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

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

Back in May 2009, TxDOT rolled out the Click it or Ticket it pilot program for the campaign in counties such as Bexar, Dallas, Hidalgo and Tarrant. According to TxDOT and NHTSA findings, teen drivers were 4.5 percent more frequently buckled up than their peers in 5 control counties.

An overall of 9.1 percent increase in teen drivers using seatbelts is very good. So good, in fact, that TxDOT is now expanding their campaign statewide. During the tour, TxDOT rolls out a mangled truck --- a horrible visual reminder of an accident, of which the two teen drivers involved manage to walk away from because they were wearing seatbelts.

"This is a very graphic and visual display of a terrible wreck – it's hard to imagine that the two teens actually walked away from it. Both of them credit seat belts as the only reason they're alive today," said Carol T. Rawson, P.E., Deputy Traffic Operations Division Director for TxDOT.

High schools who participate will receive materials like parking lot banners, window decals, lawn signs and posters to display around campus that points students to www.seatbeltsrock.com, an interactive site that shares similar stories, quizzes and other fun activities that promote seatbelt use. Students who visit the site also get a chance to win one of four iPads, donated by Nationwide Insurance. Students also get coupons for Whataburger for free and discounted meals.

TxDOT urges teen drivers to "Love Yourself, Buckle Up."

Learn more about proper position for your driving posture and seat belt use.

Labels: car seats, click it or ticket, seat belt safety, seat belts

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

Like most states, Texas has a point system for traffic violations however that is where the similarity ends. Most states assign a point value based on the severity of the offense earning a driver anywhere from 2 to 6 points depending on the offense. If you earn so many points in a specific period, your license may be suspended.

Points - The Texas point system is quite simple:

• Every moving offense as defined by Texas law that a driver earns in Texas or another state will receive 2 points.
• A moving offense that results in a crash earns 3 points.
• Points are not assessed for speeding less than 10% over the posted speed limit or for seat belt violations.
• Child safety seat violations will earn 2 points.
  

Points will remain on your driving record for a period of three years.

Surcharges

Just as in any other state, once a driver goes to court for these offenses they may be fined, have their license suspended or revoked and may have to pay fees to get their license reinstated. Where the Texas point system differs from most other states is the point surcharge system.

Texas requires drivers to pay an annual surcharge if they earn 6 or more points in a three year period. The surcharge is reviewed annually and if a driver continues to earn points the surcharge goes up.

For example:

A driver earns 6 points within a three year period and is assessed a $100 surcharge. If the driver continues to accumulate points, he or she will receive an additional $25 surcharge for every point over the original 6 points. A driver who continues to earn points each year will see his or her annual surcharge increase and it will continue until there are no longer 6 accumulated points on the driving record within a 3 year period.

Certain serious offenses such as a DUI do not earn points but are assessed an automatic surcharge that the driver will have to pay for three years after the date of conviction:

• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), or a DWI-related offense
• First Conviction - $1,000 annual surcharge
• Second or subsequent Conviction - $1,500 annual surcharge
• DWI with Blood Alcohol Content .16 or greater - $2,000 annual surcharge
  

• Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility (auto liability insurance)
• $250 annual surcharge
• Driving While License Invalid
• $250 annual surcharge
  

• Driving without a Valid License (i.e.; No Driver License, No Commercial Driver License, No Endorsement Violation, No Motorcycle License, Operate with License for other Class Vehicle)
• $100 annual surcharge
  

Surcharges are cumulative, for example:

A driver convicted of DWI pays an annual surcharge of $1,000. That driver is subsequently convicted of Driving While License Invalid and must now pay $250 in addition to the $1000 for the DWI conviction.

Drivers have 30 days to pay the annual surcharge or face suspension of their license until all the charges have been paid. Some drivers may be eligible for an installment plan that allows them to pay their surcharge over a longer period.

Point Removal

Texas allows one ticket in a 12 month period to be dismissed if the driver attends an approved Defensive Driving Course with certain exceptions:

• You must not possess a commercial drivers license (CDL).


• You must admit guilt and sign a statement that you do not contest the ticket.
• If cited for speeding, you must not have been speeding more than 25 mph over the posted speed limit.
  

You must receive permission from the court to attend the TX defensive driving course in order to have the points dismissed so make sure you contact the court prior to registering for the course. The court having jurisdiction over your ticket may require a fee to take the course and a fee to obtain a copy of your driving record in addition to the cost of the course itself.

You cannot use a certificate of attendance from a Defensive Driving Course that you attended previously for ticket dismissal. You must attend the course after conviction for the offense in order to have the ticket dismissed.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving course, driving safety, point system, seat belt safety, speeding ticket, texas defensive driving, texas traffic ticket, traffic violations