One-in-two text while driving http://www.smh.com.au/drive/motor-news/oneintwo-text-while-driving-20130514-2jjyl.html
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One-in-two text while driving http://www.smh.com.au/drive/motor-news/oneintwo-text-while-driving-20130514-2jjyl.html
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Learner driver and
Speeding “You’re going too fast!” “Slow down! Does this sound familiar? Why do most young drivers speed? Drivers of all ages speed and the young driver sees this driving behaviour as the ‘norm’. Driving is more difficult that it looks, with many different tasks needing to be done at the same time. While braking, steering, changing gears, looking out for hazards and applying the road rules, young drivers often do not notice the speed at which they are travelling. There are too many other things to worry about. Most young people have exaggerated opinion of their driving ability. Once they can manoeuver a car they think they can drive well. This overconfidence in their ability leads them to believe they can control any situation that may arise. Modern cars are built a bit like a comfy lounge- good seats, a great sound system, air conditioning, not much external noise. This quiet, comfortable ride insulates the driver from the clues that indicate the car is going too fast- things like vibration and wind noise. Most journeys are made safely and free of problems- so there are rewards for speeding. The driver gets to the destination quicker and enjoys the drive along the way. Because they usually beat the odds of being in a crash or caught for speeding, they fail to recognize the real risk of this happening. How do we start building a sensitivity to speed for learners. While they are passengers in the front seat continually ask them what speed limit is in the area you are driving. Ask them to estimate how fast you are travelling without looking at the speedo. Get them to judge the speed of vehicles coming towards you. Describe and discuss how a vehicle sounds and feels as you increase and decrease speed. Talk about driving for the conditions rather than at the posted speed. Work out what is the safe following distance from the vehicle in front. Use the 3-second following rule On the open highway, when you have to slow as you approach a built up area, ask your learner driver to guess your speed.Talk about the feeling ‘Velocitation’ caused by long periods of high-speed travel. When the speed is dropped, the actual speed appears to less than it actually is. Most young drivers speed because they underestimate the risks they are exposing themselves to. They believe they can beat the odds. Information for the article came from resources supplied by Australian Driver Trainers Assoc. and Australian Transport Safety Bureau. By Tim Beissmann | March
12th, 2013 Learner drivers in NSW will be able to cut their compulsory supervised driving hours by one third and travel at higher speeds following a shake-up of the learner program announced by the State Government today. Roads Minister Duncan Gay announced the introduction of the Safer Drivers Course, which, when combined with professional driving lessons, allows learners to reduce their number of compulsory supervised driving hours from 120 to 80. From July 1, learners will also be allowed to travel at speeds up to 90km/h – 10km/h faster than before – which Minister Gay said was designed to give them more supervised driving experience at higher speeds in preparation for their graduation to P-plates. “This is a first step in rewarding the state’s younger drivers for learning safer behaviour behind the wheel,” Gay said. “Young drivers are tragically over-represented in the NSW road toll and we want to ensure they are all given the opportunity to learn about road safety while they are still learning the basics of driving.” The Safer Drivers Course has been developed by a board of road safety experts including representatives from NSW Police, Roads and Maritime Services and the Centre for Road Safety, as well as road safety researchers and education specialists. Gay said the course had the support of an advisory panel comprising representatives from the NRMA, driver training associations and community-based road safety education providers. “We’ve carried out market research with parents and learner drivers who believe the course will benefit them,” he said. “They have told us it tackles the very aspects beginners face when they first start driving. “The course deals with different road conditions, understanding factors beyond a driver’s control and also helps identify risks on the road. This is a different approach to conventional driver training which focuses more on the mechanics of driving and road rules. “The course will help those young drivers who struggle to log 120 hours behind the wheel while on their L-plates while at the same time addressing safety issues they will face when they first drive solo.” Completing the Safer Drivers Course gives learners 20 hours credit towards their 120-hour logbook total. Completing 10 hours of professional lessons likewise gives learners 20 hours credit for their logbook (the 20 bonus hours are in addition to the 10 hours spent driving during the lessons). The Government recommends that learners enrol in the course after completing 50 hours in their logbooks, by which stage they should have basic driving skills and understand and appreciate the lessons taught. Gay confirmed the cost of the course would be capped at an “affordable price”, with any additional costs of delivering the course to be covered by the Community Road Safety Fund. The Government also announced a pilot program aimed at helping young drivers from remote, lower socio-economic and Aboriginal communities meet the requirements to qualify for their P-plates. Under the pilot program, under-25-year-olds will be able to obtain a provisional drivers licence for driving to work, education and medical appointments. They will only be given the restricted licence if they complete at least 50 supervised driving hours and pass a driving test. Pedestrian safety
People over 60 and young children account for the greatest number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities. At present 40% of pedestrians killed are aged 60 or over, although only about 17% of the population are in this age group. This ageing of the population will increase the proportion of pedestrians at risk. The Government must therefore conduct public education and advertising campaigns targeting this more vulnerable group The safety of pedestrians must be improved through the provision of adequate road crossing facilities, audio-tactile signals and ramps for wheelchairs, prams and shopping trolleys. Have you noticed the number of pedestrians wishing to cross at Roundabouts and the incidents where vehicles do not stop? Technology can already vary pedestrian signal crossing times for the needs of particular user groups. In the next decade more sophisticated devices will be able to measure the speed at which users cross and Lengthen the ‘walk’ time if a user is at risk. The RMS must develop information programs about the use of such facilities, especially for seniors and children. Lower speed limits represent one of the most effective safety improvements. New strategies in road safety During the next decade local and state Government must seek to lead changes in community perception of the importance of road safety by • raising the level of awareness of road safety issues • improving community understanding of what we are doing in road safety. • increasing the ability of Local Government to implement initiatives and improve road safety at a local level • promoting greater involvement and better co-ordination with all road safety stakeholders. This Blog was requested to be deleted by www.instavin.com. I don't know Why but I have deleted it.
Driving gives us the freedom to get where we want to go, when we want to go there. None of us can
drive forever but if we can drive safely for as long as possible this will maintain our independence and quality of life. Not being able to drive has consequences for the individual and the family. Individuals who must stop driving may experience lower life satisfaction, poorer adjustment, loneness and lower activity levels. Family and friends may also experience anxiety and guilt about not being able to meet non-drivers transportation needs. As group senior drivers are relatively safe drivers, but when seniors are involved in crashes, the situations and reasons are generally different from those associated with crashes involving younger drivers. A Few Helpful tips to increase your skills to continue to drive safely. Be Alert all the time and drive defensively. Recognize the Hazard; Understand the Defence, Act in Time Keep a three-second-safety cushion between you and the car in front of you. Plan your trip to avoid driving at the busiest time of the day. Be in driving mode all the time, look for the unexpected. Give yourself plentyof time to make decisions Look down the road far enough to get the big picture. Aim High, See the whole scene, Keep your eyes moving. Turn off radios to help you focus on your driving. Driving is complicated and requires multiple decision-making. How is your Eyesight? Get annual eye checkups Keep all windows, mirrors and headlights clean. Turn on your headlights when it rains or road conditions are poor. Wear the correct glasses for the conditions, sunglasses and prescription when driving in low light. Good drivers communicate and look. Always use your indicators to tell other drivers what you intend to do. Check mirrors every second light pole or every 10 seconds Check your blind spot every time the car moves move than one metre right or left. Check your mirror, Indicate, and Check your blind spot before you change lanes. Always look back when reversing. Worried about driving? Contact a professional driver trainer for a refresher course. Ask family if they are worried about your driving. Visit your local doctor if you notice any changes to vision, hearing and physical changes that may affect your driving. Road Safety - A Community Effort
Every week, 10 of our friends, neighbours, family members or work mates start a journey they never complete.Every week,more than 500 people suffer injury on the way to or from work, home, visitig friends, going shopping, doing what they expect to be able to do safely. On local roads, the 50km/h Urban Speed Limit Program has reduced the number of crashes. However, while there have been major long-term reductions in the number of fatalities in some areas, there has been some increases in country road fatalities. Speeding and driver fatigue, particularly amongst young drivers, and failure to wear seatbelts continue to be road safety problems and are the major contributors to the annual road toll. We need to change people’s attitude to speeding, driving while fatigued and not wearing seatbelts to achieve a similar change of culture to reduce the road toll. The over-representation of novice drivers in accident statistics requires a new approach to be taken to ensure that novice drivers do not progress to an unrestricted license. Novice drivers must demonstrate greater knowledge about road conditions and have had more experience behind the wheel. The RTA must also work with the police and courts to develop initiatives that have greater impact on repeat offenders. Such initiatives could require repeat offenders to be ordered by the court to undertake road safety education courses, or have specific devices such as alcohol interlocks fitted to their vehicles. Improvements to date have been achieved through a collective approach between State, regional and local stakeholders working in partnership in the planning and delivery of road safety programs to the community. In recognition of the important ongoing role of Local Government, the State Government must continue its strong support for road safety initiatives such as the 50km/h speed limit program for council controlled roads. The future focus To achieve our goal of having the safest roads in the world, all Governments must pursue a range of initiatives in three essential areas: • Safer people • Safer roads • Safer vehicles. Better community understanding of road safety issues and solutions is important in achieving our goal. |
AuthorArticle from Fleet News UK Archives
November 2014
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