Defensive Driving

Objectives

• Understand defensive driving techniques

• Increase awareness of safe driving behaviors

• Provide insight into identifying and anticipating hazards encountered while driving

Why Defensive Driving?

NHSTA 2012 statistics Traffic Safety Facts, September 2012Distraction.gov

Animals on roadway

U.S. Traffic Fatality Rate

2012 U.S. Data• 33,561 fatalities• 1.13 fatality rate

• 2011 – 32,479 (lowest number of fatalities since 1949)

• 2011 - National Average was 1.10 (Lowest in 35 years)

Colorado Traffic Fatalities

• 2013 – 481 people died on state roadways

• 2011 – 447 people killed (lowest in over 30 years)

• 2002 – 743 traffic related deaths (highest)

2011 Colorado Fatalities• 30% of all traffic fatalities

involved an alcohol impaired driver

• 33% of vehicle occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt

What is Defensive Driving?

• Driving to save lives, time and money in spite of the surrounding conditions and the actions of others

• The ability to recognize a hazard, understand the defense, and act correctly in time

Before You Drive

• Follow vehicle maintenance schedule

• Visual check of vehicle

• Adjustments

3 Second Plus Rule

• 3 seconds distance– One thousand - one– One thousand - two– One thousand - three

• For each adverse condition, add one more second to your following distance

Mirrors

Defensive driving technique:

It is recommended that you check your mirrors every 3 – 5 seconds

Passing

• Hazards– Sideswiped– Run off the road– Head-on collision

• Defensive Driving– Signal– Check blind spots– Safe zone– Distance

Danger Zones

• Blind spots

• Turning diameter

• Stopping distances

Driving Hazards

• Rural and interstate driving

• City and urban driving

• Residential driving

• Intersections and parking lots

• Night driving

• Environmental hazards

Urban Scanning

Busy intersection photo

Hydroplaning

35 mph25 mph15 mph

Speeding

• A contributing factor in 30% of all fatal crashes

• The #1 unsafe driving behavior that contributes tocollisions and violations

• For every 10 mph faster over 50 mph, the fatality rate doubles

Is Speeding Worth It?Speed Time to go 10

MilesTime Saved Risk of Death*

50 mph 12 minutes

55 mph 10 minutes 54 sec

1 minute6 sec

1.5X

60 mph 10 minutes 2 minutes 2X

70 mph 8 minutes 34 sec 3 minutes 26 seconds

4X

*National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates

Braking Distances

Braking Distances

• Depend on:

– Speed

– Vehicle weight

– Condition of brakes

– Condition of tires

– Road surface

– Road conditions

Animals

• Decide now how you will react to…

• Wildlife darting out from trees

• A pet running out from between vehicles

• Livestock running onto road from brush

“Road Rage”• Road rage is DUI of

anger

• Causes:– Traffic congestion– Weavers– Distracted drivers– Indignation at other

drivers who break traffic rules

– Feeling endangered by someone else’s driving

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

• In 2012, 10,322 fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes (31% of total traffic fatalities for the year).

• Sobering facts:– About two in every five Americans will be involved in an alcohol-

related traffic accident at some time in their lives– Remember the one-one rule: one drink per hour (your body

takes about an hour to rid itself of each 1/2 ounce of alcohol)– The legal blood alcohol content (BAC) in Colorado is 0.08

Distracted Driving

• Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving

• All distractions endanger driver, passenger and bystander safety

Distracted Driving• The odds of being in a crash while texting are 23

times higher than when you are driving without distraction.

• National Safety Council estimates that each year, at least 1.6 million crashes (28 percent) are caused by drivers using cell phones and/or texting.

• It is estimated that 3,328 distracted driving fatalities occur each year.

• What can be done to reduce or prevent distracted driving?

State of Colorado House Bill 1094• Effective December 1, 2009• Prohibits any person under 18 years of age to use a wireless

telephone while operating a motor vehicle• Prohibits any person over 18 years of age to use a wireless

telephone for the purpose of engaging in text messaging or other similar forms of data entry or transmission while operating a motor vehicle

• Allows anyone to use a wireless telephone for contacting a public safety entity or in an emergency

• In order to perform manual data entry and transmission such as text messaging, the motor vehicle must be pulled over to the shoulder or in a parking space with the vehicle placed in park

Seat Belts

• You have a 50% better chance of surviving a serious crash without injuries when you wear a seat belt

• Your chances of surviving a serious crash are increased by 45% when you wear a seat belt

Seat belts…Protect …protect you by absorbing the force of a crash.

Control ….help you stay in control of your vehicle by keeping you in your seat.

Survive …increase your chance of surviving a crash by more than 50%.

Occupant Protection Systems

Seat Belt Use in U.S.

• National: 87%• Colorado: 82%• Arizona: 95%

• Of the passenger vehicle occupants who died in 2012, 43% were unbelted

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if Colorado increased its seat belt use to 90%, an additional 32 lives would be saved each year, and the state would save $111 million a year

Decline in National Fatality Rates

• Due to…• Roadway guardrails, barriers and grooves• Driver awareness campaigns (“Click it or

Ticket,” “Take Two”)• Child safety seats• Anti-lock brakes• Air bags• Safety cages

Questions?

Drive Smart, Drive Safe!Thank you for your time