The Focus. This presentation is made possible through A grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) in cooperation with the National Highway.

The

Focus

This presentation is made possible

throughA grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)Is dedicated to those who have lost their lives and provided the motivation for the creation of this program

This program may contain copyrighted materials used under the fair education exemption to the US Copyright Law

FOCUS

Which one Kills More

Comparison

.357 Bullet158 grainWeight-10.2 gramsVelocity-1485 feet per secondKnock Down Power-774 ft pounds

Average American AutomobileMid-Size SedanSize-6.5 feet wide14 feet longWeight-4200 poundsVelocity-103 feet per secondKnock Down Power-294,000 ft pounds

Source: WikiAnswers

The Automobile

• 33,808 vehicle occupants killed 2009• Same as 1 Airline Crash

– Killing 92 passengers daily

Source: NHTSA 2008

Driving

True or False?

Requires very little skill!

Define Driving

• Driving?– Moving a vehicle from one place to

another

• Safe Operation? – Controlling the complete operation:

• Mechanically• Physically• Mentally

Driver License Requirements

• Over 25 years of age– Successfully complete a written exam– Successfully complete an eye test– Successfully demonstrate driving ability– Follow requirements of licensing

• Under 25– Complete driver education course?– All of the above

Source: TX Driver’s Handbook

Society’s Attitude on Traffic Laws

Source: Instructor Experience/Observation

Speed

• 70 Miles per hour– 50% chance of surviving the crash

• 90 Miles per hour– Less than 10% chance of survival

• 35 mile trip at 70 miles per hour– 30 minutes

• 35 mile trip at 90 miles per hour– 22 ½ minutes

Source: Report on Effectiveness of Seatbelts/Airbags NHTSA 2003; Speed calculation formula

Speed

• 20 mile trip to destination• Required to arrive at 8:00 AM• You leave for destination at 7:50

AM• How fast must you drive to arrive

on time?

Source: Speed calculation formula ; common sense

Safety Restraints

• Required for all vehicle occupants• Texas at 93% compliance• 63% of occupants killed non-compliance • Males age 16 to 25• Click it or Ticket?

– Until fatalities end in Texas– Buckle up or pay up

Source: TX Transportation Code 545.413; TXDOT; distraction.gov; buckleuptexas.com

Impaired Driving

• November 17, 1999– 12

• September 11, 2001– 3,000

• September 8, 2004– 1,000

• Every Year in America– 16,000

Source: Wikipedia 2009; Bryan Eagle 1999; CNN 2001, 2004, MADD

Impaired Driving• Texas is getting better

– Prior to 1980• Not much opposition

– 1980• Mothers Against Drunk Drivers• Moved headquarters to Texas 1983

– 1984• Legal drinking age raised to 21

– 1995• Texas Administrative License Revocation

Source: Instructor Experience/Observation; MADD; Wikipedia

Impaired Driving• Texas is getting better

– 1999• Texas lowers BAC to .08

– 2000• .08 adopted as federal standard

– 2002• TXDOT creates LEADRS

– Law Enforcement Advanced DWI/DUI Reporting System

– But Today• A lack of support from society

Source: Instructor Experience/Observation; MADD; Wikipedia

Impaired Driving

• You drink, you don’t drive• You drink, You drive, You Go to Jail• You show up in court, You are held

responsible• Texas can do better

Source: Instructor Experience/Observation; MADD; Wikipedia; buckleuptexas.com

A

Distracted Driving

Reports indicate most crashes involve some type of distraction.

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has identified Distracted Driving

as a serious and life threatening practice

BSource: US DOT 2009

Source: Quote from Secretary Ray LaHood January 2010

Source: Quote from Secretary Ray LaHood January 2010

Distracted Driving

• 2009 Word of the year (Webster's Dictionary)

“Distracted Driving”

• An Epidemic• A Menace to Society • Take personal responsibility

– Ray LaHood US Transportation Secretary

To combat this problem we must understand driving is

serious business! Source: Quote from Secretary Ray LaHood October 2010

Distracted Driving

• Distracting Activities?– Eating and Drinking– Grooming– Reading– Navigation Systems– Changing Radio Stations– MP-3 Players– Changing CD’s– Cell Phones and PDA’s

Source: distraction.gov

Distracted Driving

• Texting While Driving– One of the most dangerous

distractions– Involves three driving

distractions• Visual• Manual• Cognitive

Source: distraction.gov

Texas Must Get Serious

• Good Drivers Follow the Rules– All of the Rules

• Good Drivers Protect Themselves– Safety Restraints

• Good Drivers Don’t Drink and Drive– At All

• Good Drivers Drive– Focus on the Important Task

Source: Instructor Experience/Observation; TX Drivers Handbook; letstalkdriving.co.uk