Photo courtesy of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

A large percentage of car accidents are due to “Distracted Driving.” Distracted Driving accidents are surpassing accidents that involve the use of alcohol. In the category of Distracted Driving is cell phone usage by the driver. There is no surprise here. What is a surprise is that during the increased use of smart phones and hand-held devices, car accidents, overall, have actually declined.

With car accidents being on the decline, we must not fall into a state of complacency on this issue. Personal use of smart phone technologies are putting our young people at risk due to their lack of understanding of the consequences. As discussed at SigHaylowBlog, a study performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reported that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.

Imagine how great it would be if we could curtail the use of smart phone technology in moving vehicles. Oprah Winfrey has launched the “No Phone Zone” pledge to help in this endeavor. Working together, we can further improve the already current trend of reduced car accidents.

The technology is there to improve our lives and help protect our well-being. But, it does not do this on its own. We must do our part by responsible use of the technology. Oprah Winfrey with her “No Phone Zone” pledge is a great example. Let’s keep the discussion going.

IRVINE, CA – April 7, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is strongly urging all motorists to stop driving while distracted and fully backs April’s national awareness month to combat this deadly highway hazard.

“Distracted driving is of great concern for motorcyclists as we simply have more at stake,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “Riders are obviously more vulnerable than car or truck drivers, the ones with far more access to a variety of distractions. Most motorcyclists are focused on one thing: riding. Other motorists should be focused on driving.”

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s website, www.distraction.gov, reports a variety of sobering statistics:

• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction (16 percent of the total fatalities).
• The proportion of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009.
• 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
• 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction.

“With these alarming, increasing reports of driver distraction and resulting injuries and deaths, we support every effective effort, including legislation, to fight this growing hazard,” Buche said. “We’re very pleased that Oprah Winfrey, an influential TV personality with huge national reach, has come out so strongly against distracted driving.”

Introduced by former U.S. Representative Betsy Markey, the resolution to create a National Distracted Driving Awareness Month was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 23, 2010.

Most states currently have laws regulating distracted driving. The DOT reports that 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. Last year alone, 12 of these laws were enacted.

To increase driver awareness, the MSF presents key facts about motorcycles and their riders and has created a website with valuable resources for drivers called forcardrivers.com.

10 Things All Car and Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles and Motorcyclists

1. There are many more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road and some drivers don’t “recognize” motorcyclists. They ignore them, usually unintentionally. Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection.
2. A motorcyclist may look farther away than he or she is in actuality. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, estimate that a motorcycle is closer than it looks.
3. A motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots or masked by objects or backgrounds outside the car. Thoroughly check traffic, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.
4. A motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Again, don’t immediately rely on your perceptions.
5. Motorcyclists sometimes slow down by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Don’t tailgate motorcyclists. At intersections, anticipate that motorcyclists may slow down without any visual warning.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle are not often automatically self-canceling. Some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off. Try to determine whether a motorcycle’s turn signal is for real. And if you’re driving a car, remember to use your turn signals too. They’re a great communication tool for riders and drivers when used properly.
7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily, to avoid road debris, and deal with passing vehicles and wind. Understand that motorcyclists often adjust lane position for a purpose, and it’s not an invitation for a car to share the lane with them.
8. Maneuverability can be one advantage for a motorcycle, but don’t expect that motorcyclist can always steer or swerve out of harm’s way. Please leave motorcyclists room on the road, wherever they are around you.
9. Stopping distance for motorcycles can be nearly the same or better than that of cars. But wet or slippery pavement can put motorcyclists at a disadvantage. Don’t violate a motorcyclist’s right of way, especially in bad conditions.
10. Don’t think of it as a motorcycle, a machine: Think of the rider; the person on board is someone’s son, daughter, spouse or parent. Unlike other motorists, protected by doors, roofs and airbags, motorcyclists have only their safety gear and are at greater risk from distracted drivers.

“While the solution to ending distracted driving is clear – better, smarter, safer decisions – upcoming research will shed more light on the nature of the problem,” Buche said.

In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, distracted driving contributed to more than 22 percent of all the crashes and near-crashes that were recorded. This research gathered its data from video recorders and instrumentation installed on the vehicles before they were placed back, for months, into everyday traffic.

The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will soon do the same with motorcycles, for six to 18 months, and will combine unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews. The study will create a comprehensive picture of many factors, possibly including distracted driving, that contribute to both crashes and near-crashes.

The MSF, its members, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) are now engaged in this study, likely the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic research on motorcycle riding.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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In this Post, we want to touch upon what we can do to reduce the use of our car insurance policies. Of course, we know that even if we do everything right, we cannot control the other drivers on the road or the weather. But, if we are aware of our responsibilities, we can improve our odds.

A study performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reported that the factor for most crashes and near-crashes was Driver Inattention. The study showed that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use and results from drowsiness.

Our first responsibility is to eliminate these distractions when we are driving. In addition, we can recognize them in other drivers and take precautionary care while within their vicinity.

Photo courtesy of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Although we cannot completely control what other drivers are doing, we can distance ourselves from distracted drivers to increase the safety of both. We need to look not just at the road the other cars, but be aware of what the drivers of the other cars are engaging in. Common conversation with other passengers is probably not a red flag, but a driver text messaging is an area of serious concern. We need to get away from that vehicle in a safe and controlled manner.

We need to do certain things ourselves, as well. We do not want to be doing the activities in our car that would worry us if we saw another driver doing those same activities. We need to turn off our cell phones, pull over to the side if we want to check a map or our GPS device, and make other common-sense decisions. We need to be sure that we are not drowsy, as well. If you are coming home from work and feeling tired, pull off into a gas station and get a water or some other non-alcoholic beverage. A simple bottle of cold water can be incredibly rejuvenating.

This Factsheet lists some great suggestions on the subject of Driving Distractions

Although we all must take the steps to be sure we have adequate car insurance, we also need to take steps to reduce our need to ever file a claim. If you would like to make sure you are getting the best insurance coverage for the best price, check with an Independent Insurance Agent.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – February 18, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study is progressing on schedule, according to key milestone accomplishments:

• All study documents have been completed and are currently under review by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) internal Institutional Review Board;
• The three study locations have been selected: California, Virginia and Florida;
• VTTI engineers are testing instrumentation configurations with samples of the types of motorcycles that will be sought for the study;
• Riders will be recruited initially for Virginia starting in April 2011 with the other two locations to follow;
• Data collection will begin spring 2011.

In 2010, the MSF and its members partnered with VTTI on the world’s first large-scale, naturalistic motorcycle riding study: The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study.

This landmark research initiative combines unobtrusive, continuous data collection with post-incident interviews to create a comprehensive picture of many factors contributing to both crashes and near-crashes. The study involves 100 motorcyclists in multiple age groups who ride one of three types of bikes – cruiser, sport and touring – in various riding environments: urban, rural and freeway. Other study factors include diverse weather conditions, traffic situations, and rider gear requirements.

Data will be collected on each rider for up to 12 months (depending on the riding season in each location) using small video recorders and multiple instrumentation devices mounted on the bikes. It is expected that the study will document and analyze approximately 400,000 to 500,000 miles ridden by the 100 motorcyclists. MSF’s initial funding for the study exceeds $1.6 million plus approximately 30 percent more through in-kind investments.

“We’re extremely excited now that the groundwork has been laid and the study is moving into the data collection stage,” said MSF President Tim Buche. “Each level of analysis – from observing rider’s gross and fine motor skills to determining crash avoidance and near-crash avoidance – will be fed back into the work of the MSF’s Rider Education and Training System. The insights we gain will ultimately provide riders with tools and techniques to optimize their success on the road by helping them to develop and improve both skills and judgment.”

Instrumentation to be utilized in the data collection process includes five video views (forward, sides/rider’s hands, rider’s face, and rearward), accelerometers, gyros, global position system, vehicle speed, brake use, machine vision-based lane tracker, and a forward radar.

“Naturalistic observations provide inputs that are difficult or practically impossible to get through traditional research methodology,” said VTTI director Tom Dingus. “Most importantly, it is done in such a subtle way that the subjects quickly forget they’re being observed, so the study reflects their true riding character – how they ride when they think no one is watching.”

A departure from traditional crash-causation research, the naturalistic method and technology developed by VTTI was successfully used in a 100-car study in 2005 that included 69 crashes and more than 750 near-crashes. The method is presently in use by researchers across the globe to target nearly every type of roadway user, with the exception of two-wheeled vehicles. “The MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will greatly advance the understanding of interactions among rider, motorcycle, roadway, other roadway users and the environment,” said Dr. Sherry Williams, MSF director of quality assurance and research.

Among other things, the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study will provide information on:

• The rider’s behavior over a relatively long period of time in the rider’s everyday environment;
• What happens to a rider’s skills and decision-making over time – in the minutes, days, weeks, and months prior to the crash, not just at the moment of critical impact;
• The sequence of events and factors in the instants prior to the crash;
• Differences between successful and unsuccessful evasive maneuvers;
• How the rider interacts with adjacent vehicles;
• Various aspects of the bike’s movement.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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Phones that allows us to connect and communicate with others conveniently, is becoming the next deadlier thing apart from alcohol.

Before i tell you what is this all about, let me tell you the consequences that came from this deadly habit.

Nearly 500,ooo people are injured and 6,oo0 are killed EACH YEAR, just because of this deadly habit that everyone is slowly forming. Recent survey finds that 71 percents of ages 18 to 49 admit of having this deadly habit. Which is talking on the phone, texting or e-mailing while driving.

You might think, that is something you do everyday, that it’s almost becoming your daily necessities. To check for calls, e-mail or texts, make calls, reply e-mail or text. And thinking that- This is the deadly habit you say?

It might not be deadly in your mind, it still does kill over 6,000 people yearly.

I’m very frustrated and enraged at how much death and injured comes from such an unnecessary habit. I’m not blaming on the technology of phones, i love to use cellphones too. But i’m blaming the habit that people form, during driving. A lot of people assume that they are able to multi-task and that they are good at it. But they just simply couldn’t.

Study done by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) all shows that driving with distraction increases the risk of getting into a crash or near crash event:

As it is shown, just texting- something so simple when doing it alone – causes you to be 23.2 times more likely to get into a crash or even cause a crash.

A text, e-mail or call is not worth a live.

If you are not worried of losing your live, please do think about the other driver who could be someone’s mother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather….. That you may cause their death and destroy the lives of those left behind because of the text you needed to check in that minute, which could be only a reply of “yes” or “i’m reaching soon”.

And no matter how you see it, it’s just so unnecessary and stupid. If you need a real story for you to see, i will provide it.

In September 2008, a Los Angeles commuter train conductor missed a red light while sending and receiving more than 40 text messages. His packed train collided head-on with a freight train, injuring 135 people. The conductor and 24 others were killed, making it the second worst commuter train crash in U.S. history.

Weeks later, a school bus carrying 21 students was rear-ended by an 18-wheel semitruck. The bus was pushed more than 200 feet before bursting into flames. Twenty students escaped, but 13-year-old Margay Schee was killed. The truck driver admitted he had been texting and hadn’t seen that the bus was stopped.

But i guess picture still worth a thousand words or should i say video.

I couldn’t embed the video from Oprah website so i’m giving you the link, please do watch.

The Full Hour Episode Video On Americas New Deadly Obsession On Oprah

A Special Message From Oprah – No Phone Zone

Please if you do care and want to stop this from happening to you or anyone close and dear to you or even causing someone to lose their love ones.

Take The Pledge and Please Follow it even after you took it.

For Teenagers and confident drivers, if you think that you know all the the hazards you are facing on the road. Take this quiz and watch this video and see how much you know about the hazards facing your teen—and yourself—on the road.

Teen Texting and Driving Quiz

Putting Distracted Drivers to the Test Video

No Phone Zone, for more information and videos.

Having the conveniences of cellphones and technology is something we all can embrace. But no one has to die because of it.

VTTI currently owns a “Smart Road”; a two lane, 2.2 mile stretch of asphalt, with the ability to replicate rain, snow and other “treacherous” driving conditions, where date can be collected and observed from test vehicles on site.

VTTI director, Tom Dingus, says the “facility will be the only one of its kind in the world and will generate world-class tire research data while generating significant revenue and high tech jobs in South side Virginia.”

In addition to the GM funding of $5 million, other sources of funding for the $14 million center include Virginia Tech itself and from a national tobacco settlement.

It is estimated that the NTRC will spend $12 million in testing and research within the five years and create up to 183 new jobs by 2020. The facility will be located adjacent to the Virginia International Raceway in Halifax County, VA. ]]> http://teendrivingblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/us-and-new-york-look-at-text-messaging-bans-but-do-they-work/ Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:56:18 +0000 lapearce http://teendrivingblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/us-and-new-york-look-at-text-messaging-bans-but-do-they-work/

Car and Driver found texting to be more dangerous than drunk driving

Earlier this week The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released a study showing that texting makes drivers 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash. This study adds to the volume of information now available about texting. Other research has found that texting reduces reaction time 35 percent, and steering ability by 95 percent. It has also been said that texting while driving may be more dangerous than drinking while driving. Everyone knows it is dangerous, but people still text while they drive. Some lawmakers are trying to stop them, but will the laws make a difference?

Our good friend Charles Shumer or New York, who is currently trying to create a nation wide driver’s ed program, is backing a bill that would ban text messaging nationwide that was introduced today. The law would require states to ban text messaging or risk losing 25 percent of its highway funding.

The Legislature in Shumer’s home state New York passed its own texting ban this week as well, but it is only a secondary offense. If it becomes law, drivers in New York can only receive a texting ticket if they are pulled over for braking another law as well, probably failure to maintain a lane, or after they hit someone. But if Shumer thinks that texting bans are so important, why is his own state failing to make a texting ban a priority? More importantly: will these bans actually stop people from texting behind the wheel?

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) does not yet support bans on text messaging because of the difficulty of enforcing them. People also still use their phones in states where it is illegal to do so. California is seeing a lack of compliance to its cell phone laws a year after motorists were told to hang up and drive.

Will texting bans just deture people from finding better solutions to the problem because they will think it has been solved? Or is there any solution that will stop people from using their phone while they drive short of devices that render them useless inside cars, such as Zoomsafer. People like the conveinence of a cell phone and let me tell you from personal experience: they call it a Crackberry for a reason.  For now, I am sure, law or no law,  people will keep texting, tweeting, emailing, facebooking and good olf fashion chatting on the phone while they drive.

I would like to hear your thoughts, but please, pull over first.