Winter driving safety tips from NHP Trooper Chuck Allen

Talking by email the other day, I asked friend Trooper Chuck Allen of the Nevada Department of Public Safety, if he had any tips for winter driving. You may ask why winter driving tips in October - we’ve already had a couple of good snowstorms here last week.

 As part of the ‘safety culture’ that we should all adopt in our homes, workplaces and communities, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on something we do almost everyday and take for granted - until the unexpected happens.

And don’t assume anything. You never know what another person doesn’t know. Talk to your family, friends and co-workers now, before winter gets into full swing about the following information. You just might be able to prevent a lot of grief, lost time and expense.

In these hard economic times, safety not only saves lives, it saves money - in repair bills, higher insurance premiums, medical deductibles and lost time at work.

So save money and think safety!

And thanks, Trooper Allen!

 Photo by Teresa Schroeder

With the cooler temperatures upon us and winter-like driving conditions not too far away, I thought I would get a jump-start on providing a few traffic safety tips:

·     Studded snow tires are permissible and provide extra traction especially on icy roadways (authorized for use Oct 1st – April 30^th)

·     Be certain that tires have adequate tread, are mud & snow rated (M&S), and have the proper tire pressure (cooler temperatures can cause tire pressures to decrease a few pounds)

·     Be sure your windshield wipers are in good condition

·     Check all fluids to include the radiator, engine oil, power steering, brake, and windshield washer levels

·     Check the condition of your vehicle’s battery – an older battery may leave you stranded

·     Carry a snow brush / ice scraper in your vehicle

·     Keep in mind that the entire front and rear windows along with driver and right front door windows all need to be clear of ice and snow before driving

·     Always keep at least a quarter of a tank of fuel in your vehicle - you never know when you may be stalled in traffic due to an accident scene or potential temporary road closures

·     Items that are handy to keep in your vehicle, especially on longer commutes just in case you experience a mechanical breakdown or are stuck somewhere in traffic should include:

* Drinking water

* Food/snacks

* Blanket

* Shovel

* First aid kit

* Warm hat and gloves

* Flashlight

* 12 volt cell phone charger

* A bag of sand is always handy - In the event you lose traction at an intersection or just leaving your driveway; put a cupful just in front of the drive axle tires

* Coveralls – Motorists who drive their 2 wheeled drive vehicles over the mountain passes where tire chains are required will often pay a chain attendant to install them. So when its time to remove the chains, and to save some money, putting on a set of coveralls will make the job easier so you stay warm and not soil the clothes you are wearing

Also, if you are driving on a slippery road and are involved in a single vehicle property damage accident, try and move your vehicle out of the travel lanes to avoid being struck by other approaching motorists. It’s much safer to move your vehicle onto the shoulder area prior to assessing what damage may have been caused

If you are involved in an accident with one or more vehicles, be sure to check on injuries first before moving any vehicles.

To report a traffic hazard, stranded motorist or an accident, motorists can dial *NHP (Star NHP) from their cellular phone and they will automatically be connected to a DPS dispatcher.

Lastly, speed too fast for conditions is probably one of the leading contributing factors in why motorists are involved in collisions/spin outs on our area roadways during inclement weather. Keep in mind that posted speed limits are for normal driving conditions and that motorists should adjust their vehicle’s speed to the current roadway conditions. Although four-wheeled drive vehicles provide better traction and can accelerate faster than a two-wheeled drive vehicle, they cannot stop any sooner. Roadways that appear to be just wet when outside temperatures are close to the freezing mark may me in fact icy especially on bridges and below overpasses.

You're a better driver than the other guy, right?

In one of George Carlins’ better bits he said: “the guy in front you is is a moron and the guy in back is a maniac”.

Doesn’t that seem true? We all think we are the smart driver, the cautious driver - and it’s the ‘other guy’ who is distracted or just plain stupid.

In this interesting article by AAA on safety culture, the numbers belie our deeply held beliefs, once again.

Do as I say, not as I do …

American motorists blame other motorists for unsafe driving, despite the fact many admit to doing the same dangerous practices themselves, according to a new report out today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. For example, Americans rated drinking drivers as the most serious traffic safety issue, yet in the previous month alone, almost 10 percent of motorists admitted to driving when they thought their blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.

“Where’s the outrage? Every 13 minutes, someone dies on America’s roads - yet the nation seems complacent about these preventable tragedies,” said AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety CEO Peter Kissinger. “The 2008 Traffic Safety Culture Index makes clear that while motorists are quick to blame the ‘other guy’ for deadly practices like drunk, aggressive or distracted driving, too often those pointing the finger are themselves, part of the problem. When almost 10 percent of motorists admit to recently driving after drinking too much alcohol, the problem is much worse than people think. We need a big red flag to focus all stakeholders on real solutions for highway safety. Instead, we seem to be waving the white flag of surrender by largely accepting the carnage of forty thousand deaths on the road each year.”

Traffic crashes are the leading killer of people from the ages of 2 to 34, with the overall death toll on U.S. roadways consistently exceeding 40,000 every single year since the early 1960s with the sole exception of 1992. With this in mind, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety launched its first-annual survey of the driving public on a wide variety of issues. Following are highlights from the report, 2008 Traffic Safety Culture Index:

• Three out of four of motorists believed that they are more careful than others behind the wheel.

• 82 percent of motorists rated distracted driving as a serious problem, yet over half of those same individuals admitted to talking on the cell phone while driving in the past month, and 14 percent even admitted to reading or sending text messages while driving.

Over seven out of ten motorists rated red light running as a serious problem, yet over half of those same individuals admitted to speeding up to get through yellow lights, and 5 percent even admitted to having run a red light on purpose in the past month.

 • Nearly three out of every four motorists rated speeding as a serious problem, yet 40 percent of those same individuals admitted to driving 15 mph or more over speed limit on the highway in the past month, and 14 percent even admitted to having driven 15 mph or more over the limit on a neighborhood street.

In addition to documenting the difference between what drivers say and what they actually do behind the wheel, the 2008 Traffic Safety Culture Index also revealed:

• Nearly one of every four people interviewed reported having been injured in a crash at some point in their lives, and nearly one in three reported having had a close friend or relative permanently disabled or killed in a crash.

• Americans have virtually no idea how many people die annually in crashes. Over one in four Americans guessed that 10,000 or fewer people died annually in crashes, 14 percent guessed that the number was over 100,000, and another one in four wouldn’t even venture a guess. All told, only one in three Americans said somewhere between 10,000 and 100,000 people die annually in motor vehicle crashes in the U. S.

 “All of us should work to build a better traffic safety culture, where more than 40,000 deaths annually is NOT considered acceptable, where in conjunction with tougher laws, safer cars and better engineering, individuals take responsibility for their own driving instead of blaming the other guy,” said Kissinger.  “Known counter-measures could be put into practice today to cut the death toll on American’s roads in half.

Buckle up, pass the keys to a sober driver, put down the cell phone or sandwich, slow down to legal speeds, be courteous and stay alert - it’s not rocket science, it’s common sense. As we pressure regulators, lawmakers, law enforcement officials, highway engineers and automakers to do even more to make driving safer - individual motorists - all of us - must also shoulder the responsibility and police ourselves to be safer, smarter drivers. Without such a commitment, highway deaths will continue at epidemic proportions and nothing will change.”