. Through the ATA Share the Program, truckers now have the opportunity to directly connect with all other motorists and teach them the best defensive driving techniques.

Nursing Student provides safe rides for potential drunk drivers

In spite of her busy schedule as a vocational nursing student at the Angelina College, Jessica Johnson has volunteered to become a designated driver, available to anyone, at anytime. This comes after the death of her best friend, Zayne Anthony, in a freak drunk driving accident in February. Jessica has volunteered to start a designated driving program for all Lufkin residents who need a ride home after having a couple of drinks. Jessica knows at least 5 people who have died due to drunk driving. In an effort to promote her campaign, Jessica has even bought herself a cell phone and has started distributing fliers about her “Last Call” program, where anyone who has had too much to drink can call her and get a free ride home. If more people could be as responsible as Jessica, the roads would be a safer place to drive in. Fortunately, there are plenty of defensive driving campaigns that teach drivers how to drive responsibly.

Truck Driver spills scrap metal on highway and causes accident

A truck driver was charged with careless driving yesterday after he caused an accident on the US Highway 90. 45 year old Jerry James Goodwin of DeFuniak Springs was driving his sem0truck when he rammed into the back end of a Chevrolet Silverado on Thursday afternoon. The semi-truck then proceeded to overturn and slid across the highway. The truck blocked the entire eastbound lane and even blocked part of the westbound lane as well. The semi-truck was also carrying a whole load of scrap steel and iron, which spilled onto the highway. The driver was charged with careless driving.

Traffic Fatalities in the United States fall to an all time low in 2010

The number of traffic-relates fatalities in the United States fell to an all time low in 2010, says reports from the Department of Transportation. According to reports sent in from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010 was marked as the year of lowest traffic-related fatalities with a figure of 32,788 fatalities. This comes as a 3% drop from the overall figure reported in 2009. Furthermore, it was reported that in 2010 the rate of 1.09 deaths per 100 million miles of vehicle travel was recorded as the lowest since 1949. The latest figures to come out show a 5% drop in fatalities since 2005, when nearly 43,510 deaths were recorded. These figures are particularly surprising when you take into consideration the fact that Americans drove 3 trillion million miles in 2010, the most ever driven since 2007. The Northwest Pacific states of Oregon, Washington. Montana, Idaho and Alaska registered the biggest drops in fatality rates. The department has said that this is due to

Officials increase Law Enforcement to promote Highway Work Zone Safety

For many of those who live in and around Perry Hall, the Interstate 95 is just a short drive away. And although highways such as this are more convenient and provide for a faster route to work for most drivers, they are also an extremely dangerous environment for road workers to be on. Earlier this week, state and federal officials had hosted an event near the future Intercounty Connector’s I-95 interchange so as to promote highway work zone safety. Apart from familiarizing the general public with various safety measures, officials have also sent out warnings about increased law enforcement in highway work zones. Highway work zone crashes are dangerous for the workers as well as the drivers. In the last decade, work zone crashes in Maryland have reached to nearly 2,600 cases a year. Conditions however, are improving. In spit f the increase in the traffic, and the increase in the repair work and highway construction work taking place, road safety has increased and work zone accidents ar

Distracted Drivers to be carefully scrutinized in April

The California Highway Patrol along with other law enforcement officers are now planning to keep an extra lookout for distracted drivers this month – the National Distracted Driving Month. Officers will be on the lookout for drivers using mobile phones while driving or drivers who text and drive or even eat and apply makeup while driving on the highway. Enforcement commenced on Monday and will go on till Tuesday, as well as on the 20th and 21st of April – focused enforcement days. The month long education campaigns coupled with the focused enforcement campaigns comes as an effort to target distracted drivers. To kick off this campaign, a media event was hosted where drivers were given certain tasks like eating, texting and applying makeup while driving on a closed circuit course.

Loud Music is another big Distraction while Driving

Parents who are looking to improve their kids’ driving skills and ensure that they are safe behind the wheel should firstly warn them against using mobile phones while driving, sending or receiving text messages while driving, overcrowding the car with too many passengers, drinking and driving and going faster than the speed limit. Driving is dangerous and reminding them of the dangers can only help keep them aware. Warning your kids makes a lot of sense because every day more and more teens are killed in car crashes that occur due to distracted or drunken driving. As parents, you’ve probably already warned your kids about these threats. But how many of us have actually warned our kids about a very deceptive danger, one that many of us indulge in for a pleasurable driving experience? We’re talking about listening to loud music while driving! Surveys have shown that nearly 93% of teen drivers tend to play loud music while driving, which always has a distracting influence on them. Here a