Transcript Defensive Driving Five Easy Ways to Lower Your Driving Risk 11/7/2015 Five Easy Ways to Lower Your Driving Risk Safety Belts  Avoid alcohol and other.

Defensive Driving
Five Easy Ways to Lower Your
Driving Risk
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11/7/2015
Five Easy Ways to Lower
Your Driving Risk
Safety Belts
 Avoid alcohol and other drugs
 Use all your senses, not just vision
 Be aware of your limitations
 Learn to recognize and manage
risk early

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Safety Belts
The safest place in your car during a
crash is the seat you are already in.
 Properly worn and fastened, safety
belts are 45-50% effective in reducing
the risk of a fatal crash.
 Safety belts are 55-60% effective in
reducing injuries in a nonfatal collision.
 Air bags increase the effectiveness of
safety belts by 10-15%.

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Estimated Number of
Lives Saved by Safety
Belts
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Estimated Number of
Lives Saved by Child
Restraints and Air Bags
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Safety Belt Benefits
Prevents the “second” and “third”
collision.
 Prevents ejection from vehicle.
 Prevents occupants from striking each
other.
 Provides “ride down” benefit.
 Spreads crash force out.
 Provides drivers with greater control in
emergency situations.

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Elements of a Traffic
Accident

Driver – 90%


Vehicle – 5%

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Examples????
Roadway environment – 5%
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Examples????
Examples????
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
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% of Total Traffic Fatalities
with Alcohol Present
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
The decision to drink alcohol is a
personal decision; the decision to drink
alcohol and operate a motor vehicle is
the business of every responsible
traffic citizen.
 Most Americans who can legally
consume alcohol, do. Unfortunately,
more than 80% will admit to driving
after drinking at some point.
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs

America is a nation of drinkers and
of drivers.
Over five billion gallons of liquor is
consumed every year.
 185,500,000 licensed drivers (1998)
 215,400,000 registered vehicles
(1998)

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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs

Even if you don’t drink, or if you don’t drink
and drive, you are still a victim of this social
problem:
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70 people die every day in alcohol-related
crashes; about one every 20 minutes.
50% of the people killed in alcohol-related
crashes are not the drinking driver
Cost to society is in the Billion$
.25% of every auto insurance dollar YOU pay
goes for damages done by the drunk driver.
At the current rate, two out of every five
Americans can expect to be involved in an
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alcohol-related
crash in his/her lifetime.
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
There is a clear and direct relationship
between alcohol impairment and motor
vehicle crash responsibility.
 .08% BAC is the current legal level of
intoxication in Illinois, but driving
impairment begins at a lower level.
 Drinking any amount of alcohol impairs
the ability to drive, though probability
of a crash increases dramatically with
rising
BAC.
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
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
What is alcohol?
 What is BAC?
 How is BAC achieved?
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Alcohol Impairment Chart
The following charts are intended
only as guides. Your blood-alcohol
level may be affected by your age,
general physical condition, gender,
amount of food consumed and any
drugs and medications.
 The shaded portions represent
illegal intoxication for drivers in
Illinois and Missouri.
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Alcohol Impairment Chart
For the purposes of this guide,
“one drink” is equal to 1.25 oz. of
80 proof liquor, 12 oz. of regular
beer or 5 oz. of wine.
 Note: Subtract 0.01 % for each 40
minutes elapsed since having a
drink.
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Men: Approximate bloodalcohol percentage (within
one hour)
Drinks
1
2
3
4
5
6
17
100
0.04
0.08
0.11
0.15
0.19
0.23
Body Weight in Pounds
120 140 160 180 200
0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02
0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04
0.09 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.06
0.12 0.11 0.09 0.08 0.08
0.16 0.13 0.12 0.11 0.09
0.19 0.16 0.14 0.13 0.11
220
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.07
0.09
0.10
240
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.06
0.08
0.09
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Women: Approximate bloodalcohol percentage (within one
hour)
Drinks
1
2
3
4
5
6
18
100
0.05
0.09
0.14
0.18
0.23
0.27
Body Weight in Pounds
120 140 160 180 200
0.04 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.02
0.08 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.05
0.11 0.10 0.09 0.08 0.07
0.15 0.13 0.11 0.10 0.09
0.19 0.16 0.14 0.13 0.11
0.23 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.14
220
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
240
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.09
0.11
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
How is BAC measured?
 The driving task is a complex skill
involving a mixture of decision-making
abilities, visual acuity, and
psychomotor skills. How does BAC
affect the driving task?
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
DUI provisions
 Implied consent
 Penalties
 Visual cues to identify a drunk
driver
 What should you do if you suspect
a driver is intoxicated?
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Avoid Alcohol and Other
Drugs
Solution to drinking/driving
problem is multi-faceted:
 Individual responsibility
 Fair and consistent laws,
enforcement and prosecution
 Support efforts to reduce the
problem
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Motor Vehicle Death Rates
by Day and Night
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Motor Vehicle Deaths by
Type of Accident
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Motor Vehicle Deaths by
Age
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Use ALL Your Senses
Most of the information gathered while
driving is visual, but research indicates
that the most competent drivers do not
rely solely on visual inputs.
 Other senses:

Hearing
 Smell
 Feel
 Common
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S.I.P.D.E. Method
– Search; sense; scan
 I – Identify
 P – Predict
 D – Decide
 E - Execute
S
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Be Aware of YOUR
Limitations

Immediate State
 Temporary
illness
 Fatigue
 Carbon
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monoxide poisoning
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Be Aware of YOUR
Limitations

Chronic conditions
 Permanent
disabilities
 Depth perception
 Night vision/night blindness
 Color blindness
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Learn to Recognize and
Manage Risk Early
Adjust your driving pattern to the
driving environment.
 Watch your following distance!
 Know what is around you at all times
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 Use
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the Smith System
Drive responsibly – Keep your welfare
and the welfare of your passengers and
other highway users in mind.
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The “Smith System” of
Perceptual Driving Habits
Aim High in Steering.
 Get the big picture.
 Keep your eyes moving.
 Leave yourself an “out.”
 Make sure YOU are seen.
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Vehicle Safety Engineering
Crash avoidance
 Crash worthiness
 Passenger protection
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Pedestrian Safety
Actions by motorists that endanger
pedestrians.
 Actions by pedestrians that
endanger themselves.
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Actions by Motorists that
Endanger Pedestrians
Driving too fast for conditions.
 Failing to yield to pedestrians in a
midblock crosswalk.
 Driving while under the influence of
alcohol or other substances.
 Obstructing view by parking too
close to crosswalk.
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Actions by Motorists that
Endanger Pedestrians
Failing to stop before crossing
sidewalk.
 Passing a stopped vehicle that
blocks the view of pedestrians.
 Failing to yield the right-of-way to a
pedestrian in a crosswalk.
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Actions by Pedestrians
that Endanger Themselves
Walking while intoxicated.
 Crossing between parked cars.
 Crossing against a signal.
 Crossing between intersections.
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Actions by Pedestrians
that Endanger Themselves
Failing to watch traffic.
 Playing in the street.
 Walking diagonally across an
intersection.
 Walking in the street when
sidewalks are provided.
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