Allstate Insurance Company released their annual report on the best and worst cities in which to drive. The study looked at Allstate collision claims and compared them to the national average and ranked the nation's cities by population. To prevent any type of special event such as floods and hurricanes from skewing the results, the Allstate actuaries analyzed figures over a two year period to reach their results.

The list shows a driver's likelihood to be involved in a collision and the average number of years a driver in that city can expect to go between collisions.

Based on their results, the best to worst cities in New York for drivers, in terms of ranking, are:

• Rochester – A driver in Rochester can expect to go 8.8 years between collisions and the chances for being involved in a collision are 13.4 percent more than the national average. Rochester was ranked number 118 overall in the national list of safest cities in America.
• Syracuse - A driver in Syracuse can expect to go 8.8 years between collisions and the chances for being involved in a collision are 13.5 percent more than the national average.
Syracuse was ranked number 121 overall in the national list of safest cities in America.
• Buffalo - A driver in Buffalo can expect to go 8.0 years between collisions and the chances for being involved in a collision are 24.4 percent more than the national average. Buffalo was ranked number 146 overall in the national list of safest cities in America.
• New York - A driver in New York can expect to go 7.3 years between collisions and the chances for being involved in a collision are 37.6 percent more than the national average. New York was ranked number 171 overall in the national list of safest cities in America.
• Yonkers - A driver in Yonkers can expect to go 7.2 years between collisions and the chances for being involved in a collision are 38.3 percent more than the national average. Yonkers was ranked number 172 overall in the national list of safest cities in America.

The complete Allstate report can be seen at: http://allstatenewsroom.com/releases/00c90674-c797-4dd0-82c8-3813ccbe1e1e:en-US/download/e3fc06ab-a016-4248-89ef-72454729bd0a

Labels: driver safety, traffic collisions

In reaction to the data released earlier in February, the city of New York has implemented the “TrafficStat” bill (http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=777873&GUID=8FA0E3F4-FA01-4206-9677-AB27E2F07FE9&Options=&Search= ), which means that the city will be gathering data on incidents involving traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.

Though the whole state is considered the safest to drive in, they feel that something could still be done with the numbers involving cyclists and pedestrians. TrafficStat is only one in three new traffic safety bills approved by the City Council, meaning that New York residents still have more to look forward to in terms of safety on the road.

One of the other bills focuses on requiring the NYPD to create monthly reports on traffic accidents, to be able to pinpoint problem areas.

Having big developments like these turn into news may only inspire hope that other states follow --- to have their traffic safety efforts become more visible to ease the public.

Labels: bicycle safety, driver safety, pedestrian safety, pedestrian traffic, traffic safety

A new, low cost, program for saving lives is slowly popping up in counties throughout the United States. Known as the "Yellow Dot Program" this innovative program alerts first responders to a vehicle crash about the driver's medical information including any medications that the driver may be taking. This information can be critical to a severely injured crash victim during the first "golden hour" of emergency treatment that determines whether a crash victim will survive or not.

The program consists of a simple yellow dot decal fixed to the driver side rear window of a vehicle. The yellow dot notifies emergency personnel that there is a folder in the glove compartment of the vehicle that contains important medical information about the driver. Typically, the folder includes a photo of the driver along with the driver's address and emergency contact information. The folder also includes information about any health issues the driver may have and a list of medications that the driver may be taking along with the names and contact information for the driver's doctors.

Knowing that the driver may have health problems, such as a heart condition and the medications a driver may be taking, allows first responders to make important decisions regarding emergency treatment. Knowing in advance that the driver is taking a particular medication that could react adversely with drugs normally given in the emergency room can make the difference between life and death for the patient.

The Yellow Dot Program started in Connecticut and has since spread to eight other states including Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Virginia, Alabama and New York. Each state's program is essentially the same with slight variations from state to state. Initiated mostly at the county level, the program is catching on quickly and rapidly gaining approval of emergency medical personnel.

If your state or county does not have this Yellow Dot program, you may want to consider contacting your local representatives to see about getting one started. It could save your life.

Find additional driver safety information at www.NationalSafetyCommission.com.

Labels: driver safety, emergency vehicle, first responders, vehicle crash, vehicle emergency, yellow dot program

In an effort to curb the number of speeders in New York, new LED signs have been deployed in key areas in New York to show drivers that they are going too fast. Upon first inspection, the speed boards normally display the sign for the speed limit, featuring a figure.

When the sign detects a speeding car however, the figure in the sign changes into a skeleton and the words, "Slow Down."

This is in-line with what the campaign that the DOT introduced earlier, which is “That’s Why It’s 30.” The campaign is focused on spreading awareness that a person struck at 30 mph will have an 80% chance of survival compared to a person struck at 40 mph, which will have only a 30% chance of survival.



This is only one of the steps being taken by New York to curb the number of speeders on the road, along with this is the introduction of “Slow zones,” which imposes a 20 mph speed limit on certain parts of New York.

This is also part of a bigger (global, really) effort to raise traffic safety awareness. A year ago, the U.N. General Assembly declared 2011 – 2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety. With the opening of the first “slow zone” last week, Mayor Bloomberg was joined by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan to inform people of their intention of keeping motorists and pedestrians safe for the next decade.

For more information on driver safety and defensive driving tips please visit NewYorkDefensiveDrivingNow.com.

Labels: driver safety, pedestrian safety, pedestrian traffic, speed limit, traffic safety

The New York State Department of Transportation advised motorists to be reminded of posted work zone speed limits and to drive carefully because of the work that's being done on Route 112. The work being done for the NY Route 112 Safety and Mobility Improvement Project will limit 112 to one lane in each direction between Route 347 and Hallock Avenue in Port Jefferson station with a dedicated turning lane starting November 8.

The Project, expected to take a year to complete will have the state performing major drainage and road reconstruction work. What New Yorkers will be able to expect after this is a new bike lane, a center turning lane, raised medians, storm water drainage and better road traction.

There will also be updated pedestrian signals and longer sidewalks for pedestrian safety.

“Most of this roadway was constructed in 1937 and in the past twenty years, traffic has grown from 17,000 vehicles per day using this section of NY Route 112 to approximately 26,000 per day using the same roadway,” the DOT announced.

Motorists will still be able to access businesses and homes along the route throughout the route, depending on the construction being done in certain areas. The New York State DOT reminds everyone of the posted advisories and work zone speed limits for the safety of both motorists, pedestrians and the highway work crew.

Labels: bicycle safety, driver safety, pedestrian safety, pedestrian traffic

Looking in the review mirror and seeing an emergency vehicle approaching can be a nerve racking experience. As the vehicle gets closer and the sirens get louder the experience can be even more overwhelming. For drivers who are unsure of how to respond to emergency vehicles it can be an especially stressful.

Police vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks are considered emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles have red, white or a combination of red and white lights and when they are responding to an emergency they are in constant motion and may have their sirens on.

In New York State, drivers are required to obey a few simple rules of engagement when sharing the roadways with emergency vehicles. Here is a helpful hint; it's never a good idea to speed up to stay in front of the emergency vehicle.

• All other vehicles must yield the right of way when being approached by an emergency vehicle with activated lights and sirens.


• Yielding the right of way means immediately driving to the right hand edge of the roadway. The car must be parallel to the roadway and clear of an intersection.


• All vehicles must stop and remain stopped until the emergency vehicle(s) have passed. Unless directed otherwise by a police officer.

Similar to the misconceptions about the rules of engagement with emergency vehicles, many drivers are unsure of the parking regulations regarding fire hydrants. Unless there are signs indicating otherwise, it is illegal to park less than 15 feet away from a fire hydrant. Vehicles are also prohibited to stop or stand in front of a fire hydrant unless there is a licensed driver in the front seat. Vehicles are permitted to stop in front of a fire hydrant in this case because the driver is able to immediately move out of the way in the event of an emergency.

Many drivers are confused by flashing lights on other emergency vehicle. The different colored lights are used to represent the organization their drivers volunteer for. In order to display those lights the drivers must have written permission from the chief officer of the organization they volunteer for. Even after written permission they are only allowed to display their lights in the event of an emergency.

The following are the three most common flashing lights on non-emergency vehicles:

• A blue flashing light on a personal vehicle denotes a volunteer fire fighter responding to an emergency call.


• A flashing green light represents a volunteer ambulance service member responding to an emergency call.


• A flashing yellow (amber) colored light indicated a hazard vehicle (snowplow, tow-truck, utility company truck, etc) is engaging in an hazardous operation.

Note: in cities with a population over 1 million, flashing yellow lights may be placed on a vehicle of someone who is a member of a volunteer civil or crime patrol organization.

Learn more about Driver Safety and Education at the National Safety Commission.

Article: Emergency Vehicles Right of Way and Laws

Labels: driver safety, driver safety techniques, emergency vehicle

Whether you believe in global warming or not, one thing that can't be argued is that the US has been subjected to some torrential storms over the last couple of years. Atlanta received 20 inches of rain in a day and earlier this spring Nashville was struck with a massive flood. Some major floods can be predicted but an intense afternoon thunderstorm can also rapidly produce flash flood conditions that can be treacherous for drivers on the road. Drivers in these conditions are surprised at how much damage just a small amount of water on the road can do and, as a result, more than half of the deaths attributed to flash floods are auto related.

Before you go out in these conditions it's a good time to review the hazards of flooded roads and steps you should take to avoid them or, in the worst scenario, to escape from a flooding situation. Here are some important facts about to remember about flooding:

• Every flood is dangerous to drivers. Even if the water running across the road appears shallow, what you can’t see under the rushing water is the greatest hazard of all. The road could be washed out and the water may be much deeper than you realize. Even if it appears intact, the roadway could collapse under the weight of your vehicle.


• Less than an inch of water can cause a driver to lose control.


• As little as six inches of rushing water has enough force to push your car off the road.


• Your car can float in as little as two feet of water and you could be washed away into a flooded stream or river.


• In hilly or mountainous areas, flash floods can occur long after the rain has stopped and far away from the site of a rain storm.


• The force of rushing water and debris can be strong enough to cause bridges to collapse.


• Summer thunderstorms can dump one to two inches of rain in a very short time.


• Flood waters can rise at a rapid rate.

What should you do to avoid flooded roadways?

• If you live in mountainous, hilly, or flood prone areas, pay attention to weather reports. If there are warnings of flooding, take an alternate route if it is available. Better yet, stay home.


• If the roadway is flooded, even a little, don’t attempt to drive through the water. Turn around and take an alternate route.


• Temporary barriers blocking flooded roadways are placed by emergency personnel for a reason; never drive around them into a flooded area.


• If you find yourself stalled in rising flood waters, do not attempt to stay with the car. A floating car can be swept into deeper water and can easily roll over. Escape if possible and get to higher ground immediately. Many flood related fatalities occur when people try to stay with the vehicle.


• If the rushing water is too deep and the current is too strong, you will have to make a judgment call about staying with the vehicle. Turn around before you get into that position.


• Be especially cautious when driving at night when it is much more difficult to recognize flooding conditions.


• Remember that emergency personnel will be overwhelmed and may not be able to get to you for some time.

Check out additional driver safety tips on driving in the rain or sleet.

Labels: driver safety, driver safety techniques, driver safety tips, flooded roads

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 your dreams, you may be the greatest, most-skilled, driver on the face of the earth --- with instantaneous, robot-like reflexes to match and able to decide lightning fast whether a car should stop, slide or turn in any direction. In reality, the laws of physics dictate what will happen to aggressive drivers and their cars in a car crash.

Unfortunately, your competence as a driver in your dreams, does not transfer over into reality. You are only human, with a limited set of speeds (given enough training) and your car is a car: a heavy piece of machinery that is bound by the laws of science.

Do The Math

Imagine that an aggressive driver is traveling at 40mph (in a 30mph zone!) --- he runs a red light (which, assuming he survives, he will claim was yellow) while another driver, crossing with the right-of-way, accelerates to the speed limit.

The aggressive driver, running at 40mph is covering 58.8 feet per second. The right-of-way driver going 30mph (the speed limit) is covering 44 feet per second. Combined, they are approaching each other at a rate of 70mph, or 102.9 feet/second.

Human Reaction Time

Assuming each is an average driver, --- not the one with the robot-like reflexes mentioned above --- your reaction time is about ¾ of a second. That means that, when each car comes into the view of the other, it will take about ¾ of a second before each driver is even aware there is an emergency. In that time, the aggressive driver will travel an additional 44.1 feet and the other driver will travel an additional 33 feet before fully realizing there is a problem. Then each driver will have to assess the driving scene and make a decision on how to best avoid the collision either by braking or steering out of the way. Then they will have to put that plan into action. Assuming that the aggressive driver decides to slam on the brakes, it will take up to 1.5 additional seconds to decide what to do and fully apply the brakes. That means he will travel another 73.5 feet before his car even begins to slow.

There isn’t enough time! They are going to crash into each other!

What laws of physics will apply as they crash into one another?

Newton's Law of Motion

The first law of motion is: an object in motion stays in motion. To put it simply: a 3,000 pound car traveling at a 40mph CANNOT just stop abruptly. It will take 120 feet before the speeding behemoth comes to a complete stop. Imagine if both drivers try to stop --- and all they get is 10 mph lower than their current speeds --- lowering their approach rate to 50 mph just before the cars crash into each other.

Using an online crash calculator (http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/carcr.html#cc2 --- yes, I cheated a bit!) and assuming that both cars each weigh 3000 pounds, the force of the collision would look like this:

• Weight – 6000 lbs


• Speed – 50 mph


• Crash Force – 501,779 lbs / 250 tons

I probably wouldn't call that crash a fender-bender. What's far scarier --- assume that one of the passengers is a 100-pound girl who decided that day to be “cool” and not wear a seatbelt. The force of her body flying into the dashboard is going to look like this:

• Weight – 100 lbs.


• Speed – 30 mph


• Crash Force – 3,010 lbs / 1.5 tons

A force that great is going to be fatal to her.

However you vary the speed, driving skills and car weights --- there's no denying that the laws of physics will be the one to follow in a car crash. Aggressive drivers aren't superhuman --- they are bound to the same laws of physics rules as the rest of us --- they are just a bit more impatient. The faster an aggressive driver goes, the faster he gets into inescapable jams --- the faster he also gets to the hospital.

Learn more about how to prevent aggressive driving through a 1-hour Dangers of Aggressive Driving course offered 100% online.

Labels: aggressive driver, aggressive driving, car crash, driver safety, driving skills, passenger safety

Attention all New York drivers, please give yourselves a pat on the back. Traffic fatalities in New York City fell to an all-time record low in 2009!

There were 256 traffic fatalities in New York City last year, 12 percent fewer than in 2008. Traffic fatalities are not only declining in New York City, they are declining across the state as well. New York's 2009 Highway Safety Annual Report reported a 46 percent decline in traffic fatalities over a 10 year period. In 1998, there were 2,263 traffic fatalities recorded in New York State. By 2008, that number had fallen to 1,224. Let's see how New York compares to the rest of the U.S.

Across the nation, traffic fatalities are declining as well. In March, the U.S. DOT announced that the number of reported traffic fatalities at the end of 2009 were the lowest they had been since 1954. It also marked a decline in traffic fatalities for the 15th straight quarter. The preliminary statistics for 2009 portray an 8.99 percent decrease over 2008. In actual numbers, there were 33,963 traffic fatalities counted in 2009 compared to 37,261 in 2008.

Nationwide, the decline in traffic fatalities can be partially attributed to the economy. In 2009, drivers were driving much less than they had been in previous years. As economic conditions improve drivers will begin to drive more and it may be difficult to sustain these levels of traffic fatalities. However, it isn't impossible to maintain. If drivers remain focused with their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their cell phones put away these levels will be more easily maintained. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 6,000 deaths in 2008 resulted from crashes caused by a distracted driver.

In New York City, the 35 percent decrease in traffic fatalities can also be attributed to the safety advances made in numerous categories: vehicle drivers and passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and seniors. As a demographic, seniors are most vulnerable to traffic fatalities. The DOT plans to reduce traffic fatalities 50 percent by 2030. To accomplish this, 2010 will bring the launch of new safety initiatives and the expansion of current ones. Some examples of the initiatives for 2010 include: tripling the number of reduced-speed zones around school, launching new anti-drunk-driving and anti-speeding campaigns, and continued working to engineer safer streets for children, seniors and anyone else using the city streets.

Summer is approaching quickly which means that more and more people will be hitting the highways for summer vacation road trips. Even though traffic fatalities are declining its important that drivers never feel complacent behind the wheel. Highways are still dangerous places and drivers should always beware of possible hazards. A NY defensive driving course can be helpful to improve your basic driver knowledge, so truly understand defensive driving concepts and roadway survival techniques.

Labels: driver safety, new york defensive driving, traffic safety

New York City has become increasing safe for drivers in recent years. Only 256 traffic related deaths occurred in 2009, the lowest in city history. Approximately 10 percent of these deaths were caused by drunk drivers. While, lower than the national average of 32 percent, New York City officials find these statistics unacceptable.

New York City Department of Transportation knew that improving these statistics would take a different approach, than the drinking and driving campaign that had been running almost continuously since it was developed in 1983. This new program celebrates the cities designated drivers. Janette Sadik-Kahn, NYCDOT commissioner, explained that there are over 100,000 designated drivers in NYC. Taxi and livery car drives, bus drivers and train operators help to comprise this total. In spite of the abundance of designated drivers, "People will still drink and drive," explained Sadik-Kahn. "So, what we are trying to do is to really focus on celebrating each and every designated driver in the city."

The first-segment of the campaign is aimed at the demographic most likely to get behind the wheel impaired, males between 21 and 39 years of age. The major challenge in getting the message across is that, this particular demographic is also least likely to listen to or respond to a public service announcement. The slogan "You the Man" was derived to reward or celebrate the designated driver as opposed to punishing the drunk the driver. The NYCDOT said test results were positive for the slogan across racial and socioeconomic lines.

The Director of Strategic Communication, Dani Simons wanted to create a program that removed the barrier for people to drink and drive. Simons determined some of the reasons people drink and drive in New York City are to avoid waiting an hour a bus, the changes in weekend subway services, and to prevent walking around a possibly dangerous neighborhood late at night. One campaign objective was to find a way to combat these reasons. "You the Mans" find a ride feature does exactly that. The feature, enables anyone with a smart phone to type in their zip code and find the number of the nearest car service.

They took a different approach in the advertising for the campaign as well. They aligned drink and driving with embarrassing, regrettable drunken behavior. For example, many drivers can't relate to the consequences of drinking and driving. But, they can relate to waking up in the morning and being embarrassed over a drunken phone call or text message they sent. Who wouldn't want to have a sober friend around who could be the designated phone monitor? He would be the hero, or "the man" simply by preventing an action that would later be regrettable. The designated driver is viewed the same way. He's "the man" because he is preventing behavior that would be later be embarrassing and regrettable (never mind dangerous and possibly life-altering).

There is a Facebook page set up for the campaign, as well as a website (http://youthemannyc.org/) video portraying the designated driver as the hero of a successful night out. They are also running internet ads on Evite, Club Planet and Google searches for bars and clubs. Additionally, there are ads running on local radio stations Thursday through Saturday from 5-9pm.

The campaign kicked off Super Bowl Weekend. One of the sponsors of the campaign is Heineken. Heineken teamed up with the NYCDOT to promote the campaign by designing coasters and distributing them to bars. One side of the coaster read, "You the Man" the other side read, "Be the man. Be the designated driver." This is an extremely targeted campaign to reach the targeted demographic where they live. The entire campaign is being executed with a budget of less than $1 million.

Labels: driver safety, drunk driving, traffic safety

April 19, 2010 marked the beginning of National Work Zone Awareness Week. It was also the day the New York Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a new PR campaign and a push for state legislators to implement penalties for drivers who jeopardize road worker's safety.

Nationwide, 720 work zone fatalities were reported in 2008. Motorists accounted for 80 percent of the deaths. While 720 people may not seem like a lot, over 40,000 people are injured in work zone accident each year. In the last 20 years, six employees of the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) have been killed in work zones. Since 1995, 40 NYCDOT employees have been injured. The most recent injury occurred April 8 in Chelsea when an NYCDOT employee was struck in a hit-and-run. The road worker's injuries were not life-threatening in this case.

At an event held in Batter Park April 19, the NYCDOT Commissioner, the Federal Highway Administrator, and the state DOT Acting Commissioner dedicated a memorial to the road worker's who have lost their lives in work related accidents. They also unveiled the print and radio ads that are part of the new PR campaign. The ads feature New Yorkers who have lost loved ones in work zone crashes. One black and white ad features the picture of a road worker's widow with the text, "My husband left early for work one night. A speeding driver crashed through his work zone and Nicky never came home."

This may come as a surprise, there is no current law against driver's entering a work zone. Officials are urging Albany legislatures to change this. Two legislators from Staten Island, state Senator Diane Savino and Assembly Member Michael Cusick are sponsoring bills that would make driving into an active work zone a punishable offense. The current bill proposes that those convicted would be subject to up to a $500 fine and/or up to three months behind bars. If passed, the legislation would make it possible to charge drivers with vehicular assault and vehicular manslaughter in the first and second degree for crashes that occur in active work zones. Cusick said, he hopes the legislation, "Will make accidents like this a thing of the past by creating more severe penalties for this type of inexcusable carelessness."

New Yorkers walk and bike around active work zones everyday. So, these laws are also about making local streets a safer place. If someone drives through an active work zone they can just as easily strike a bystander as they could a road worker. Since it helps protect all road users any progress in road worker safety laws will be considered progress in what was proposed by the Hayley Ng and Diego Martinez Law.

The Hayley Ng and Diego Martinez Law is named for two preschoolers killed in January 2009. The children were struck by an unattended van that was left idling in Chinatown. This law proposes the creation a careless driving offense. The offense would carry penalties of up to a $750 fine and up to 15 days in jail. Anyone who injures a vulnerable street user would be charged with careless driving. The purpose of the careless driving offense is to create an offense to be used when vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter cannot be used.

Labels: careless driving, driver safety, road worker safety, speeding, traffic safety

The summer is approaching! Are you planning to get into your car or RV and see the sights America has to offer? Will you go north, south, east or west?

It does not seem to matter in which direction you go because many states are having financial problems causing budget deficits and in order to save money, have decided to close rest areas on some of the highways.

It now becomes important to check the states you plan to visit and see if the rest areas are going to be available. You do not want to be surprised if suddenly there is a sign on the road "Rest Area Closed."

Why are rest areas important? They allow you as a traveler to pull off the roadway, use the restrooms, stretch your legs, walk your dog, if they travel with you, water horses, if that is why you are on the road, eliminate any drowsiness, give your eyes a rest, get a drink, pick up a tourist pamphlet, look at a map and get back on the road. They also are well lit, so it is a safer place to pull off if you need to shut your eyes and nap for a few minutes, especially if you are traveling at night, in rain, or in sun glare.

With less rest areas available there can be more highway crashes because people may just pull over to the side of the road. This can also impact nearby gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants who are concerned about travelers and truckers that have to pull off the roadway and take up parking spaces when they stop only to sleep and use their facilities.

We are always taught to be sure to use well lit areas when stopping. If there is no place to stop it can be dangerous and hazardous for drowsy and distracted drivers to just park along the side of the road.

Although, there has been closing of rest areas in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Vermont, Colorado, and South Carolina, Virginia has reopened most of the ones that they had closed , there are other states that might just be cutting back on staff, hours and services. In spite of this, Iowa and Texas are using some stimulus money to replace older rest areas with new ones. Texas is also adding internet kiosks and wi-fi access. The Florida Turnpike is not planning any closures at present, they have 8 service areas that are placed at intervals of approximately 45 minutes apart that provide food, fuel, car repair and towing service to the turnpike customers. They allow drivers to rest on long distance trips to avoid fatigue, this helps to keep this roadway as one of the safest.

If your plans take you to either Alaska or Hawaii, be aware that they have no rest areas at all.

Your mottos for any travel - "Be Prepared" and "Plan Ahead" - seem to be important this year so that you can be safe while on the roads.

Labels: avoid distracted driving, driver safety, drowsy driving, rest area, sleep

In the fall of 2001 former New York Governor, George Pataki, signed a bill forbidding drivers from talking on their cell phones while driving. New York was the first state to enact such a law. The only exception to this law was that drivers could use hands free microphones (or a Bluetooth nowadays). Beginning on December 1, 2001 any driver in the state of New York caught talking on his or her cell phone while driving would be issued a ticket for $100.

As the first state to enact such a law New York received a lot of attention. Eventually, several other states followed in New York’s footsteps and passed similar laws of their own. However, in the years following the passage of New York’s cell phone law a new communication trend began. Text messages and the use of other hand held communication devices were becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, New York’s Law did not prohibit texting and driving. It only banned talking and driving.

The first momentous push for a Text Messaging Ban began in June of 2007. In Upstate New York five teenage girls were in an SUV headed down the highway. When the driver suddenly veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a big rig. While investigating the crash, it was discovered that the driver had sent and received text messages in the moments before the crash. All five girls died in the crash, only a few days after they graduated high school.

Many counties feared similar crashes would take place without a law banning texting while driving. Since, it was not going to be enforced on a state level many counties took matters into their own hands. In 2008, Westchester and Nassau counties were among the first to pass laws. Westchester County started an education campaign in local high schools to inform new drivers of the law. County officials felt the law would benefit younger drivers. The younger, more inexperienced drivers were part of the text message generation and they felt a ban on text messaging while driving help new drivers pay attention.

On August 27, 2009 Governor David Paterson signed a bill that would finally ban drivers from text messaging while driving on a statewide level. In addition to text messaging the law also bans the use of any portable electronic devices while driving. The law was put into effect on November 1, 2009 and breaking the law results in a fine of up to $150.

However, the law is considered a secondary offense. Meaning, if a cop sees a driver text messaging while stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway the cop cannot pull the driver over and issue him or her a ticket. If however, the cop witness the driver speeding on the BQE and text messaging the driver can be pulled over and issued a ticket for both offenses.

On February 24, 2010 Governor Paterson proposed a change to the new law. He recommends the law be changed from a secondary law to primary law. The change would mean that the police officer who sees a driver text messaging while stuck in traffic can pull the driver without needing to find other reason. If the ban becomes a primary law, New York would not be the first state to raise the ban on text messaging from a secondary to primary law. Washington State Senate has already approved the switch from secondary to primary.

Labels: anti-texting laws, driver safety, new york driving laws, texting and driving

Energy drinks market themselves to make it appear as if you get extraordinary abilities after drinking them. If you can run faster, jump higher or react quicker, wouldn't it do wonders for driving?

No. The effects of energy drinks while driving, while present, will not make you any better of a driver than you already are. Here's why:

Caffeine! - The main ingredient in all energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is the most common addiction that's legally out there --- it comes with your colas and coffee cups --- but energy drink companies have found ways to up the caffeine content in their products. An 8.2 oz of Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine, and the point where you begin getting nauseous is 200mg. 750mg is toxic. Getting nauseous and thumping headaches will not do you good while driving.

It Works! - But only for a short while. If you've been downing energy drinks before that long drive, you'll notice that you're on wide alert mode during the first few hours, then you start feeling drowsy. Having an energy drink during or after drinking alcohol might make you feel that the alcohol didn't take effect, but don't be fooled. Energy drinks only mask how you are feeling, you can still be intoxicated, you'll still feel the fatigue, but you'll still experience the effects of both.

Twitch, twitch – Drinking an energy drink to replace a good night's sleep for driving is a terrible, terrible idea. Too much energy drinks may cause your muscles to twitch, it may make you more irritable and may cause a vehicle crash down the road.

It is best to ditch the energy drink-as-sleep-replacement for driving idea. It may give a temporary boost, but energy drinks while driving may provide more harmful results. If you're going to be out on a long drive, have a good night's rest instead. Not only will it make you feel relaxed the next day, but it will also make you a better driver.

Labels: caffeine, driver safety, energy drinks, safe driving

Are you spacing in and out of reality behind the wheel? Is your head getting more and more difficult to lift up while driving? Are your eyelids starting to shut themselves on their own? Are you drowsy while driving?

Drowsy driving can be worse than drunk driving. Being drowsy while driving will be your responsibility, when you're on the road. Here's a couple of tips to avoid drowsy driving altogether.

Stop. - If you feel any of the symptoms described above --- you are drowsy --- stop. Pull over to the side of the road and stop driving. Take a little breather --- find a way to get rid of your drowsiness. Find a place to sleep if you really can't pull off driving in your current state.

Include Rest Breaks In Your Planned Drives – If you're taking going to be driving quite a bit, make sure you not only plan where you'll be going, but plan rest breaks along the way. Avoid being drowsy on the road! Take 2-4 hour breaks in-between the places where you have to be.

Take Turns – If you're out with your buddies and your driving gets drowsy, make sure one of them can take over driving. Not only will this guarantee that you won't be driving drowsy, it will keep you and your buddies well rested to enjoy the destination as well.

Make Sure You Know Where You're Going – If you're gonna be driving to a new place, make sure you plot out paths that you're going to take. The frustration of not knowing exactly where to go will add to your overall fatigue --- and may not only make you a drowsy driver, but an irritable one as well.

Sleep! - Sleep! Glorious sleep! One way to avoid drowsy driving is taking a nice long sleep before hitting the road. So when your mom starts waking you up in the morning, you could proudly claim that your being well-rested saves lives!

Tips for safe summer driving and how to avoid drowsy driving can be found at the National Safety Commission.

Labels: driver safety, drowsy driving, safe driving

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

Many drivers speed because they think they will save time and arrive at their destination faster than they would if they didn't speed.

How much time do you think you save by speeding? This chart illustrates the time saved over a 10 mile trip on the highway.

M.P.H. = Time | Time Saved

• 55 M.P.H. = 10 Minutes 55 Second | --


• 60 M.P.H. = 10 Minutes 00 Second | 55 Seconds Saved


• 65 M.P.H. = 09 Minutes 04 Second | 1 Minute and 41 Seconds Saved


• 70 M.P.H. = 08 Minutes 34 Second | 2 Minutes and 21 Seconds Saved

The basic speed rule says "Do not go faster than is safe for conditions." This is the safest way to drive. What does it mean? When you're driving on a road with a posted limit of 40 mph, that's the safest maximum speed you're allowed to drive during normal road conditions. If it begins to rain, it may not be safe to drive 40 mph, because the road may be slippery from the mixture of oil, dust or dirt accumulation with the rainwater. Conditions dictate the speed that you should drive, regardless of what the speed limit may be.

Many drivers believe the worst that can happen to them is to receive a speeding ticket, but these drivers are wrong. Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the posted speed limit can kill you.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving techniques, driver safety, new york driving laws, speeding ticket, uniform traffic ticket

There are many misconceptions about how the rules of the road apply to crosswalks and parking lots. In addition to the misconceptions, the laws vary from state to state. In some cases there are no written laws at all.

It is particularly difficult to apply the rules of the road to parking lots because many parking lots are private properties. Regarding incidents that occur on private property, the police are unable to issue tickets or write a report. Therefore, they are unable to assign fault to the driver or pedestrian. Then any action taken after the fact will be considered a civil dispute.

Typically, people assume that pedestrians always have the right of way in any situation. If for no other reason than because it is illegal to drive into a person who is standing in the middle of the street (or parking lot). According to laws in some states that assumption is not always true. Traffic laws in Maine state; "A pedestrian may not suddenly leave the curb or other place of safety and walk in the path of a vehicle where it is impossible for the operator to yield." Although, that may seem like commonsense, apparently many pedestrians walk into traffic without realizing they do not have enough time to safely cross the street. Perhaps they assume they have the right of way and the drivers must yield to them. California and Florida both have laws that address that exact issue. According to the Florida Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide, published in August 2008, pedestrians are required to yield to drivers outside of designated crosswalks. On the other hand, California requires drivers to stop for pedestrians whether there is a crosswalk or not.

One thing laws in all 50 states agree on is that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk when the walk signal is on. However, the states have varying laws on how the drivers must approach the crosswalks. Many states allow drivers to yield when approaching a crosswalk. But, states such as California and Washington require drivers to come to a full and complete stop.

New York City is arguably the most pedestrian heavy city in the world. To accommodate the heavy pedestrian traffic and the heavy vehicular traffic the city requires pedestrians to cross in the crosswalks. If pedestrians cross outside of crosswalks they could be fined by the police for reckless pedestrian crossing of a roadway or jaywalking (the common term for unlawfully crossing the street outside of the designated crosswalk). In New York, drivers are required to yield for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Because New York is such a pedestrian heavy city there are many more fatalities involving pedestrians and drivers. According to the New York Times, in 2007 New Yorkers were twice as likely to be killed by a stranger behind the wheel as to be killed by a stranger with a knife or a gun.

To learn more about the rules of the road and pedestrian traffic in New York, California or Florida please visit: www.TestQuestionsandAnswers.com

Labels: crosswalk traffic, driver safety, driver training, pedestrian traffic, rules of the road