On August 14, 2010 legislation for a new teen driving law went into effect. The new state law was passed to improve driver training and overall highway safety. The new law increases the minimum amount of supervised training required before a new driver can apply for a driver’s license. The law now requires that all driver license applicants under the age of 18 are required to submit proof of having completed the minimum of 50 hours supervised driving. Additionally, 15 of those hours must be nighttime driving. This law now applies to all drivers under 18 whether they have taken a drivers education course or not. Prior to the change, those who took drivers education courses were exempt from the minimum hours of driving requirement.

Additional supervised driver training is necessary because driver education courses usually provide teens with approximately 6 hours of driving time and most of the courses do not provide any nighttime driving. The DMV believed that the young drivers who benefit from driver education could also benefit from the 50 hours of supervised driving.

On September 1, 2010 another new law goes into effect. This law states that all drivers under 18 may not have any more than one non-family member under 21 as a passenger. Under legislation that went into effect February 22, 2010 this rule only applied to drivers who obtained their license on or after February 22. This change subjects all junior license and permit holders to the passenger restrictions regardless of when the license or permit was issued. By subjecting everyone to the restrictions it will help promote highway safety and help diminish the problems the different limitations caused for law enforcement personnel.

In recent years, New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles and the Governor’s Traffic and Safety Committee have been on the forefront of developing new ways to educate teenage drivers. The DMV Commissioner created the Office of the Young Driver in 2008 to address the issues facing new drivers. In May 2010, New York State launched another important initiative to help address young drivers' issues. The Driver Education Research and Innovation Center (DERIC) is managed by Health Research Inc. The goal of DERIC is to develop, text, and execute a dynamic Driver Education program that will dramatically reduce the number of crashes involving young drivers.

Young drivers represent 12% of all drivers and somehow, are accountable for 20% of drivers involved in crashes. Sixteen and 17-year-olds are three times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers of any other age. In an effort to lower statistics like those, New York Teen Driving Laws are always changing and their driver education programs are evolving.

Labels: driver education, driver training, teen drivers

Each year, just in time for the influx of motorists traveling for Memorial Day Weekend more than 500 police agencies around New York State come to together to remind New York drivers to "Click It or Ticket". The annual, Buckle Up New York campaign begins Monday May, 24 reminding all New Yorkers to buckle up every time they get behind the wheel. The campaign runs for approximately two weeks and ends on Sunday, June 6. There will be safety restraint checkpoints set up throughout the state helping to enforce New York’s mandatory safety restraint law.

Safety restraint citations will be issued to those motorists caught without their seat belts on during these checkpoints. However, it’s important to remember that wearing a seat belt is not about avoiding a citation. Wearing a seat belt is about saving a life. This goal of this initiative is help put an end to the fatalities that could have been prevented if people would have taken the two or three seconds to fasten their seatbelts when they got into their vehicles.

In 1984, New York State became the first state to enact a mandatory safety restraint law. The law helped improve seat belt use statewide. Only 12 percent of people used their seat belts in 1984. By, 1998 74 percent of people used them. Although that may seem like a huge increase, most of it occurred in the 1980’s. By the late 1990’s the growth of seat belt use had become stagnate. Law enforcement officials needed a way to combat the number one cause of death on New York’s highways.

In May, 1999 just in time for the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, New York State Police kicked off a campaign called “Buckle up New York” designed to increase the use of safety restraints to 85 percent by the end of the year 2000. Currently, New York has a seatbelt compliance rate of about 89 percent, which is above the national average of 83 percent. With the exception of New York City, the state boasts a compliance rate of over 90 percent.

During the 2009 Memorial Day Weekend Buckle up New York initiative 22,059 safety restraint citations were issued at over 137 checkpoints through the state. The New York State Police investigated 15 fatal crashes during the same time period. After the investigations, it was concluded that eight of those fatalities could have been avoided if they had been wearing their seatbelts.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, seatbelt laws, traffic safety

In today's world, we're all looking for the safest car, especially if we have families to look out for, but with many different stories flooding the media, it can be difficult to get an accurate and honest scope on which car is the safest. One of the age old car safety questions has always been 'Are SUVs safer than Compact Cars'.

Of course, it's true that both of them have their individual advantages and disadvantages. SUVs are bigger and stronger giving them an advantage in a crash with a smaller vehicle however they can be prone to roll-overs in a crash. If the driver of an SUV suffers a blow out or over-corrects to avoid going off the road, the SUV’s high center of gravity can cause it to tip over and, at high speeds, this can cause the vehicle to roll. To understand the physics involved, you can conduct a simple experiment using a small 1x2 or a 2x4 block of wood. To represent a sedan, or compact car, set the block on the wider side and try to tip it over. Now place the block on its narrow side and you can see that it can easily be tipped over. That is because the center of gravity is higher on its narrow side.

Until a few years ago, the major problem with SUVs in a rollover was that their roof didn't have enough strength to support the weight of the vehicle in a roll-over crash and that resulted in more injuries and deaths. Later models have had their roofs strengthened but there are still a lot of the older models on the road.

The truth is that, according to a study by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, injuries sustained in SUVs were no better or worse than those sustained in Compact Cars. What that means is that neither type of vehicle is safer than the other. This new research has been released to try and dispel common rumors that seem to state that 'bigger is safer'.

When looking for a safe car, it can be a maze, but don't let the media fool you. A little known fact about safety is that a car is only as safe as the person driving it. Driver behavior often influences risk so it's more than likely that the stories you heard about terrible collisions due to an SUV rolling over probably run right back to a driver driving an SUV like a sports car.

Many different things influence driver behavior, including; age, sex, driving history or seatbelt use all effect how a person drives. There are environmental variables to consider as well, such as road type, the time of the day and the weather.

Above all, it's important you remember not to get caught up with the media; each car is only as safe as the person who drives it. What you need to look for in a car is more practical safety features, such as seatbelts, steering and other vehicle safety features specific to that vehicle.

For more information on SUV safety please visit www.NationalSafetyCommission.com.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, driver training, seatbelts, vehicle safety features

Sharing the road is often one of the most common topics of conversation, especially between the likes of truckers and passenger vehicles. It is important that general motorists are aware of how to drive when sharing the road with large trucks, so as to be understand the trucks moves and operation and therefore, drive safer and more responsibly. Although sharing the road with a large truck can be very daunting, it’s easily done so long as you make sure you follow a few tips and techniques.

When following or next to a large truck, it's important you try to remain visible. If you are following behind a large truck, and you cannot see both of the trucks side mirrors, then you are far too close. Remember, if you can see the trucker drivers face in the side mirrors, then they can see you too.

Never tailgate, this is a given for every driver, no matter who you may be following, but in this circumstance, it's even more important. You should always maintain the safest possible distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. For cars, this distance is a standard 2-second interval. However for truckers, you must allow a three to four second following distance.

When it comes to passing large vehicles, it requires a lot more time and space than passing your average car. When traveling on a two-way road, you should signal as soon as it is clear and pass with care. Once you have passed, you must move safely back into your lane, you will know it's safe to do this once you can see the entire truck in your rear view mirror. If it's a particularly rainy day, it's advisable that you set your windshield wipers to their highest setting before attempting to pass to ensure that you can see.

When large trucks are turning it is sometimes necessary for them to use two lanes in order to safely turn. They need a lot of room to maneuver and have a much wider turning radius. When a truck indicates they are going to turn, allow appropriate space and let them finish the turn.

Sharing the road with larger vehicles may seem daunting as it first. Truckers will often respect you for respecting them, so always make sure the next time you're driving alongside a large vehicle, you do so safely and responsibly.

If you're interested in learning more about truck driver safey or getting your CDL license visit www.TestQuestionsandAnswers.com try the FREE CDL Practice Test.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving techniques, driver education, driver safety, driver training

If you're thinking about taking a drive up through the mountains this year, then what's holding you back? Driving around the mountains can be an invigorating and exciting experience, so there's no reason why people shouldn't be going for a drive today, but before you do there are a few things you should know in order to make any mountain drive an enjoyable but safe experience.

First of all, always ensure that your car is in top condition. This includes your brakes, heater, defroster, windshield wipers and your exhaust system. Make sure that your transmissions fluids are filled and have been appropriately changed within the recommended time frame for your car. Also, be sure to check the tread on your tires and ensure that they are properly inflated. Tires that are inflated correctly will not only make your driving safer, but it will also save you money on gas.

One handy tip when it comes to mountain driving is to avoid going down a hill any faster than you can go up it. The temptation on hills can be strong, and you may find your foot creeping onto the gas, but few people realize that using heavy breaks doesn't do your vehicle that much good either. Instead of breaking violently on steep hills, try down shifting. The only time you should be putting your foot on the break is to slow for a gear change. Always resist the temptation of zooming down a hill; this is not only better for your car, but you also can never be sure what's at the bottom of the hill, especially if there's a bend in the road.

When it comes to driving uphill, be sure to downshift where possible to a lower gear, and keep a close eye on the temperature of your engine. If it begins to overheat, immediately turn off your air conditioning in order to reduce some of the heat. If you want to cool your engine completely, the best thing to do is to find a safe place to pull completely off the road, park and keep the car at a fast idle. Don't shut off the engine, and never remove the radiator cap, as this is very hot. Unusually, the best way to cool an engine is to turn on the heater, but this can often be unpleasant for the driver, so it might be best to park and take a break.

A growing trend among mountain drivers is what's known as 'hugging' the center line. It is well known that mountain roads can be a lot narrower than your average highway, and it's because of this that some drivers have the tendency to 'hug', or drive very closely, to the center line. This may seem perfectly harmless, but this way of driving can be very unwise and very frustrating for others driving. The danger of doing this is that should you encounter another driver coming from the opposite direction, also hugging the center line, then you are both potentially at risk of danger of crashing.

Bare in mind your car may not perform as well at 5,000 ft as it does at ground level, so always allow enough time for passing vehicles to make it back to their lane, especially if traveling over hills, remember that the car traveling uphill should always be given the right of way. Also, never get impatient with drivers who are driving slowly, they may be struggling up a hill, or even just admiring the scenery. This is all acceptable road behavior as long as awareness is always maintained. If you wish to admire the views, but there are 3 cars or over forms behind you, it's advisable you pull over and let them pass, as in some states, driving in this way can result in traffic tickets.

Always check the local weather and road conditions wherever you may be driving around in order to ensure your drive is as safe as can be. By doing this you can check any issue that may affect your driving.

If you are traveling along unpaved roads, you will encounter a lot less traction than usual, so make sure you tackle these kinds of road with a slow speed, and take curves wider than you usually would. Finally, make sure you inform people of when you are leaving and when you are likely to return, so in the event that you should not return home, somebody will know quickly in order to take the appropriate action fast.

And finally, have fun! The main reason you've gone out for a drive is to relax, have fun, and see some beautiful scenery from high up in the mountains. By doing this safely, you're ensuring your trip will be memorable for the right reasons.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving techniques, driver education, driver safety