Texas Driver Safety and Training

Though teens cannot legally drink alcohol, teen drivers still have to contend with intoxicated drivers on the road. Summer or holiday breaks are a dangerous time for teen drivers because they spend more time on the road, where they may encounter impaired drivers.

Risk factors for teens on the road in summer include:

• Due to their limited driving experience, teens often have difficulty handling emergency situations; for example, they might try to pass a driver who keeps drifting into their lane.
• Teens may have trouble recognizing when other drivers might be impaired and neglect to allow an adequate space cushion between their vehicle and the vehicles of those drivers.
• Teens often have poor impulse control, which could lead them into playing traffic games with aggressive or impaired drivers, such as racing from one traffic light to another.

Here are some tips on how to recognize an impaired driver:

• their vehicle is straddling two lanes
• they have a close call, such as nearly hitting a parked car
• they make wide, clumsy turns
• they are traveling well below the speed limit (10 mph or more)
• they are following too closely
• they are braking erratically or stopping at inappropriate places (such as at an intersection with a green traffic light)
• their headlights aren't on at night, or they leave their turn signal on for a prolonged time

Teens can use defensive driving techniques for safe driving:

• Always wear your safety belt. This is your best defense against impaired drivers.
• Obey the speed limit. Driving too fast means drivers have less space to respond to hazards.
• Avoid being distracted from watching the road by noisy passengers, loud music, or using a cell phone.
• Maintain an adequate space cushion on all sides between your vehicle and other vehicles. If you notice someone driving erratically, increase your space cushion.
• Observe the behavior of other drivers, but keep your eyes moving; don't get so distracted that you miss another hazard.

Labels: driver safety, driving hazards, driving while intoxicated, impaired driver, seat belt safety

The one part of our first driving test we all dreaded most was the parallel parking portion and even drivers with years of experience still have a problem with it. It really isn’t all that difficult; all it takes is a little practice.

Parallel parking is a situation that is full of potential for collisions, both major and minor. The first step to avoid a collision is to let other drivers know your intentions. When approaching a parking spot, check your rear view mirrors for traffic behind. Drivers behind probably aren't expecting you to slow and stop. Stopping quickly without warning is an invitation to a rear end collision. If a car behind is following too closely, look for another parking spot. Warn drivers behind you by lightly tapping your brakes two or three times. Turn on your right turn signal and slow down gently.

Once you have warned other drivers, slowed to a stop, and determined that the parking space is large enough for your car, follow these steps to park:

• Pull up within two to three feet next to the car in the space ahead. Your rear bumper should be even with the rear bumper of the other car.
• Shift into reverse, turn your steering wheel sharply to the right and slowly start to back up.
• Start straightening the wheel when your passenger seat is even with the rear bumper of the other car.
• Continue backing and turn your wheel sharply to the left once the front of your car has cleared the car ahead.
• Once you feel you are parallel with the curb, turn your wheel sharply to the right to straighten the wheels.
• Stop your car before you hit the car behind.
• Shift into drive and straighten up your car in the space. You should be no more than 12 to 18 inches away from the curb.

If you live in a location where you have to parallel park a lot, you may want to consider getting a backup warning sensor as an option on your next car purchase. Just remember that they can be unreliable sometimes and don't rely on them too heavily. Backup video cameras are also available at around $100 at some of the major big box stores.

For a video demonstration of parallel parking:



For more information on driving safety, visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/

Labels: backup cameras, collision, driver safety, drivers license, driving test, parallel parking

Blind spots are a big problem for drivers and forgetting to check them as you change lanes can have disastrous consequences. You can never totally eliminate your blind spots but, by adjusting your mirrors properly, you can reduce them to a very small level. Following this procedure may seem a little strange at first but, as you get used to it, you will find that you have virtually eliminated your blind spots.

(Note: If you don't have electric mirrors that you can adjust from within the car, you will need a friend to help you adjust your outside mirrors.)

To adjust your mirrors, follow these steps:

Center Mirror - Sit upright in the center of the driver's seat and adjust your center mirror so that it gives you the widest possible view of the road behind.

Left side mirror – From your center position in the driver’s seat, lean to the left until your head is touching the window; now adjust your left side mirror outward until you just barely see the rear of your car in the far right side of the mirror.

Right side mirror – From your center position in the driver's seat now lean your head approximately the same distance that you did when you adjusted your left mirror. From this position, adjust your right outside mirror outward until you can just barely see the rear of the car in the far left side of the mirror.

Adjusting your mirrors so far outward may seem strange and will take some getting used to but you will find that, as a car to your rear moves to change lanes and come alongside you, you will see half of the car in both mirrors. Once that vehicle moves to your left or your right, you will see it in your side mirror until it appears in your peripheral (side) vision.

This procedure won't completely eliminate your blind spot and it may have the benefit of getting you to check your blind spot more frequently as you become used to positioning the mirrors this way.

Are you getting ready for your drivers license test? Complete a prep course for the Behind the Wheel Road Test and be over-prepared. With practice we guarantee you'll pass your driving test!

Labels: behind the wheel, blind spots, driver safety, driving test, road test

Police officers and driving school instructors hear it all the time; "But I had the right-of-way!" In today's frenetic driving environment, drivers seem reluctant to give up the right-of-way, even when someone else is trying to take it. This attitude can result in instances of road rage and car crashes. The truth is, on America's roads, no one has the right-of-way.

It can be a hard concept to understand, especially since, when we were learning the rules of the road to get our driver's license, we had to learn who had the right-of-way in certain circumstances. Actually, state laws do not give any driver the right-of-way nor do police try to determine who had the right-of-way. The laws only state who should have given up the right-of-way to another driver.

No driver can take the right-of-way; they can only give up the right-of-way to another driver. When entering the interstate from an on-ramp, we were all taught that traffic on the main thoroughfare has the right-of-way. At a four-way stop, we all learned that the driver who arrived first has the right-of-way. What that actually means is that we should give the right-of-way to the traffic on the interstate or to the driver who arrived first at the intersection. The driver on the interstate can't "take the right-of-way" if the driver on the on-ramp doesn't want to give it to him. The driver at the four-way stop can't claim the right-of-way if the other driver tries to take it first.

Every state has a law that says a driver has the responsibility to do everything possible to avoid a collision. If a collision results because a driver insists on taking what they believe to be their legal right-of-way, in spite of the fact that the other driver is also trying to claim it, both drivers will be held equally responsible. Doing everything possible to avoid a collision means that the responsible driver will give up the right-of-way to another driver who insists on taking it.

Recognizing that the traffic on the interstate or the driver who arrived first at the stop sign has the right-of-way and giving it to them is the key to being a safe driver. Another key to safe driving is watching for aggressive drivers and staying out of their way; even if that means you have to delay your trip for a moment or so.

A driver who has to give up the right-of-way to an inconsiderate aggressive driver has every reason to be upset and angry but at least they won't have to deal with a car crash. Remember the concept of F.I.D.O; Forget It and Drive On.

Labels: aggressive driving, driver safety, Highway Safety, interstate, right-of-way, traffic safety

When it comes to driving laws, there are a lot of laws that are easy to break and, indeed, are broken by millions of drivers each day. However, there are some laws that can’t be broken, no matter how hard one tries, and these are the laws that a lot of drivers tend to forget about or ignore. These unbreakable laws are, of course, the laws of physics; specifically, Newton's laws of motion. These laws play an important part in our driving experience and, when people forget about them, the results can be tragic.

How do these laws impact our driving? Newton's first law of motion says "An object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." What that means is that, when a car hits a solid object such as a tree or another car and comes to a sudden halt, the occupants inside the car will keep traveling at whatever speed the car was traveling until they come in contact with the steering wheel, dash, or crash through the windshield. This law can't be broken but it can be overcome - by the simple use of a seat belt.

There are actually three separate crashes in a vehicle collision; all obeying Newton's laws of motion:

1. When the car strikes another object – The faster the car was traveling at the point of impact, the greater the collision forces.
2. When the unbelted bodies inside the car fly forward – The unbelted bodies inside the car will fly forward and, once they strike a solid object, will rebound or bounce off in another direction resulting in more than one impact point until all the energy is expended.
3. When the brain and the internal organs fly forward and strike the skull or rib cage – This final crash is where brain concussions and internal injuries occur.

The seatbelt is the primary lifesaving device in a motor vehicle but lots of people have excuses for not wearing seat belts:

• "They're uncomfortable." – So is flying through the windshield!
• "I'd rather be thrown clear in a crash." – This means you are flying out the window onto the concrete at 30 - 40 - 50 mph. No matter how bad the crash, you are always safer restrained within your vehicle.
• "I'm afraid of being trapped by the seatbelt." – This event is incredibly rare. The seatbelt latch mechanism is so simple that it is almost impossible for it to fail.
• "I don't need it because I have airbags." – Airbags are considered to be a secondary or supplemental restraint system (that "SRS" you see on your steering wheel) and they depend on the occupant being restrained by the seat belt to work properly. Also, airbags only deploy in a head-on collision so they won't deploy in every crash.
• "I can just brace myself." – Imagine a 150 lb man trying to stick out his arms to stop himself as he flies into a brick wall at 40 mph. His arms will just snap as they hit. The collision forces are tremendous. In fact, in just a 25 mph crash, an unbelted 100 lb girl will hit the dashboard with a force of 2,090 lbs.

Actually there is no good excuse for not wearing a seat belt. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that, in 2009, 12, 713 lives were saved by seat belts. An additional 3,688 lives could have been saved had the occupants been wearing seat belts. Seat belts won't always save you from injury or death (some crashes are just too horrendous) but they will increase your chances of surviving a collision by up to 55%.

The good news is that, according to NHTSA, seat belt use has increased up to 85%. The greater use of seatbelts is one of the primary reasons credited for the steady decline of traffic deaths on America's roads over the past several years. Remember, it's not just smart to wear a seat belt, it's the law.

Labels: air bags, airbags, driver safety, seat belt safety, seat belts, supplemental restraint system, vehicle crash, vehicle safety

Word's out: summer's almost officially over. Other than the nationwide-groans from kids, there's also something else to be concerned about: children's safety. These kids may be in their preschool years, or they may be at the driving age --- bottom line is: safety is a still a genuine concern.

Here are some tips both for parents and children to make their trip back to school a safe one:

• Parents should have a talk with their children regarding safety. For the younger kids, parents should be giving out more specific advice than "don't talk to strangers." These talks can and should also include the following topics: looking left to right before crossing, crossing/getting off the bus only where it is allowed or with adult supervision and numbers to call should they find themselves lost. For the older kids, maybe it's time to introduce a Parent-Teen Driving Contract --- to put down in paper what is specifically not allowed in the scope of their driving privilege/responsibility.
• Drive carefully. Be the example for your children. Always buckle your seat belt before driving, remove all distractions from the vehicle and always obey traffic signs or lights. Always keep the vehicle maintained so it doesn't break down and the kids (or you!) won’t get late.
• If the school is within walking distance from the home, parents should survey the route their children take. Is there a “walking school bus” (a group of kids on their way to school accompanied by an adult from the neighborhood) near the area where you live?
• For parents and teen drivers: always be aware of school zones. The penalties of going too fast or driving up where you’re not supposed to is even greater than when you're on the road --- even worse, you may get a crash. Remember that there is a speed limit of 25mph in school zones which apply before and after school hours.
• Have fun: school may end up being the best time for children, and a fond memory for parents. Making sure you and your family is safe ensures that you’ll cherish the moment more.

Labels: driver safety, parent teen driver, school bus safety, teen drivers

BikeTexas has launched an ongoing educational effort on how best to Share the Road with cyclists. This campaign is aimed specifically for both bikers and motorists. For cyclists, it teaches them that they should treat their bicycles like any motorized vehicle, obeying the same laws, sharing the same rights. For motorists, this effort is to enlighten them that bicycles should be treated just the same as other vehicles, and that they deserve to share the road.

BikeTexas is a nonprofit organization that aims to advance bicycle access, safety and education in Texas. Since their formation in 1991, they have united the voices of bicycle enthusiasts, bicycle makers and Texas bicycle clubs.

Share the Road is an educational campaign, so they have tapped multiple venues in order to spread their message. Among them are festivals, rodeos, the papers, public service announcements, bumper stickers and special license plates.

Some of the bumper stickers read: "Give Bikes the Right," while one of the most effective and influential campaign they have is the "Share the Road Y'all" specialty license plates. These plates have reportedly brought in an estimated $40,000 for bicycle education in one year alone, while also receiving almost $400,000 in federal grants. The point of which, of course, is, letting motorists know the importance of sharing the road with cyclists.

For every license plate sold $22 of which goes to bicycle and motorist safety education programs. Also available are "Share the Road Y'all" souvenir license plates. For every one of this sold, $10 go to BikeTexas education programs. Ordering is as simple as dropping by their site.

Labels: bicycle safety, driver safety, share the road

Driving a vehicle is a huge responsibility. It is a serious activity that requires focus, skills, and a responsible mind behind the wheel. Brushing up on the rules of the road is as simple as always considering safety first.

When driving your car it is all about keeping the roads safe for you and for other motorists. Here are a few key things to remember when driving:

• Prepare yourself and prep your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is in proper working condition, and put yourself in the right attitude towards driving: SAFETY. Just before you put the key into the ignition, remember to buckle up with a safety belt, and every time you start the ignition, remember stay calm and be courteous.
• Follow the speed limit and signs. Every driver, before getting their learner's permit is tested on these, but for many drivers if they had to take their Road Rules and Road Signs test again may fail. Test your knowledge on a free practice test to know if you need to brush up on the Road Rules and Signs again.
• Learn how to safely overtake a vehicle or truck. This maneuver is potentially the most dangers move to make in your vehicle. Here is a short video with a great description on how to safely pass another vehicle or truck.
• Eliminate distractions. Make a playlist for your music, eat and text/call your friends ALL BEFORE driving. It's important to remember that driving is about focusing on the road while operating a vehicle. Having other people in the vehicle can already be considered distracted driving. Lessen interaction with other people in the car when driving.
• Be alert. Before you leave the house, check the news for weather/traffic conditions. Be prepared, and make sure you know how to handle situations like slippery roads, or heavy rains in the streets.

If you really wanted to refresh your memory on driving you can complete a defensive driving course online. Remember: when a driver doesn't put safety first, they pay more for it in the end. Stay calm, be courteous and always be alert.

Labels: defensive driving, distracted driving, driver safety, free practice test, vehicle safety

Halloween can be a fun time for all --- people who stay at home will get cute monsters knocking at the door, while trick-or-treaters rack up buckets and buckets of sweets, to be consumed and be tired of by the end of the week.

Obviously, the trick-or-treat tradition happens in the evening, and thinking about children crossing streets at night may be too much for some parents. Here are a couple of tips for both people who will be driving around during Halloween and for trick-or-treaters.

For parents of trick-or-treaters:

• Be part of the planning process --- map out routes and the time the children should be expected at home.


• Make sure that children under 12 are accompanied by a parent, an older youth, or an adult.
  
• Things a trick-or-treater should bring: a mobile phone, flashlight, something to identify the child with address, should he/she get separated from the group.
  
• Tell children to only approach houses with lights on them.
  
• Stick a piece of reflective tape or iron-on reflective fabric on prominent places of the children's costume, to make them easily visible in the dark.
  
• Make sure that children can see well, even through their costume. If they can, opt for decorative makeup instead of masks that may hinder vision.
  
• Review traffic safety and pedestrian safety precautions.
  

For drivers on Halloween:

• Sure there'll be parties --- have a designated driver! One that doesn't get startled by monsters walking about in the streets.


• For most residential neighborhoods, the speed limit is 25 mph, it would be better to drive slower than this.


• There's no predicting what sugar-driven children will do, be extra careful as children may cross the streets without warning.


• Obey all traffic signs, signals and markings.


• When driving trick-or-treaters, remember to have them sit on child-appropriate safety seats.

Halloween is always a fun part of the year for kids, and as responsible adults, it’s up to us to see that safety is always involved.

Labels: defensive driving, driver safety

It's a common sight on America's roads today; drivers with their seats adjusted back in a reclining position and the driver appearing very relaxed while they drive. While being relaxed is important to avoid fatigue and maintain alertness, being too relaxed can be very dangerous.

Your mother's advice about correct posture was right. Correct posture in a car isn't about appearance. Proper posture can prevent collisions or help prevent injuries if you are involved in a collision.

Sitting upright – The most common type of collision in America is rear-end collisions. If you are rear-ended, your body, following the laws of physics, will always snap back toward the point of impact. If your seat is reclined, even slightly, your body will snap back even further leading to hyper-extension of your neck and spine. That is why neck and spinal injuries are the most common type of injuries on America's roads. Few people think of the seat as a safety device but it can be a very important safety device if it is used properly and that means placing it in the full upright position with the headrest just barely touching the back of your head. Proper posture will also put you in a position to take quick action in order to avoid a collision.

Bend your knees and elbows – You shouldn’t have to reach for the steering wheel or controls, nor do you want to sit too close to the steering wheel. You don’t want to sit too close to the steering wheel because you could be injured by the force of the airbag as it deploys. You want to position the seat so that there is at least 10 to 12 inches between you and the airbag. That way, in a head-on collision, your head will bend forward into the cushion of an already fully deployed airbag. Placing the seat at a position where your knees and elbows are slightly bent will help you avoid muscle strain and fatigue.

Hands on the wheel – There is now some controversy as to where you should place your hands on the wheel. The common wisdom is that hands should be placed at the 10:00 and 2:00 position. However, some states and safety organizations are recommending that the hands be placed at the 9:00 and 3:00 position to avoid injuries to the arms if the airbag deploys. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that there isn’t enough information yet to advise one over the other. Regardless, you need to keep both hands firmly on the wheel to maintain full control. If you drive with just one hand crossed over the front of the steering wheel, you forearm along with your nose will probably break as the airbag deploys and drives the back of your fist into your face.

Look up – You need to be in a position where you can see clearly down the road. You need to be able to look at least 15 seconds or a full block down the road in order to predict any hazards that may be coming your way. You also need to scan the driving situation to your sides and rear to identify hazards from those directions. Scan your mirrors every 5 to 15 seconds.

For more driver safety information please visit the National Safety Commission.

Labels: air bags, car seats, driver safety, driver training, seat belt safety, seat belts

How did our highway system come about? How safe are the Toll Roads?

Do toll plazas create danger on the highways? Do they make toll roads unsafe? Does excessive speed cause more crashes?

These are some of the many questions being asked about toll roads. It was in 1956 that President Eisenhower enacted the Federal-Aid Highway Act which set the design standards for the Interstate Highway System and allowed tolls to be charged on some of the roadways. These highways did not get completed until 1991. There are now almost 50,000 miles of roads available to us.

Among all these miles, there are about 5,000 miles of toll roads. Since we have 50 states and the District of Columbia, if we divided 51 evenly, it would come out to less than 98 miles per state. However, only 32 of the states actually have toll roads, some with as little as 1 mile to the state of Florida which has about 700 miles of toll roads. The fees that are charged can vary from state to state, from as little as 2 cents per mile to as much as 18 cents per mile. Some of the states with low miles only have bridges or tunnels that charge tolls.

Texas has recently launched a Toll Road safety campaign. Their safety tips for drivers can apply to any toll road:

• Slow down in cash lanes and on exit ramps.


• Never back up to change lanes.


• Do not get out of your car at the toll plaza.


• If you are on the wrong lane for paying, just keep driving through and you will get a bill in the mail for the toll fee.


• Watch for stopped vehicles in cash lanes.


• If possible and you have a payment transponder, use the express lanes.


• If paying by cash, be sure your lane has the green arrow or light.


• Avoid distractions, such as cell phone, talking or texting, and anything that takes your eyes off the road.


• Always buckle up.

Today many of the toll plazas have special lanes for the state issued transponders. Since you do not have to stop to pay the toll, it makes the highway safer. You must still use caution for the special assigned lanes, as well as prepare for a reduction in speed.

Toll roads have a better safety record than secondary roads and non toll highways. This happens because they have better maintenance records, such as covering potholes, fixing barriers, constant road monitoring. The one factor that toll road operators cannot control is the driver. The driver is responsible for the speed that the vehicle travels as well as any distractions that occur and risks taken, by exceeding the speed limits.

The Florida Turnpike has instituted several safety initiatives to ensure an excellent safety record. They include:

• additional patrols always available and during specified holidays


• restaurants at the service areas offer free coffee


• an incident management in place


• a streamlined policy on handling emergencies.

Their goal is to have the roadway clear within 90 minutes of a crash. Public outreach and education is on going at the service plazas to encourage safety, including child car seat checks and reminders to “Buckle Up”.

Many of the older toll roads are upgrading the toll collection plazas by using overhead connections to the transponders making it is unnecessary to slow down when approaching a toll booth, but imperative to watch the signage on the roadway to ensure you are in the correct lanes. The newer roadways, because of computer simulations, have fewer curves for better visibility.

The roads are constructed for safer travel, but now it is up to the drivers to be sure that they are not tired or distracted, their vehicles are well maintained, and keep in mind - “Safety First”.

Labels: driver safety, driver safety tips, Highway Safety, toll road campaign, toll road safety, toll roads