Spring, 2009 Volume 1, Issue 3 A Note from Merritt Burke, Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator Merritt Burke Safety Extension Associate Welcome to the third edition of the University of Delaware Safety Extensions newsletter! In this issue we are fortunate to have several new guest authors, including a local Kent County student summarizing Smyrna High School traffic safety program for the National Youth Traffic Safety Month “Act Out Loud” contest. Additionally, we have articles on seat belts, corporate outreach, bike safety, pedestrian safety, youth education, and windshield safety. I am truly amazed how the newsletter seems to have become the foundation for safety news in Sussex County. Speaking of Sussex County, I would like to briefly inform our readers about the First Annual Cape Henlopen State Park Safety Day in Lewes, DE on April 18 th from 10-2 pm. Cpl. Andy Manning of the Delaware State Parks and I have planned a Safety Fair that includes the following organizations: U.S. Coast Guard, Lewes Fire Department, State Farm Insurance, Lewes Police Department, Delaware State Police, Delaware Fish and Wildlife, DelDOT, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Delaware State Fire School, Lewes Cub Scouts, Quest Fitness and Kayak, Beebe Medical Center, Delaware Surfrider Foundation, Sussex County EMS, Seaford Harley Davidson, Rehoboth Police Department, and Grotto Pizza. There will be interactive activities and informational display tables, including a Bike Rodeo for kids and a SIDNE, impaired driving demo, for teens and adults. Oh, and don’t forget the Lewes Fire Department Fire Rescue Boat Demo off the beach. What an exciting day! In closing, I would like to thank all the safety contributors who have written articles, provided support and allowed me to grow the Community Traffic Safety Program over the last 10 months. Don’t forget, all of the CTSP programs are now on the web at www.udel.edu (click on Safety). Take care and Buckle Up, Merritt Burke Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator (CTSP) Contact me: (302) 856-2585 x584 Email: [email protected]SIDNE participant in Milford, DE Bayhealth Mocktail Merritt Burke, CTSP, educating students at Central Middle School in Dover, DE Walk the Line participant in Slaugh- ter Beach, DE
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Spring, 2009 Volume 1, Issue 3
A Note from Merritt Burke, Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator
Merritt Burke
Safety Extension Associate
Welcome to the third edition of the University of Delaware Safety Extensions newsletter!
In this issue we are fortunate to have several new guest authors, including a local Kent
County student summarizing Smyrna High School traffic safety program for the National
Youth Traffic Safety Month “Act Out Loud” contest. Additionally, we have articles on seat
belts, corporate outreach, bike safety, pedestrian safety, youth education, and windshield
safety. I am truly amazed how the newsletter seems to have become the foundation for
safety news in Sussex County.
Speaking of Sussex County, I would like to briefly inform our readers about the First
Annual Cape Henlopen State Park Safety Day in Lewes, DE on April 18th from
10-2 pm. Cpl. Andy Manning of the Delaware State Parks and I have planned a Safety
Fair that includes the following organizations: U.S. Coast Guard, Lewes Fire Department,
State Farm Insurance, Lewes Police Department, Delaware State Police, Delaware Fish
and Wildlife, DelDOT, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Delaware State Fire
School, Lewes Cub Scouts, Quest Fitness and Kayak, Beebe Medical Center, Delaware
Surfrider Foundation, Sussex County EMS, Seaford Harley Davidson, Rehoboth Police
Department, and Grotto Pizza. There will be interactive activities and informational
display tables, including a Bike Rodeo for kids and a SIDNE, impaired driving demo, for
teens and adults. Oh, and don’t forget the Lewes Fire Department Fire Rescue Boat
Demo off the beach. What an exciting day!
In closing, I would like to thank all the safety contributors who have written articles,
provided support and allowed me to grow the Community Traffic Safety Program over the
last 10 months. Don’t forget, all of the CTSP programs are now on the web at
www.udel.edu (click on Safety).
Take care and Buckle Up,
Merritt Burke
Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator (CTSP)
By: Cindy Genau, Community Traffic Safety, Univers ity of Delaware
Page 6 UD Safety Extensions
“. . .the
windshield is
now
considered
the third
most
important
safety feature
in your
vehicle
behind seat
belts and air
bags.”
Windshield Safety
By: Thomas Huff, President and CEO of Mr. Go -Glass
You’re driving down the road when you
see an object flying towards you. It
hits your windshield with a bang before
you can avoid it. The impact point
starts small and quickly spreads across
your windshield.
At some point in your life, this has
probably happened to you. Your first
call may have been to your insurance
company to check your coverage and
deductible. Although millions of wind-
shields are replaced every year, a
windshield is a more important part of
your vehicle than you may realize.
Most people assume their windshield’s
function is the same today as it was
when Henry Ford put them in the Model
T – to keep the bugs and rain out of
the passenger compartment. Today,
your windshield is designed to serve
many other functional purposes includ-
ing: heating / cooling management,
sound deafening, and mobile phone
communication.
In addition, as vehicle performance and
design has improved, the windshield is
now considered the third most impor-
tant safety feature in your vehicle be-
hind seat belts and air bags. There are
three critical safety considerations re-
lated to your windshield: passenger
retention, rollover strength, and air bag
performance. Each of these functions
depends on the proper installation of a
windshield to function properly.
The odds of surviving a crash are sub-
stantially greater if vehicle occupants
remain in the vehicle. The most impor-
tant consideration is the use of seat-
belts, but even if an occupant does not
wear their seat belt, if their windshield
stays and the passenger is retained in
the vehicle, their chance for survival is
much greater.
Today’s vehicles are designed so the
glass in the car and the windshield spe-
cifically provide roof strength in the
case of a rollover accident. A rule of
thumb is that the occupant of a vehicle
has about 5 inches of clearance be-
tween their head and the roof. In the
case of a rollover accident, if the roof is
crushed because the windshield fails,
the chances of injury from a roof crush
increase greatly.
Finally, passenger side air bags are
designed to brace themselves against
the windshield during deployment. If
the windshield is detached from the
vehicle during an accident, the air bag
has nothing to brace itself against and
will not cushion the passenger.
When you or your insurance company
select a company to replace your wind-
shield, research the replacement proc-
ess in advance to ensure you or your
insurance company have selected a
company that follows proper installa-
tion procedures. Websites such as
www.safewindshields.org are good
resources for consumers.
Thomas Huff is President / CEO of Mr.
Go-Glass, a leading auto glass installa-
tion company on the Delmarva Penin-
sula. Mr. Go-Glass
Seaford, DE location
Mr. Go-Glass, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety are
co-sponsoring a Safety Day on Saturday May 9 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at our Lewes store
located on 1400 Highway One. Contact Tom Huff or Ric Ross at 302-645-9340 for more information.
We are hoping to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving, with the SIDNE (Simulated Im-paired Driving Experience) Program. The date was selected, in part, because it is “Prom Season” and we
hope to further reinforce to students the importance of making safe choices on Prom Night.
Other contributors include: Tile Market, WaWa, Cape Wine & Spirits, Gallo Real Estate, Jeanine O’Donnell/State Farm Insurance, and Citizens Bank.
April 25, 2009 1st Annual CDYC/YELL Youth Festival
Contact: Nyia McCants at (302) 672-1526 x2573
May 12-15, 2009 Child Passenger Safety Technician Class
Delaware State Fire School
Contact: Cindy Genau (302) 831-4973
May 22, 2009 Drug and Alcohol Youth Summit
Delaware State University from 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Contact: Nyia McCants at (302) 672-1526 x2573
June 6, 2009 Safety Day at Brecknock Park, Camden, DE
Brecknock Park from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Contact: Jim Brown at (302) 672-7635
July 4th Have a safe holiday!!
Leave the pyrotechnics to the experts!!
Elbert N. And Anne V. Carvel
Research and Education
Center
16483 County Seat Hwy.
Georgetown, DE 19947
Phone: (302) 856-7303
Fax: (302) 856-1845
University of Delaware
Cooperative Extension
DE Office of Highway Safety
www.ohs.delaware.gov
University of Delaware
Cooperative Extension
www.rec.udel.edu
DE Safe Kids Coalition
www.usa.safekids.org/
state_display.cfm
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
www.nhtsa.gov
For information on
impaired vision goggles
and the
SIDNE go-kart:
www.fatalvision.com
HERO Campaign
www.herocampaign.org
Virtual Bar Educator
www.b4udrink.org
Delaware YMCA
www.ymcade.org
"Cooperative Extension Education in Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Delaware, Delaware State University and the United States
Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Delaware Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware. It is the policy of the Delaware
Cooperative Extension System that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex, disability, age or national origin."