MORE THAN 41,000 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES DIE IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES EACH YEAR. Crash injuries result in 500,000 hospitalizations and four million emergency department visits each year, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC characterizes motor vehicle crashes as preventable and estimates that 1,736,000 people will be injured in a motor vehicle crashes this year. The CDC estimates that these preventable crash injuries cost the United States $150 billion each year. The CDC advocates that communities increase the proper use of child restraints and safety seats, increase the use of seatbelts and actively campaign to reduce the number of impaired drivers. Overall the CDC estimates that 50,000,000 Americans will be killed or injured in a preventable accident this year.

USE BOOSTER SEATS FOR CHILDREN.  According to an article written by Dr. V.H. Reddy, President of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in 2003 twenty-three children ages four through eight were either killed or catastrophically injured in Alabama auto crashes.  Dr. Reddy’s article highlights the importance of using an appropriate child restraint system for children. His organization is lobbying for laws in Alabama which would require children under 4’9” to use a booster seat or a seat belt modification device to allow seat belts to better protect children. According to Dr Reddy, “Adult seat belts ride too high on a child’s neck and can cause either neck or brain injuries; children who are under 4-foot-9 can slide under the seat belt, which can cause internal injuries; and some children can even roll out of the shoulder belt at an angle, putting tremendous pressure on the head and neck and even causing paralysis.”

MORE INFORMATION ON CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY is available online at the web site of the American Academy of Pediatrics: www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm . Also, you can find out about recalled child seats or booster seats by calling the Auto Safety Hot Line: 888 DASH-2-DOT (888 327-4236) or you can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site: www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm .

DANGEROUS DRIVING DAYS.  According to an article published on the Insurance.com web site, July 4th is the most dangerous driving day of the year with more fatal accidents happening on that day than any other throughout the year. The other most dangerous driving days are: July 3, December 23, August 3, January 1, August 6, August 4, August 12, July 2 and September 2.  Saturday is the most dangerous driving day of the week followed by Sunday, Friday, Thursday, Monday, Wednesday and Tuesday.

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA).

 -  55% of the people killed in traffic crashes in 2005 were not wearing seatbelts.

-  Motorcycle crash fatalities increased by 7.7% in 2005.

-  Traffic crashes cost society about $820 per person per year.

-  Alcohol related crash fatalities increased 1.7%.

-  In Alabama alcohol related crash fatalities increased 6.8% from 2003 to 2004.

-  Passenger car fatalities dropped 1.8% while light truck crash fatalities increased 4.3%.

NHTSA reports that seatbelt use is at an historic high of 82%, but of the 18% who do not use seatbelts a NHTSA study says they are most likely to be young males living in a rural area  or a pick-up truck driver.  According to Acting Administrator Jacqueline Glassman, 48 million Americans still fail to buckle up. “It’s an undisputable fact that safety belts help save lives. Still, millions of Americans aren’t buckling up every time they are in a motor vehicle,” said Glassman in announcing the 2006 “Click-It or Ticket” safety campaign.

THREE SECONDS IS ALL IT TAKES.  Driver distraction is a factor in nearly 80% of all motor vehicle crashes according to a NHTSA and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study. Nearly 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use and drowsiness. The study monitored 100 vehicles as they drove 2 million miles over a year. The study also found:

-Drowsiness is a significant problem that increases a driver’s risk of a crash or near-crash at least four times.

-The most common distraction for drivers is the use of cell phones. However, the number of crashes and near-crashes attributable to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening.

-Reaching for a moving object increases the risk of a crash by nearly 9 times.

-Looking at a non-traffic related object outside the car increases the risk of crash by 3.7 times.

-Applying make-up increases the risk of a crash 3 times as does manipulating a device such as a stereo, radio, MP3 player, etc.

Previous NHTSA studies and reports also show eating and drinking while driving increases the risk of distraction and inattention and thereby increases the risk of a crash. The clear conclusion of this study is that drivers should limit their attempts to multi-task while driving.

SPEAKING OF CELL PHONES. The 2005 National Occupant Protection Use Survey conducted by NHTSA  reports that at any given daylight moment 974,000 vehicles on the road are being driven by someone on a hand-held phone. This translates into an estimated 10% of drivers during a typical daylight moment are using some type of phone, whether hand-held or hands-free. The study also showed a 2% increase from 2004 in young drivers age 16-24 using cell phones while driving.

TOUGH DRIVING LAWS FOR TEENS REDUCES FATALITIES. A NHTSA study recently revealed that teen drivers in States with tough restrictions on teen drivers are 20% less likely to be involved in a fatal crash. The study focused on restrictions and limitations for teen drivers by State and rated the restricted or graduated licensing programs as Good, Fair, Marginal or Poor. The study rated Alabama’s graduated or restricted licensing program as Fair.

RELAX, DON’T BE AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER. While driving do you:

-  Express Frustration?

-  Fail to Pay Attention?

- Tailgate?

- Make Frequent Lane Changes?

- Run Red Lights?

- Speed?

If so, you may be driving too aggressively. NHTSA recommends that drivers relax and avoid placing too much stress on themselves while driving. Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt regarding their behavior and try to focus on being a cooperative driver. Be courteous.