100 Deadlist Days for Teen Drivers

Ah, summer! Temperatures rise, schools let out for the season, and motorists hit the highways for vacation road trips. Students might view it as the optimum time to fulfill their driver training requirements. And teen drivers look to exercise their freedom and newfound driving privileges by taking to the streets. But the extra traffic and inexperienced drivers can prove tragic.

A recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that there are an average of 10 fatalities due to injuries from a crash involving a teen driver every day between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year. Worse still, the study notes that 60% of teen crashes involve driver distraction—and were, therefore, likely to have been easily preventable!

Make sure that you're reinforcing the following points to your students:

• All vehicle occupants should always wear their safety belt. It's required by law in most places. But even in jurisdictions where the seat belt laws are a little more lax, it's still a good great idea! Safety belts are quick and easy to use, and they are the single most effective way to save lives and reduce the severity of injuries in motor vehicle crashes. Statistically, wearing safety belts doubles the chances of surviving a crash and more than doubles the chances of avoiding serious injury.
• Don't be tempted by distractions. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that drivers who text message while driving are 23 times more likely to get into a collision or a near-collision than undistracted drivers. And research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that even hands-free technology is anything but risk-free. Furthermore, many states now prohibit any mobile device use by young drivers. Of course, those are just the tech-related distractions; there are plenty of other things to divert drivers' awareness. Some activities require our full attention—and driving is one of those activities.
• Keep your speed under control. Driving at speeds in excess of posted limits accounts for most traffic citations. And, aside from driving while impaired by alcohol or other drugs, about the most reckless thing a driver can do is drive too fast for the existing conditions. Speeding nearly triples the likelihood that a driver will be involved in a crash or near-crash. It reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or obstructions in the roadway, extends stopping distances, and increases the distance traveled while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation. Worse yet, when speeding is a contributing factor in a collision, the bodily harm and property damage is frequently more extreme than average. Always obey all posted speed limits and be mindful of the Basic Speed Law, which states that a vehicle may never be driven faster than is safe for the prevailing conditions.
• Don't be reckless behind the wheel. When you're out of control, you're…well, out of control. And it's always good to be in control when you're behind the wheel. Whether you're trying to show off for your friends or just enjoy the "rush" of driving at the edge of your vehicle's performance envelope, driving recklessly is extremely dangerous!
• Never drink (or use other drugs) and drive. Perhaps the most dangerous—and most irresponsible—thing you could ever do as a motorist is to drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Roughly 10,000 lives are lost in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes each year in the United States—about a third of all traffic fatalities annually. Moreover, it's against the law for teens to consume alcohol, whether they're driving or not. Most states have some sort of Zero Tolerance law, and these regulations are strictly enforced. Unless you want your driver license to be short-lived, stay sober and safe behind the wheel!

By following these simple tips, we can help to prevent senseless crash-related deaths during the 100 Deadliest Days, as well as the rest of the year!

Traffic Fatalities Up in 2015

CNN reports that new data point to an estimated 14% jump in U.S. traffic fatalities this year, putting 2015 on pace to be the deadliest for motorists since 2007. There were more than 18,600 motor vehicle deaths from January through June this year, compared to 16,400 deaths in the same period of 2014.

The estimated cost of the deaths, injuries, and property damage related to those crashes rings in at $152 billion—up 24% from the same period of 2014. Those costs account for wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, employer costs, and property damage.

The report attributes the uptick primarily to:

• Americans are driving more because of…
• lower fuel prices.
• increased employment levels.
• Drivers are more distracted behind the wheel thanks to their phones, despite the fact that most states ban texting while driving.

Traffic Safety Classes Help Save Lives

Whatever the cause, the loss of life and property are tragic. Sadder still is that many crashes are avoidable with good, defensive driving. Be proud of being a traffic safety education provider, as you're literally saving lives with the work that you do!

And make sure that the public knows you're out there and can help. Most traffic school students complete a course to remove a citation from their driving record or to get a discount on their automobile insurance premiums. Instead, they could avoid citations and premium increases—and substantially increase their odds of staying safe and sound!—by keeping up with traffic laws and safe-driving techniques. Many motorists never receive further instruction in safe motor vehicle operation after they finish driver education/training, but occasional, continued coaching could help them to be far better drivers!

Adult Involvement Can Lower Teen Driver Deaths

Driving Can Be Dangerous

Teen drivers are inexperienced behind the wheel, and they often make dangerous choices because they lack maturity and are prone to taking risks. It's no surprise, then, that traffic crashes are the leading killer of teens in the U.S.

Parents and Other Adults Can Help

Parents (or other adults) can have a significant impact on the safety habits of young drivers. That's the message behind the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) "5 to Drive" campaign intended to raise awareness about the critical role adults play in developing safe teen drivers.

The safety initiative encourages parents to:

• Learn about their state's graduated driver licensing (GDL) program, if there is one, and to understand—and enforce—the restrictions placed on their teen's license. Even in states that don't have an official program, parents can establish important ground rules for their teen driver: Restrict night driving and passengers, prohibit driving while on the phone, and require seat belt use at all times.
• Be a good role model. Parents must remember that their child sees how they drive and is likely to model their behavior. Therefore, it is imperative that parents practice safe-driving techniques themselves! (They might even take a defensive driving course to brush up on their skills.) Parents should also observe and discuss with their children these important "5 to Drive" safety rules:
1. No mobile phone use or texting while driving. Ten percent of those killed in teen-driving crashes in 2012 died when the teen driver was distracted at the time of the crash.
2. No extra passengers. NHTSA data show that a teenage driver is 2.5 times more likely to engage in risky behavior when driving with one teenage passenger, and three times more likely with multiple teenager passengers.
3. No speeding. In 2012, speeding was a factor in almost half (48%) of the crashes that killed 15- to 20-year-old drivers.
4. No alcohol. The minimum legal drinking age in every state is 21. However, 28% of 15- to 20-year-old drivers killed in crashes in 2012 had been drinking.
5. No driving or riding without a seat belt. In 2012, more than half (60%) of all 15- to 20-year-old occupants of passenger vehicles killed in crashes were unrestrained.

Driver Education is Important, But Just the Beginning

Parents should not rely solely on a driver education class to teach their teen to drive. While formal, professional driver education is important—and highly recommended—it should be used as just part of a broader GDL program. Parents are encouraged to communicate with their teen and set aside time to take their teen on practice driving sessions. It can be a great way to spend time together and to allow the teen to improve on basic driving skills.

Parents who are anxious about practicing driving with their teen could pick up a copy of the outstanding parent-teen driving guide, Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This fantastic parent-teen guide provides life-saving tips and easy-to-follow, structured exercises to reduce the stress factors associated with the up to 60 hours of supervised driving practice that's required by all 50 states.

(If your stock of books is running low, or to get started with this excellent product, contact our Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, for great affiliate pricing (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488). Of course, you can always order via Amazon.com as well.)

Teen Drivers: Distracted and Dangerous

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit organization representing state highway safety offices (and an excellent resource that's available here!), recently released a report detailing the dangers of teen distracted driving. The report, "Distracted & Dangerous: Helping States Keep Teens Focused on the Road," highlights promising programs and policies designed to help teen drivers recognize deadly distractions and to encourage young motorists to be fully engaged while behind the wheel.

The Danger

"Teens have the highest crash risk of any age group, and research confirms that distraction is often a factor," Jonathan Adkins, the group's executive director, said in a statement. Indeed, teens represented the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash, based on the 2012 data used in the report (the latest available), and 57% of those killed were the teen drivers themselves.

Unexpectedly, the research indicated that the youngest and most inexperienced motorists were actually among those least likely (with the exception of drivers 60 and older) to use a mobile phone while driving. "Many brand new teen drivers recognize passengers and portable electronics are distracting. But as they gain experience and become more confident in their driving skills, their attitudes about talking and texting while driving, as well as transporting passengers, changes," Adkins added.

Distraction caused by multiple passengers is also problematic for new drivers. The probability of a crash increases with each passenger riding with a young driver, as it's often tempting for teens to pay attention to their passengers than to the road.

Help is on the Way

Superior driver education programs and graduated driver licensing systems can help a great deal with such issues—as can strict, but fair, enforcement of reasonable, well-drafted traffic laws. Of particular note:

• New York will soon have the nation's toughest distracted-driving penalties. Beginning November 1, 2014, drivers under the age of 21 will face a 120-day license suspension for a first conviction and a 1-year suspension for a second. And state law is complemented with aggressive enforcement that includes utilizing unmarked, raised sport utility vehicles that allow officers to better spot drivers who are texting or engaging in other distracting behaviors.
• North Dakota invested federal distracted-driving grant funds to provide law enforcement training in advance of a statewide, high-visibility enforcement initiative and media campaign conducted during Distracted Driving Awareness Month (April). The state continues to support the effort with messages via Pandora, Hulu, and other social media platforms directed to young drivers.

The report noted that simulators, peer-to-peer campaigns, contests, phone apps, and grassroots advocacy were among the promising approaches to fighting teen distracted driving.

Potential distractions are everywhere, and no driver is immune to the hazards. Considering that distracted driving can lead to slower reactions times than even a blood alcohol content of 0.08% (the presumptive limit in all 50 states), we should all have an interest in doing whatever we can to keep teens—and all drivers—distraction-free behind the wheel.

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Remember that October 19 – 25 is
Teen Driver Safety Week!

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Does New Car Tech Boost Safety?

Beyond anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC)—both of which are now standard on all new cars—automobile manufacturers have recently introduced a handful of sophisticated crash avoidance technologies. Do these systems really help to improve roadway safety, or do they simply cost money that car buyers are better off saving or spending on other options?

What Are They?

New, high-tech safety systems are usually available only as expensive options on luxury vehicles, but they eventually work their way down-market and become commonplace. They include:

• Forward collision-avoidance systems detect objects in front of the car and alert the driver to hit the brakes—or even apply the brakes themselves—if an impact appears imminent.
• Adaptive cruise control automatically slows or accelerates a vehicle in order to maintain the set speed and a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead.
• Lane-departure warning systems alert drivers when their vehicle strays from its lane. Some systems apply the brakes or make steering adjustments to keep the vehicle on-course.
• Blind-spot detection systems alert drivers to nearby vehicles in adjacent lanes. Some systems automatically brake or steer to keep the vehicle in its lane if the driver signals a turn and there's an object in the blind spot.
• Back-over prevention systems alert drivers to objects directly behind the vehicle. Some systems automatically apply the brakes. Those with cross-traffic detection identify objects approaching from the side as well.
• Adaptive headlights pivot, as the steering wheel is turned, to better light the driver's intended path.

Do They Help?

The critical question is: Do these systems really help drivers to avoid collisions? The short answer is that the effectiveness of these systems varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, based on the specific system's components and programming and on the type and number of sensors employed.

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) recently released a report suggesting that forward-collision warning systems can help drivers to avoid rear-end collisions. The HLDI has also found adaptive headlights to be effective in reducing crashes. They warn, however, that lane-departure warnings systems are not that beneficial, speculating that drivers may suffer from "warning overload" and tune out the alarms.

In the end, it appears that some high-tech crash avoidance systems are effective at…well, avoiding crashes. Still, the best way to promote highway safety is for an alert driver to carefully operate the vehicle.

Americans Growing Indifferent to Dangerous Driving Behaviors

You've probably read some of the many pieces published recently noting the decline in the number of miles that Americans drive (here's one). While this development is probably a good thing in terms of safety statistics and our environmental health, you might think that it spells the end of traffic school. On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth! Our primary mission has always been traffic safety education, and a new report from AAA makes it apparent that that's never been more necessary.

An recent analysis of survey data by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that Americans are now less likely to perceive a serious threat from dangerous driving behaviors than they were a few years ago. And while traffic crash fatalities had been on the decline in recent years, the decreased concern is accompanied by an estimated 5.3% increase in annual fatalities—totaling more than 34,000 in 2012.

Some of the dangerous behaviors over which survey respondents' concern has dwindled over the previous four years include:

• The number of people who believe driving after drinking is a serious threat declined from a near universal 90% in 2009 to 69% in 2012.
• The number of people who consider drowsy driving a very serious threat declined from 71% in 2009 to 46% in 2012.
• The number of people who believe that texting or emailing while driving is a very serious threat declined from 87% in 2009 to 81% in 2012. The number of people who admit to texting while driving increased from 21% to 26% during the same period.
• The number of people who consider red-light running to be completely unacceptable declined from 77% in 2009 to 70% in 2012. Over a third (38%) admitted to running a red light within the previous month.

It's clear that the traffic safety education industry still has quite a bit of teaching to do! Make sure you're discussing these extremely hazardous behaviors—and their potentially deadly consequences—with your students in class. And take every opportunity to advocate for safer driving behaviors. You might just save a life!

New Virginia Laws for 2013

The latest legislative session produced statutory revisions that provide for enhanced penalties for drivers who send or read text-based messages while operating a motor vehicle. Texting while driving is one of the most important safety issues currently facing regulators, traffic safety experts, and drivers themselves, and it's unsurprising to see revisions of this nature as awareness about the issue grows. Indeed, a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that truckers who text message while driving are 23 times more likely to crash or to get into a near-wreck than undistracted drivers!

Virginia law already makes it illegal for anyone to operate a motor vehicle while using a handheld personal communications device to send or read a text message or e-mail. Exceptions are made for the operators of emergency vehicles, for the reporting of an emergency, if the vehicle is lawfully parked or stopped, and for navigation or digital dispatch systems.

Under the new regulations, texting is now a primary enforcement violation (rather than secondary), meaning that a driver may be stopped for this offense alone. And the penalties have been expanded:  A first offense is punishable by a fine of $125 (up from $20), and second or subsequent offenses are punishable by a fine of $250 (up from $50). Further, drivers who are convicted of reckless driving face a mandatory minimum $500 fine if they were texting at the time of the offense. These changes take effect July 1, 2013.

This information has already been updated in the curriculum materials for your Internet-based program, and no action is required on your part. Of course, enhanced penalties aside, we encourage you to stress to students that—for the sake of their safety and the safety of others with whom they share the road—they should never text or engage in other distracting activities while they are driving.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and, therefore, a perfect time to reinforce for your students the extreme dangers of failing to pay attention to the driving task. Driver distractions have joined alcohol and speeding as leading factors in vehicle crashes. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found some form of driver distraction within three seconds prior to the event was a factor in nearly 80% of collisions and 65% of near-collisions. The real tragedy is that most distractions are self-inflicted, easily avoidable, and completely unnecessary.

FocusDriven is a sponsor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2013, and their website provides a wealth of informational resources and downloadable materials dealing with the hazards of the most common in-vehicle distraction today's drivers face: mobile phones.

Unsafe as they are, however, phoning and texting aren't the only distractions that tempt motorists. In-dash electronics, climate and infotainment controls, personal hygiene items/tasks, and food and drink all serve to attract drivers' attention.

As if that weren't bad enough, objects and activities outside of the vehicle can unduly divert drivers' attention from the road as well. Common outside-the-vehicle distractions include: collisions scenes, law enforcement vehicle stops, construction work, billboards/advertising, beautiful scenery, and searching for an address.

Remind your students to stay focused on the driving task at all times—in short, to keep their eyes and their attention on the road!

Texting While Driving More Expensive Than You Think!

Texting while driving is one of the most important safety issues currently facing regulators, traffic safety experts, and drivers themselves. Drivers who have their heads down, staring at the display of their phone while mentally composing a message and typing on a tiny keyboard, simply can't devote adequate attention to the safe operation of their vehicles.

States are starting to catch on; in most of America, it's illegal to text and drive. Presently, 39 states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books that forbid the practice. More importantly, the U.S. Department of Transportation is working with states to develop and train police officers on better methods for spotting drivers who are texting.

How will all of this affect the wallet of a driver who gets nabbed for texting behind the wheel? A recent article in The Christian Science Monitor points out that a citation for texting while driving is often far more expensive than people think. And the ticket is just the beginning, as a texting violation on a driver's record can lead to insurance premium increases.

Meanwhile, another piece from KSL5 in Utah suggests that bans on texting while driving might actually increase accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 3 of every 4 states that have enacted a ban on texting while driving have seen crashes actually go up rather than down. It's speculated that this is because drivers who are texting are holding their devices lower in an attempt to avoid detection.

In the end, the best bit of advice is to simply put down the phone when your driving!

National Teen Driver Safety Week October 14 – 20

Now's the time to prepare for National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from October 14 – 20, 2012! Promoting safe driving practices for teens is an important mission for providers of traffic safety education. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, and, mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Moreover, it is during these formative years that young drivers learn techniques that are likely to stick with them; safe driving habits that are developed early on will serve drivers well for the rest of their lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers parents, educators, and teens themselves a wealth of useful resources related to this event. Research shows that inexperience and immaturity combined with excessive speed, not wearing seat belts, distracted driving (mobile phone use, loud music, teen passengers, etc.), driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and drowsy driving are prime contributors to teen-related crashes. Fortunately, these are behaviors that can be modified through awareness and education.

Another great educational tool for teen drivers is Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements for licensing in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice), and studies suggest that parent-teen driving practice can significantly reduce the chances of a young driver being involved in a crash. It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. If someone doesn't need it for their own child, it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers.

Take some time to review this helpful information, and let's all make a difference this National Teen Driver Safety Week!

Youth Traffic Safety Month Reinforces Improved Awareness this May

by guest contributor Lillian Sanders

There are many different traffic related campaigns and causes conducted annually, but perhaps one of the most important involves road safety relating to teenagers. Good techniques instilled at an early age can become lifelong safe driving habits. This May, Youth Traffic Safety Month is being recognized throughout the United States as an opportunity to help young drivers toward safer practices on the road.

Youth Traffic Safety Month is presented by the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), a group of youth-based organizations that work together to promote safety for children and teenagers. The need for improved road safety for teenagers will be met with numerous different campaigns and rallies throughout the month of May. Many high schools are set to have guest speakers on the topic of driving safety, while a number of celebrities and leaders from the automobile industry are also set to speak up for traffic and safety relating to teenagers.

The integration and growth of technology has certainly had an adverse affect on safe roads over the past few years, and the effort to improve teen driving safety comes at a time when distracted driving is in the spotlight more than ever. Many agencies and groups are aiming to improve the roads through new laws and education that serves to influence young drivers' behavior behind the wheel.

The figures related to teen driving and distractions over the past few years are quite telling. In a recent survey by AT&T, it was found that nearly half of today's teenagers are likely texting and driving behind the wheel. The statistics sank in even more when the survey revealed that over 90% of those teenagers were regularly texting and driving—even though they knew the practice to be dangerous!

Efforts like Youth Traffic Safety Month are strong reminders that there's plenty to be done with regard to making our roads safer, especially for younger drivers. Enhanced awareness, good education, and proper training can lay the groundwork for safer drivers in the future and help to reverse these troubling statistics. Products like Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive can help parents to help their teens become safer drivers. To get yours today, visit Amazon.com, or contact TSC's Director of Affiliate Operations, Gloria Verver, (via email or by calling 800 . 252 . 9488) for affiliate pricing and bulk-purchase discounts.

New DHSMV Curriculum Requirements for 2011

We at Traffic Safety Consultants (TSC) have encouraged you many times over the years to talk with your students about the severe hazards of distracted driving—especially texting while driving. Now the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), anticipating that legislation calling for this instruction will soon be forthcoming, is requiring discussion about these topics to be included in all traffic safety education programs provided throughout the state. This new material should be incorporated into lesson delivery immediately.

Live-classroom instructors should take care to include in their lecture the material already in TSC's curricula regarding distracted driving and the use of mobile phones. In particular, make sure that students are made aware that it is extremely dangerous to talk or text on a cell phone (or other handheld electronic or mobile communications device) or to tune the radio, program the GPS, etc., while driving.

The following information should also be incorporated into the classroom presentation on cell phone use/distracted driving:

A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that, unsurprisingly, it was texting that caused the real problems. The study found that truckers who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to crash or to get into a near-wreck than undistracted drivers. The reasons are obvious: Good luck paying attention to the road when you're staring at the display of your mobile device while mentally composing a message and manipulating a tiny keyboard! Of course, it goes without saying that gaming, emailing, and other tasks should be avoided as well. To stay safe behind the wheel, refrain from using any handheld electronic devices while you're driving.

If your traffic school employs multiple teachers, make sure that they are all aware of this new curriculum requirement.

Insert sheets are also available for the booklet and video/DVD versions of TSC's 4-hour course. Please include a copy of the appropriate insert sheet with each product that you ship. The insert sheets are cumulative; if you've previously been shipping insert sheets, you may replace your old stock with this new version.

Please click on the links below to access the files you need. You may read/print them online or download them to your local computer for easier access whenever you need them.

• 4-Hour Booklet insert - English
• 4-Hour Booklet insert - Spanish
• 4-Hour Video/DVD insert

Make sure that you familiarize yourself with this update and ship the latest home study inserts, as you will be responsible for teaching this new material to students.

Internet-based curricula have been revised to reflect these modifications, and no action is required on your part to address the updates for this format.

If you have any questions about the updates, please feel free to email Donna, or call her at 800 . 252 . 9951.

Gadgets Tied to 25 Percent of Collisions

MSNBC recounts that 25 percent of motor vehicle crashes are tied to distracted driving caused by in-vehicle gadget use. Reporting on a comprehensive review of distracted driving research by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the MSNBC story notes that drivers may be distracted up to half of the time! The GHSA study (link here) considers past research, recommends areas for further investigation, and offers recommendations about how state lawmakers might best proceed based upon the latest scientific data.

In the end, we all know that distracted driving is problem on our roadways. Mobile phone use—and especially texting—while driving can take a motorist's attention completely away from the road. Remind your students to "keep their heads in the game" while driving. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous—and it's probably the most easily preventable cause of collisions!