July 2011 CAP Safety Meeting

Lt Col Larry BrockshusMN Wing/SE

Overview

• Fatigued driving• Seatbelt use• Boating• Summer FitnessTraining• Help

Drive safe, drive alert!

• Minnesota Wing recently received a report of a CAP van weaving

• Driving drowsy may not be an everyday issue for you, especially if you live close to your squadron, however if you’re coming off a long day it could be

Fatigued driving

• Each year drowsy driving results in:– 100,000 police reported crashes each year – 1,550 deaths– 71,000 injuries– $12.5 billion in monetary loss

Drowsy driving equals drunk driving

• 17 hours of wakefulness is equivalent to a blood alcohol content of .05

• 24 hours of wakefulness is equivalent to blood alcohol content of .10

• A blood alcohol content of .08 is legally drunk in every state

Micro sleep

• It is possible to fall into 3 or 4 second micro sleep without realizing it

• Traveling at 65 miles/hour that’s enough to travel the distance of a football field basically unconscious

Prevention

• Preplan road trips• Get enough rest before you plan to drive long

distances• Take frequent breaks• Caffeine can help in the short term but takes a

half hour to kick-in• Most accidents happen between midnight and 6

AM or mid-afternoon• If you notice physical signs stop driving

Physical signs

• Heavy and drooping eyes or frequent blinking• Problems focusing, daydreaming, wondering thoughts• Drifting, swerving, tailgating or hitting rumble strips• Trouble remembering the last couple of miles• Missing exits or signs• Not dimming lights• Trouble holding speed• Trouble keeping your head up• Yawning repeated

Seatbelt Safety

• 93 people die each day in motor vehicle crashes

• That’s one every 16 min. • Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death

for all military personnel

Seatbelt Myths

• Seatbelts can trap you inside a car– It takes less than a second to take off seatbelts– You cannot escape if you are unconscious

• I don’t need them if I’m driving in town– Half of all traffic deaths happen within 25 miles

home• Some people are thrown clear– You are five times more likely to survive if you stay

inside the car

Seatbelt Truths

• 23,000 occupants died in 2009• More than half of those killed were unrestrained• Risk of fatal crash are highest for nighttime drivers,

including passengers and young adults• In 2009, 3350 young men and women ages 16

through 20 were killed in motor vehicle crashes, over half were not buckled up

• Seatbelt use among 16 to 24 year olds is lower than any other age group, and is lower among males

Seatbelts save lives

• Use saved an estimated 12,713 lives in 2009• An additional 3,688 lives could have been

saved if occupants had worn seatbelts

Picture this

• It’s a warm summer day. You call your buddies and meet up, then they all jump your vehicle with your favorite alcoholic beverages. You crack one open and start drinking. No one is wearing seatbelts, and you’re cruising along at a high rate of speed with no stop signs or speed limit to worry about. You continue to drink as you drive around, and you even decide to drag a friend behind your vehicle for fun!

Boating safety

• In 2009 alcohol was a contributing factor to 308 boating accidents– Resulted in 120 fatalities– Resulted in 3300 injuries

• These accidents become criminal offenses when the driver is intoxicated

• In 2008, alcohol use was the leading contributing factor in the fatal boating incidents

Drinking and Boating

• It is illegal in every state to operate a boat while under the influence

• Consequences– Hefty fines– Loss of boat operator privileges– Drivers license suspension– Boat confiscation– Jail time

• Applies to all boats from canoes to large ships

Safe Boating

• Wear life jackets, 9 of 10 fatalities were not wearing life jackets

• Fill your cooler with a variety of drinks• Pack plenty of food and snacks• Don’t stay out too long, you fatigue faster when on the

water• Wait until you’re ashore to drink alcohol• Keep passengers sober to avoid falls overboard• Wait at least one hour per alcoholic drink before

operating your boat

Summer fitness

• An important key to healthy living• Improves readiness• Common mistakes may hinder fitness and

negatively impact you body

Summer fitnessWhat not to do

• Procrastination• Crashed dieting• Unrealistic expectations• Overtraining• Unprofessional advice• Taking supplements• False motivators• Being ashamed

Be Safe

• We are in the critical days of summer• Recurring factors for mishaps continue to be:– Alcohol– Speed– Fatigue– Overexertion– Poor personal risk management

• Use ORM to prevent becoming a statistic

Request for Orientation Pilots

• When: Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug 9 and 10, Thursday is weather back-up

• Time: 9AM -3PM• Number of aircraft: 3 or 4• Sorties per day: 3 or 4• Location: Flemming Field, SGS• Customer: Air Force JROTC• Safety briefing and permission slips: Managed by

Lt Col Brockshus