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Aci campaign
"No deaths or injuries on our roads on April 7th!"
Each year one million three hundred thousand people die in car accidents in the world. As many as the entire population of Milan. For this reason WHO, the World Health Organisation, has decided to dedicate World Health Day, scheduled for April 7th, to road safety. Aci (Italian automobile club) has taken up the challenge and is asking Italians: No deaths or injuries on our roads on April 7th. I’ll try!
With 1,300,000 deaths roads cause more victims than wars and lung diseases. From the present to 2020, according to WHO, they will rise in the "black" ranking of principle causes of death and illness to third place, overtaking AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cerebrovascular diseases. Developing countries are paying the highest price, which contribute to 90% of the total number of deaths costing the world economy 518 billion dollars a year. But the European Union is a war bulletin as well. More than 50,000 people die on the European roads each year and 150,000 are disabled; a problem of frightening proportions, which strikes more than 200,000 families.
In Italy, out of more than 230,000 accidents, in 2002 there were 6,736 deaths (an average of 18.45 per day, one every hour and 18 minutes) and more than 330,000 injuries (one every minute and a half). The principle causes: tailgating, distracted driving and speeding. The social cost is extremely high: 34 billion euro a year, more than double the most recent Financial Act.
To achieve the goal of the appeal (no deaths or injuries on April 7th) ACI is mobilising its 1,100,000 members, starting a widespread awareness campaign throughout the country, run by the 107 local and provincial Automobile Clubs, 1,500 delegation, 500 SARA insurance agencies and 900 Aci-Global garages. Contacts with industry associations, trade unions, public and private agencies, credit institutions, sports federations, volunteer associations, schools and universities will also be included.



The Deadliest Days and Times to Drive

Which days are the deadliest days to drive? Fortunately, we just passed the two worst days July 3rd and July 4th. The next dangerous day coming up is August 3rd. The data was provided in an AOL article that used charts from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study called "Traffic Safety Facts 2004."

Deadliest Days to Drive
July 4
July 3
December 23
August 3
January 1
August 6
August 4
August 12
July 2
September 2
Deadliest Days of the Week to Drive
Saturday
Sunday
Friday
Thursday
Monday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Deadliest Time of the Day to Drive
3:00 - 6:00 pm
6:00 - 9:00 pm
9:00 - Midnight
Noon - 3:00 pm
Midnight - 3:00 am
It sounds like drivers should be careful on those evening commutes and on weekends when there are more drunk drivers on the road. But road safety is important at all times no matter what the trends say. More information about accident data can be found on the NCSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) website which can be found here.
Posted on July 6, 2006


Study Finds 18 Million Americans Would Fail Driving Test

GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, a study of American drivers from GMA Insurance, has found that one in every American drivers would fail a state drivers test. That comes to 18 million Americans. The worst drivers were in the Northeast according to the study.
The startling results come one year after GMAC Insurance first set out to gauge the knowledge of the American driving public, when licensed drivers were administered 20 questions found on a typical DMV written drivers test. The 2006 findings indicate drivers still do not have adequate knowledge of basic rules of the road, and they exhibit bad habits behind the wheel. For the second year in a row, Oregon drivers ranked highest on the test, with an average score of 91 percent (70 percent or higher is required to pass a standard drivers test), and Rhode Island ranked lowest, with an average score of 75 percent.

"The rules of the road should not be something you learn once when you are 16 years old," said Gary Kusumi, CEO and president, GMAC Insurance - Personal Lines. "We want to remind everyone that they need to work on their driving skills every day. If we’re all diligent, we can avoid many accidents and stay safe."
Here are some interesting findings from the study:


Overall, drivers in the Northeast region are most apt to fail the test, with state failure rates of 16% or more.
Drivers in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest regions are the most knowledgeable, with state failure rates ranging from 1% to 7%.
Drivers under 35 years old are most likely to fail a written driving test (18-24 year olds have the lowest average test scores); experienced drivers ages 35-60+, are most likely to pass a written driving test.
Roughly 1 in 3 drivers don’t usually stop for pedestrians - even if they’re in a crosswalk or at a yellow light.
Eating and talking on a cell phone are by far the most common activities (42% eat and 40% chat on cell phones).
Nearly one-quarter of Americans believe there are circumstances in which it’s acceptable to not wear a seatbelt.
1 in 7 Americans have packed their car so tightly that their vision was obstructed.
At least 1 in 5 drivers do not know that highways are the most slippery just when it starts to rain after a dry spell. In fact, this is the question most often answered incorrectly for the second year in a row. Fortunately, 97% of those tested know what to do when they hydroplane.
Posted on May 30, 2006



Scantily Clad Billboard Models Distract Drivers

MSNBC.com has an article that discusses the risk billboard ads featuring semi-nude models may pose on the highways. A recent study found that the billboard ads do indeed distract drivers. One ad in particular was the Wonderbra ad (pictured on the right) featuring Eva Herzigova.
Research released this week said one in five male drivers said their eyes were diverted from the road by posters of scantily clad women -- such as model Eva Herzigova’s famous adverts for Wonderbra which bore the tagline "Hello Boys."

However only one in 10 women were put off by the sight of a semi-dressed male model.
You may think that drivers don’t look away for long but it doesn’t take much inattention to cause an accident.
He said novel advertising could cause a significant risk of distracting drivers at crucial times, such as going round a difficult roundabout.

"In fact, this risk is probably underestimated and we need to do more research on the possibility of excluding non-essential information when the driver is already busy dealing with the road," he said.

The study, by Privilege Insurance, said a 5-second distraction at 60 mph equated to driving at least the length of a soccer pitch without fully concentrating.
A BBC article discusses at a few other distracting billboards.
Posted on December 1, 2005


The Five Worst Habits of Drivers

Telegraph.co.uk has an article that lists the five worst habits of drivers. The list comes from the U.K. where they drive on the other side of the street but it definitely applies to drivers elsewhere in the world.
Not checking the blind spot before manoeuvring
Trying to change a CD or find a radio station while driving
Tailgating another vehicle -- it takes nearly 100m to stop when braking suddenly at 70mph.
Using a mobile phone while driving
Eating and drinking at the wheel
The Telegraph article offers a list for lorry (truck) drivers as well.
Posted on November 14, 2005



Distracted Drivers are Dangerous

A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that distracted drivers bring an extra risk to driving. Cell phones were an expected part of the problem. MSNBC.com reports that the study found that cell phone users, even with hands-free devices, were four times more likely to be involved in serious accidents. However, the study found that distraction itself can lead to accidents and there are many ways to create distractions with all the gadgets and digital controls available for vehicles today.
"It’s really the mental, the cognitive distraction from thinking about something else other than the driving task," says Ann McCartt with the institute.

In a lot of cars today, that’s all too easy. As car makers cram more technology into vehicles - from DVD players and navigation systems to MP3 players - the question is: How do you keep your eyes on the road ahead when you’re constantly looking at the dashboard?
The MSNBC.com article says that manufacturers now have a name for all those new devices in vehicles -- human-machine interface and the designers claim they aim for a distraction rate of less than 2 seconds at a time. One example is the new steering wheels being designed with more and more buttons. Will too many buttons confuse drivers and increase distraction?
While much has been made of cell phone use in cars, researchers have yet to determine how much other devices impact driving.

"Drivers are engaged in distracting behaviors of one kind or another a lot of the time," says McCartt. "The key is: Are those distracting behaviors going to lead to a crash?"

For now, industry researchers and car makers agree that multitasking drivers multiply their risk every time they hit the road.
Posted on July 16, 2005


Study: Geminis Are the Worst Drivers

Just when you thought there was a study about everything here comes one to determine which signs drive the best and the worst. The study found that geminis make the worst drivers.
The number one worst drivers were Geminis, "typically described as restless, easily bored and frustrated by things moving slowly," explained Warren Duke, Suncorp’s national manager of personal insurance. "They had more car accidents than any other sign."
In second and third place came Taurus and Pisces. Capricorns are the best drivers according to the study. Here is a list of the zodiac driving rankings from worst to best from the study. We will leave it to Tarot.com’s Nancy R. Fenn to explain what it all means.

Zodiac Drivers From Worst to Best
Geminis (worst drivers)
Taurus
Pisces
Virgo
Cancer
Aquarius
Aries
Leo
Libra
Sagittarius
Scorpio
Capricorn (best drivers)
Posted on June 27, 2005


Is 16 Too Young to Drive?

The National Institute of Health has released findings from brain researchers that explain why 16 year-old drivers have such higher car crash rates than teens who are just a few years older. Scientists have proven that the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex of the human brain -- the part that make decisions about risks and controls your impulses -’ does not fully mature until age 25. The findings could have broad implications from everything from the age at which we license drivers to the age at which we allow the purchase of alcohol. A recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll found 61% of Americans think a 16 year-old is too young to have a driver’s license.
Posted on March 2, 2005


Discouraging Speeders With Frowns
Traffic tickets are meant to discourage people from driving too fast. Tickets are effective on the individual who gets them but they cannot be given to everyone that speeds. In England sign designers have come up with a novel solution: a sign that frowns at drivers moving too fast. A Popular Mechanics article suggests the signs could be coming to the United States. They would certainly be a welcome relief if they can slow down traffic on some of America’s highways where drivers seem to go 10-15 mph above the speed limit and blast past cars trying to obey the legal speed limit.
Source: Popular Mechanics
Posted on November 4, 2004

According to the Mingpao News, a total of 450,000 road accidents were reported last year in mainland China. These accidents caused 98,738 deaths. Nine-two percent of all accidents are attributed to people’s bad driving skills.
Last year’s accidents caused a total of 470,000 injured people, and it incurred a cost of 1.9 billion yuan (approximately $US 2.34 billion) in lost revenue. The Ministry of Transport said that there are various reasons for these accidents, but the main cause being the lack of good driving skills.
World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the actual number of deaths on China’s roads is twice the figure released by the government. The say the main reason is that many of the accidents occurred in the countryside and are not reported. According to the Mingpao News, a total of 450,000 road accidents were reported last year in mainland China. These accidents caused 98,738 deaths. Nine-two percent of all accidents are attributed to people’s bad driving skills.
Last year’s accidents caused a total of 470,000 injured people, and it incurred a cost of 1.9 billion yuan (approximately $US 2.34 billion) in lost revenue. The Ministry of Transport said that there are various reasons for these accidents, but the main cause being the lack of good driving skills.
World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the actual number of deaths on China’s roads is twice the figure released by the government. The say the main reason is that many of the accidents occurred in the countryside and are not reported. 8 marzo 2006

2006-02-27 HKT 01:33
Mainland China again topped the world list of road deaths and accidents last year - with nearly 99,000 people killed in 450,000 accidents. Its roads have long been the deadliest in the world. Drivers often switch lanes without signalling, ignore traffic lights, speed down the wrong side of the road; or even throw their vehicles into reverse when they’ve missed a highway exit. Officials have called for stronger management of driver training schools.

According to recent statistics, last year, 104,000 people died inf car accidents in China and close to 300 fatal car accidents occur everyday in China. The death toll from car accidents in China is the highest in the world.
In China, the probability of encountering a fatal car accident is so high, on the written exam of the driver license test there is a question that asks, ”If you happen to see a car accident, and a person is seriously injured with his/her organs outside of the stomach, should you put them back into his/her stomach?”
Although only 2 percent of the Chinese population owns automobiles, 15 percent of all car accidents are fatal. Poor design of roads and the fast growth of the automobile industry are cited for contributing to the high mortality rate, as well as a lack of drivers’ training.
In Beijing, people are able to take the driver’s license test and receive a driver’s license after 58 hours of classroom training. Training experience on the road is not necessary for obtaining a driver’s license.
28 aprile 2004