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Sep 10
Whether you find the imminence of the "self-driving car" exciting or unsettling, there's no denying the idea is pretty intriguing. Are we ready to let go and allow a car to drive itself? The reality is that a lot of good old fashioned human-driven cars are on the road today and will be for a while, and despite the leaps and bounds taking place on the technical side, a cultural assimilation of the self-driving car is surely more distant. In the meantime, remember that you are still in control of your car, and you are responsible for your safety, the safety of your passengers, and everyone else with whom you share the road. So until you can get your beauty sleep as your car navigates traffic for you, keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, and not on your smartphone. Check out the infographic below:
Via:L and L Automotive -
Sep 02
Fall is just around the corner. Along with changes in the leaves, temperature, and sports come changes in driving: the days (which are growing shorter) are now punctuated by drop-offs and pick-ups of children whose classes are back in full swing, and that means we drivers need to be hyper-vigilant and focused on safety behind the wheel .
Here are a few things to be aware of as summer turns to autumn in order to prevent a collision. Some of these may seem obvious, but take them as a friendly reminder to help put you in the right mindset to stay safe and set a good example for other drivers this fall.
1. It gets darker, earlier, and brighter, later. This one’s pretty self explanatory. The days are getting shorter, so your sunny summer drives to and from work are now at dawn and dusk, the most dangerous times to drive. The rising or setting sun can be blinding, and our eyes are in transition, adjusting for day or night. If you live in an area that is home to wildlife, be aware that nocturnal animals are still active at these times: keep an eye out for unexpected moving obstacles. Oh, and remember to turn your headlights on!
2. There are new traffic patterns left and right! Sporting events and parades mean road blocks, temporary crosswalks, and police officers directing traffic. Often these events are at night, and accompanied by signs and blinking lights. Drive slowly and be cautious in these areas, but also be aware of the not-so-regulated perimeters too, as event-goers cutting across parking lots or side roads can be very difficult to see. Parking can get a little hairy in these situations as well, so be mindful of cars parked perilously close to the road.
3. “School zone” speed limits are back. The long-dormant lights of the speed limit signs near schools in your area are blinking again, in most areas between 7:30-9:30 AM and again from 2-3:30 PM. That means a stretch of road that is usually 35-45 mph might at those times become 25 mph (or less). The combination of reduced speeds and lines of cars and buses turning into schools makes for a longer trip to work, so factor that into your departure time. It’s not worth a ticket, and certainly not worth endangering kids on their way to school.4. New drivers are out in full force. “Look at this guy, what- did he learn to drive yesterday?!” Well, maybe he did. or today. In recent years, driver education classes have been introduced as elective courses at many schools across the country, so drive carefully and defensively around these new navigators who will inevitably be roving your streets. Everybody’s gotta learn sometime.
5. Roadside runners are around the corner. In many areas, school track teams train by jogging before and after school hours within a few miles of the school. Share the “track” with these young athletes- slow down as you pass them and give them some space.
6. Texting and driving is NEVER worth the risk. I can’t stress this one enough. Don’t ever read or send a text while driving, in the fall or any other time of year. Texting and driving, and other handheld cell phone use, are the number one cause of fatalities on our roads today. When you get in the car, put your cell phone away, or better yet, go for a solution like theORIGOSafe™ to ensure that your family will never succumb to the temptation to text and drive.
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Aug 06
The dangers of texting and driving have been thoroughly investigated and consistently reveal that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of collisions and fatalities across the world. Canadian insurance company, belairdirect, recently launched an infographic highlighting these dangers, and some of the facts are pretty alarming.
Did you know that a driver in rush hour traffic has 10x more distractions that a fighter pilot in a non-combat mission? Or that in the time it takes to reply to a text message on the highway, you could drive past 10 football fields?
Even though more than 90% of drivers acknowledged that texting and driving was dangerous, over 60% of them admitted to doing so. Take a look at the infographic below for some more of the facts around distracted driving.
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Jul 28
A news blurb has circulated over the last couple of days about an incident in which actress Jenny McCarthy was texting while driving and her 12-year-old son in the passenger seat phoned the police to report the activity. Responding to a reporter’s question about the event, McCarthy casually explained, “We're driving in the car and of course I text and drive. He called the police on me and said, 'My mom is texting and driving right now'. True story." She continues by gleefully relaying another "oopsy" from the McCarthy family blooper reel.
It’s easy to gloss over a story such as this in the wave of celebrity puff pieces that washes over us everyday, but chew on this one for a moment. The demeanor of all parties involved (besides Jenny’s son, who is made out to be the precocious and draconian "overreactor" here) is symptomatic of a serious problem: Despite laws, pledges, injuries, and deaths every day, texting and driving is still "a-ok" by most Americans.
How so? Let us illustrate: Try reading McCarthy’s response again, and replace the word “text” with “drink.”
“We're driving in the car and of course I drink and drive. He called the police on me and said, 'My mom is drinking and driving right now'. True story."
All of the sudden, this story sounds a lot more serious, doesn't it? Surely, the police responded immediately to remove the intoxicated actress from the road, as she was recklessly endangering herself, her young son, and everyone around her? Surely, she was charged, found guilty, and slapped with a heavy load of community service and a hefty fine? Surely she was prohibited from driving for 6 to 12 months, forcing her to beg rides from friends and family or use public transportation, making it clear to all that she took a risk that proved she had no regard for her own safety or that of others? Surely, in order to avoid jail time, she paid at least a few thousand dollars in legal fees? Some combination of these penalties comprise the starter-kit sentence for DUIs in most states in our country, for defendants able to avoid being locked up for their crime.
Now tell us: Why is it that, when it has been proven that a driver seven times more likely to have a collision when texting while driving than driving drunk, a popular public figure is confident that she can nonchalantly admit to this behavior with little to no consequence? “I was texting and driving” would have been enough, but McCarthy unabashedly characterizes her action as both ongoing and obvious: “…Of course I text and drive” she chirps, as if to say, “Don’t we all?” The indifference this serious subject is greeted with here is both tasteless and telling.
We don’t know why, but the endless harrowing stories of young lives cut short by senseless texts behind the wheel just haven’t seemed to cement a social stigma that can even be mentioned in the same breath as the absolute taboo drunk driving has rightfully become.
In the eyes of our society, a drunk driver is selfish, reckless, a danger to society. We are disgusted by their willingness to toy with our lives and theirs.
Based on the tone of this article and countless others, a texting driver is “silly” at best.
The CDC reports that 9 fatalities and 1,060 injuries PER DAY are the result of distracted driving.
How many more people have to die for us to view the actions of a boy like Jenny McCarthy’s son in this story as responsible, even heroic, instead of mildly amusing?
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Jul 23
From TruckingInfo.com article " Distracted Driving Kicks Off Fleet Safety Conference" by Deborah Lockridge, published July 22, 2014
The annual Fleet Safety Conference kicked off Tuesday in this Chicago suburb with a keynote speech on corporate safety culture.
In the opening keynote address, Mike Pitcher, president and CEO of LeasePlan USA, took a look at changing corporate safety culture, specifically talking about his company's adoption of a no-cell-phone ban.
He pointed out that distracted driving is universal, whether it's cell phones, eating, reading, putting on your makeup, or other activities.
When states starting making cell phone use illegal, many people started using their phones down by their hip so police couldn't see them breaking the law – but that takes your attention off the road even more than having it by the steering wheel.
Pitcher asked the audience to take out their cell phones, hold them down by their hips and text the simple message, "I'm on my way." It took about 8 to 10 seconds. "If you're on a highway, you've driven about two football fields."
Setting the right example is important. "As a parent, we say it, we say it, we say it. [Don't text and drive]. As an employer, we say it, we say it, and say it. Then we get in the car and do it."
At his company, he said, the corporate culture emphasis on things such as family and teamwork were an important part of the equation.
"I will not stand here and preach and say LeasePlan's way is the right way," Pitcher said. But the culture (the company has been honored as a best company to work for) was a good starting point. In addition, they looked at how to position the message to appeal to the diverse generations working in the company.
One argument sometimes made by companies in not enacting a cell phone ban is a fear of loss of productivity.
"I don't buy it," Pitcher said. "Fortune 500 companies argue they have seen neither increase nor decrease in productivity after enacting cell phone ban." Much of cell phone use, it turns out, was done simply to pass the time.
Has his company's policy resulted in a complete cessation of cell phone use in vehicles? Of course not, Pitcher said. "You will never eliminate risk. You will simply mitigate it."
Technology could solve this situation, he said, "but I'm hoping it becomes personal choice."
Distracted driving was also the topic of a panel discussion at a breakout session immediately following the keynote.
Ken Latzko with CEI Group said research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that a text message takes at least five seconds, "which is like driving the length of a football field blindfolded. You wouldn't pay me to close my eyes for five seconds going down the Interstate, but people do the same thing voluntarily with texting."
The panelists also stressed the importance of looking beyond the distractions of cell phones and technology. Jane Vaner of Fleet Response said one of its client fleets banned listening to the radio in the vehicle, after in-cab cameras caught drivers singing and dancing right before crashes happened.
For the second year, the conference featured sessions aimed at the heavy-duty truck fleet in addition to the event's traditional focus on automotive and light- to medium-duty fleets.
First-day breakout sessions included:
- A panel discussion on helping drivers deal with in-vehicle distractions
- Training drivers how to respond at the scene of an accident
- Hours of service and electronic logs
- How Johnson & Johnson used the NETS benchmark survey process
- Fleet safety for vocational vehicles operating in off-road and construction areas
- Moving beyond the checklist to a strategic "blueprint for safety"
- Emerging trends in fleet safety and accident management
- Collision reduction through driver monitoring and incentives
Watch for more in-depth coverage on Truckinginfo.com and in Heavy Duty Trucking of some of these sessions.
The event continues with a full day of sessions on Wednesday. Fleet Safety Conference is put on by Bobit Business Media fleet publications, including Heavy Duty Trucking and Automotive Fleet.
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Jul 14
From WTOP news article by Jamie Forzato titled "Va. delegate wants drivers to use hands-free devices" published 7/12/2014, 2:36pm ET
WASHINGTON -- Texting behind the wheel is now a primary offense in Virginia, but drivers can still talk on the phone.
One lawmaker wants to ban that, too.
Delegate Rich Anderson was successful in making texting while driving illegal in 2013. Now, the Prince William County politician says he wants drivers to be required to use hands-free devices.
The law is on the books in Maryland and D.C.
While some drivers have stopped texting while driving, "there has not been significant changes in behavioral pattern," Anderson says. "Therefore, my feeling is that we need to address this with more aggressive legislation that would make it a requirement that one must operate these devices hands-free."
Anderson drives the I-95 corridor from Woodbridge to Richmond about twice per week and sees frequent bouts of reckless driving: "I have taken evasive maneuvers when someone drifts into my lane."
The bill, which would be introduced in the 2015 General Assembly, would also forbid drivers from watching YouTube or surfing the internet, and would require drivers to input GPS information before getting on the road.
"It's a matter of convincing my fellow members in the House and Senate that this is a good common sense law and that we should bring it onto the books," Anderson says.
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Jul 01
From BusinessInsider.com article: "Why GM's Scanning And Texting Idea Is Dangerous" by Maya Kosoff , Published June 23, 2014
Drivers in China will soon have an easy way to communicate with other drivers on the road — but is it a good idea?
Instead of yelling at the guy who cut you off or getting stuck in a blocked-in parking spot, General Motors China says it has a solution: It's called DiDi Plate, and it lets Android users text any car owner by scanning their license plate with their phone's camera and sending it to a cloud ID service. From there, the driver who scanned the plate can start texting the other driver.
John Du, GM China’s research and development director, showed off the app at the Telematics Detroit conference earlier this month. DiDi Plate is only a prototype for now, according to ComputerWorld, but GM China is looking to have DiDi Plate's technology integrated into its in-car infotainment systems soon.
Unnecessary and unsafe
In a video demonstrating DiDi Plate, a male driver uses DiDi Plate to scan and then message a woman driving in front of him. He asks her on a date, which she accepts.
"Even if the other driver didn't register this app, you can still give them greetings and comments," Du said at the conference, which raises some questions about privacy.
But what if China's female drivers aren't exactly like the girl in DiDi Plate's promotional video, eager to accept texts and date requests from strange men at a moment's notice? Will there be a way for car owners to opt-out?
GM will have to acknowledge the fact that many car users probably don't want strangers to have the ability to text them, even in a country like China where governmental surveillance is the norm.
It's almost too obvious to mention, but the premise of DiDi Plate centers around car owners taking pictures of people's license plates and texting them while they're driving. If it seems like a dangerous idea, that's because it is. Of the more than 600,000 global road traffic deaths that occur each year, China's comprise more than a third, with 220,000, according to Bloomberg's Global Road Safety Program.
In an effort to reduce texting and driving fatalities in the country, VW released a public service announcement earlier in June specifically for Chinese audiences called "Eyes On The Road," which now has more than 22 million views.
“In China we have a huge challenge with this topic,” VW spokesman Carsten Krebs said. “A lot of people are texting and driving.” VW was prompted to produce the video after VW's China representatives brought the prevalence of distracted driving within the country to their attention, according to AutoBlog.
How GM will reconcile DiDi Plate's inherently unsafe features is anyone's guess. Fortunately, the app isn't available yet—it's still just a prototype. This gives GM some time to reconsider making it available to its Chinese audience, or any audience at all.
We've reached out to GM for comment on this story.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/gm-china-didi-plate-texting-and-driving-2014-6#ixzz36EDavOQm
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Jun 11
Volkswagen has a reputation for creativity and ingenuity. They certainly put those traits to use in this creative stunt to make an impact about the dangers of texting and driving on unsuspecting moviegoers. Check it out:
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Jun 04
The risks of distracted driving due to handheld cell phone use are well known. Unfortunately, nay, tragically, it seems that most drivers don't care, as the problem persists day after day on American roads. The "it will never happen to me" attitude (as popular as the act of texting itself) toward collisions flies in the face of a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, which shows:
“Crashes in which at least one driver was identified as being distracted resulted in 3,267 fatalities, 735,000 nonfatal injuries and damaged 3.3 million vehicles in property-damage-only crashes in 2010.”*
Not only is it risky (and annoying to other drivers) to text while driving, it is hazardous in a way that doesn't occur to the average driver.
How? Consider this scenario: you are an ambulance driver responding to an emergency call from the parents of a child who has fallen from a tree and is unconscious. You hop in the ambulance and turn on the lights and siren, and begin navigating through traffic. But instead of drivers pulling over to the side of the road as soon as they see you coming in their rearview mirrors to clear the way, cars drift from lane to lane, remain stopped at green lights, and repeatedly speed up and then slow down as their "drivers" idly swipe and type on glowing smartphones, maybe taking the occasional glance at the road to make sure their two tons of glass and steel are still generally heading in the right direction.
Imagine the frustration in this urgent moment where every second counts, as the oblivious drivers of the vehicles around you prioritize mindless text chatter over your quickest possible reaction to another person in danger. Now imagine the individual in peril, waiting for aid in a situation where life or death may be the difference of a few seconds. This scenario is not merely hypothetical: it is the reality for every emergency responder on the roads today.
In a recent article on this very topic from a Florida news outlet, an emergency vehicle driver said the following of these unwitting or even intentional impediments to first responders: “They hold us up. We have to check, check, check. (Some) drivers don't care because it's not their emergency. A lot of them are on cellphones,” said David Osteen, a 16-year Ocala Fire and Rescue veteran. “The driving has gotten worse.”**
The call to action: whenever you’re driving, regardless of the laws about texting/talking on the phone while driving in your state, pay attention for emergency vehicles and get out of their way so they may attend to an emergency. For someone else in your area, it may be the difference between life and death. And for those of you who choose to continue to text while driving, it’s likely you face the same dichotomy.
Want to do something about texting and driving for your family, business, or community? Check out ORIGOSafe™, a solution that removes the phone from the driver's hands while still allowing connectivity and productivity through the phone.
*From International Business Times ibtimes.com
"A Scary Number Of People Are Killed Each Year By Distracted Drivers"
By Greg Mocroft
Published: May 31 2014 9:55 AM
**From Ocala Star Banner, Ocala.com
“Distracted drivers frustrate emergency responders”
By Andy Fillmore
Published: Monday, June 2, 2014 at 9:36 p.m.
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May 28
What better way to spread the word about texting and driving than from the mouths of teens themselves, the group that takes the most heat (though probably unjustly) for engaging in this deadly activity. ORIGO™ organized a contest last month offering prizes to the creators of the best three public service announcement videos raising awareness about the dangers of handheld phone use while driving.
Students at a local high school gathered to view the honorable mentions and winners on Tuesday, laughing at parts, and choking back tears at others. Our finalists' videos represent three diverse styles, each exhibiting its creators' unique take on the challenge at hand. ORIGO™ thanks all who participated in the PSA contest, and all attendees (including Roanoke's WSLS and WDBJ7) who showed up to learn about texting and driving and support the nominees. Check out the videos below:
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
From WDBJ 7: