#1 Cause of Death :#1 Cause of Death According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic crashes are the #1 killer of people under the age of 34. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810568.PDF
Slide 3 :Cameron Dudley, 1993 – 2008 Centreville, VA Springfield, VA Adam Foote, 1987 - 2005 Hampton Roads, VA Thomas Karafa, 1990 – 2008 Hampton Roads, VA Robert McCormack, 1992 – 2008 Great Falls, VA Vanessa Pean, 1988 – 2005
Slide 4 :Alexandria, VA Laura Lynam, 1986 – 2004 Chantilly, VA Dumfries, VA Owais Javed, 1990 – 2008 Leesburg, VA Dustin Muse, 1989 – 2006 Cristopher Kearns, 1989 – 2006 Oakton, VA Chris Nedelcovych, 1984 – 2001
Speeding Stats at a Glance :Speeding Stats at a Glance According to NHTSA, 42,642 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2006.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is 4 times the risk for drivers 20 and older. http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/teens.html http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810837.PDF http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809839.PDF
Stats at a Glance (continued) :Stats at a Glance (continued) 2007 was Virginia’s deadliest year for traffic accidents since 1981, killing 1,012 people (6.8% increase from 2006), according to the Virginia State Police in a January 2008 news release. http://www.vsp.state.va.us/News/2008/news_release_01-02-2008.shtm
Aggressive Driving :Aggressive Driving NHTSA estimates that aggressive drivers cause two-thirds of all fatal traffic crashes.
Aggressive Driving Behaviors
Speeding
Running red lights and stop signs
Running in and out of traffic, abrupt lane changes
Tailgating
The Smooth Operator Program states that aggressive driving is highly contagious. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2005/SpeedingTSF05.pdfhttp://www.smoothoperatorprogram.com/theissue.html
“Reckless” :“Reckless” Disregard of consequences involving danger to life or safety without regard to intent
Reckless Driving Penalties :Reckless Driving Penalties Reckless Driving in Virginia – criminal charge.
Permanent criminal record.
Class 1 Misdemeanor (most serious misdemeanor)
Reckless Driving conviction with a suspended license or causing death is a felony.
Fines up to $2,500 and/or 1 year in jail. Possibility of loss of license for up to 6 months.
Avg. jail time for someone convicted of reckless driving over 90 MPH is greater than many first offense felonies
Increased insurance costs for years to come
6 penalty points on your driver’s license http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/enforce/stspdlaw/vaspeed.htmhttp://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-862
Understanding Reckless Driving :Understanding Reckless Driving Virginia law defines reckless driving as:
Travelling over 20 MPH the posted speed limit, or over 80 mph
Failing to give proper signal
Passing a stopped school bus
Failure to yield
Driving too fast for traffic conditions
Conducting or participating in racing
Regardless of speed limit, anyone who drives a vehicle that endangers the life, limb, or property of any person.
Driving recklessly in parking lots of schools, churches, businesses, etc. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/enforce/stspdlaw/vaspeed.htm
Why do teens speed? :Why do teens speed? Why do people speed?
In a hurry/arrive at destination faster
Thrill (boredom)
Susceptible to peer pressure
Life stress
Not paying attention
Selfish
Immaturity / Arrogance
Speeding greatly multiplies the chances of being involved in a serious traffic crash.
When it comes to speeding and personal safety, the laws of physics should be far more important to you than speeding tickets.* * Source: Network for Employers for Traffic Safety http://www.trafficsafety.org
Invincibility :Invincibility According to NHTSA, many teens report that they don’t drive safely for fear of crashing, but rather for fear of getting a ticket. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/NewDriver/TeenUnsafeDriving/pages/FindingbyProgArea.htm
More Reasons Not to Speed :More Reasons Not to Speed Wastes gas.
Quick lane changes, fast acceleration, and rapid braking can cut your gas mileage by as much as 33%
Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly above 55 MPH (15% from 65 to 55)
Cruise control will save gas.
Having the A/C on wastes about as much as windows down
Virtually no time is saved.
Driving 45 MPH instead of 35 MPH on a 5-mile trip saves less than 2 minutes.
Make a practice to give yourself enough time to get places if you’re always in a rush. http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.htmlhttp://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml
Speed Limits :Speed Limits Speed limits are there for a reason. They aren’t just guidelines, they save lives.
According to NHTSA, the chances of death or serious injury from a crash doubles for every 10 MPH over 50 MPH.
Speeding huge factor in causing accidents.
400% greater chance of deathdriving at 70 mph instead of 50 mph. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/enforce/pub/speed96.pdf
Why Else are Teen Drivers at Greater Risk? :Why Else are Teen Drivers at Greater Risk? Substance abuse, cell phone use, passenger distractions.
Young drivers lack skills and experience to anticipate/adjust correctly to traffic problems
Even if you’re not speeding, distractions combined with inexperience behind the wheel can be deadly.
Startling Research :Startling Research In 2005, the National Institutes of Health completed a study suggesting that the region of the brain (frontal lobes) that inhibits risky behavior is not fully formed until age 25.
According to Temple University psychology professor Laurence Steinberg, reasoning and judgment are continuously developed into the early to mid 20’s.
“It doesn’t mean adolescents can’t make a rational decision or appreciate the difference between right and wrong," he said. "It does mean, particularly when confronted with stressful or emotional decisions, they are more likely to act impulsively, on instinct, without fully understanding or analyzing the consequences of their actions." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52687-2005Jan31.html
http://www.temple.edu/psychology/FacultyWebs/Steinberg/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/12/28/teen.brain
Can teens help it? :Can teens help it? Experts claim juveniles on average are more:
Impulsive
Aggressive
Emotionally volatile
Likely to take risks
Reactive to stress
Vulnerable to peer pressure
Prone to focus on and overestimate short-term payoffs and underplay longer-term consequences of what they do
Likely to overlook alternative courses of action
According to Dr. David Fassler, a psychiatry professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, a violent adolescent doesn’t necessarily become a violent adult. Dr. Fassler claims some two-thirds to three-quarters of violent youth grow out of it. “They get more self-controlled.” Dr. David Fassler Partners for Safe Teen Driving, http://www.safeteendriving.orghttp://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-12-02-teenbrains_N.htm
Role of Speed in Accidents :Role of Speed in Accidents Speeding reduces the time drivers have to avoid a crash or a dangerous situation and greatly increases the likelihood that a crash will be severe.
Physics: energy of impact to vehicle occupants increases disproportionately with vehicle speed.
Example: frontal impact at 35 MPH is one-third more violent as a 30 MPH impact.
How fast you are travelling when you hit something has everything to do with if you live or die. http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/outreach/dsweek/rage.htm
http://www.statepatrol.ohio.gov/LCLMarketing/Examples/ppt/Speeding-Aggressive%20Driving%209-07.PPT
Role of Speed in Accidents (cont.) :Role of Speed in Accidents (cont.) Speeding increases required stopping distance.
Higher speeds result in greater risk of injury or death in a crash because vehicles/objects in motion have kinetic energy that is dissipated in a crash.
Higher crash speeds greatly reduce the ability of vehicles and restraint systems to protect occupants.
Airbags and seatbelts are engineered for maximum performance at collisions that occur at reasonable speeds. http://www.statepatrol.ohio.gov/LCLMarketing/Examples/ppt/Speeding-Aggressive%20Driving%209-07.PPT
Illegal in Virginia :Illegal in Virginia Cell phone use
Curfew
Passengers under 18
Illegal in Virginia :Illegal in Virginia All drivers under the age of 18 are not legally allowed to use their cell phone in any way (text, take calls, etc.), nor can they use any other wireless device.
Drivers under 18 years old have a curfew law which prohibits them from driving between midnight and 4 am.
During your first year of driving, teens are limited to carrying one passenger under 18 years Source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Source: MythBusters, Season 2
Summing things up :Summing things up Why shouldn’t I speed?
Is the #1 killer of Americans between 2-34
Over 40,000 lives are lost consistently every year
Speeding hardly saves any time
Impact force increases disproportionately higher with vehicle speed. Chance of death or serious injury doubles for every 10 mph over 50 mph.
Save money: speeding tickets (avg. $150), lawyer fees, save gas, save insurance
Avoid criminal record (reckless driving)