March
7
2012
People give lots of reasons for not wearing seatbelts.
I urge you not to accept their excuses and have what may be a hard conversation with them to let them know that you CARE. I know from experience what can happen when a seat belt is not worn and a driver loses control rolling the vehicle over, ejecting the driver. The results can be death, serious injury, loss of income, bankruptcy…
The bottom line is that wearing a seat belt reduces your chance of suffering a fatality injury by nearly 50%. Fifty Percent!
Have you or someone you know used any of these reasons?
“I’m only going to down the road.” Since 80 percent of traffic fatalities occur within 25 miles of home and under 40 miles an hour, short trips near home are the best times to wear seatbelts.
“I’m a safe, careful driver.” Unfortunately, your driving ability is only one part of a complex equation, and wearing seatbelts is an integral part of being a safe driver. After all, you can control your behavior, but you can’t control other risky driving factors like bad weather, car trouble, poor road conditions and other drivers.
“I’ll just brace myself.” To accomplish this, you’d need the split-second reaction time of Superman, and if you could do it, the force of impact would shatter whatever body part you were bracing yourself with. A 30 mph crash has the impact of falling from three stories.
“I’m afraid the belt will trap me in the car.” Strangely enough, in the car is where you want to be after a crash. If you are ejected because you didn’t you’re your seatbelt, you’re 25 times more likely to die. But in the very rare instance that the crash causes you to be submerged in water or if your car in on fire, you’re more likely to be conscious enough to escape than if you didn’t have your belt on.
“They’re uncomfortable.” So is weeks in a hospital bed suffering from an serious injury that could have been prevented by a seatbelt. Most modern seatbelts have plenty of adjustable features to fit your body size and increase comfort. Many people find that after getting used to wearing a seatbelt, they actually feel “uncomfortable” or insecure without one.
“But I’ve got an airbag.” Lucky you! An air bag increases the effectiveness of a safety belt by 40 percent. Used alone they’re only 12 percent effective. Plus unless your car is equipped with side airbags as well, you’d be completely unprotected against side impact collisions without seatbelts.
If you know someone that does not wear a seatbelt, let them know how much you care for them and be consistent in your efforts to win them over. Never give up.
Down the Road – Mike
January
18
2012
Since the FMCSA new Hours of Service regulation changes do no go into effect until June 2013 does that mean they are serious about change? It seems to me that 18 months is a long period for the changes that they claim will improve driver safety. If it truely is the right change to make why delay it 18 months from the rule’s published date?
The guts of the changes include a mandatory 30 minute break in an 8 hour period, before continuing to drive and a change in the 34 hour restart. In order to qualify for the restart you have to have 2 periods that include 1am to 5am in the 34 hour period.
The restart qualifier baffles me. Now drivers will be forced to start after traffic begins to build so they are out there with more opportunities to mix it up in heavily congested traffic.
What’s your take?
For the complete rule go here.
Down the Road – Mike
December
21
2011
On January 3, 2012 the use of hand-held cellphones for drivers of commercial vehicles will be banned. This is the rule that cracks down on hand-held phone usage but still allows a driver to communicate on the device using hands-free operation.
As truckers already know, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration banned texting while driving for CMV operators in 2010. The latest rule goes a step further to restrict other uses of hand-held cellphones, including dialing while driving.
Just like the texting rule, the hand-held rule applies to all commercial drivers. This includes drivers in a vehicle that has a GVWR of 10,001 lbs. or more, which includes most one-ton and larger vehicles.
And like the texting rule, the hand-held rule comes with the possibility of steep fines and penalties for drivers and motor carriers.
According to the rule, drivers can face a $2,750 civil penalty per offense and motor carriers could be hit with an $11,000 civil penalty for allowing or encouraging the behavior. Those are not local law-enforcement fines. Those are federal civil penalties that could be levied in conjunction with convictions.
Violations of the rule qualify as “serious traffic violations” under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Convictions for serious traffic violations could lead to disqualification of a driver’s CDL.
FMCSA, at least for now, is allowing certain devices and functions to be used while driving such as fleet-management systems, dispatching devices, CBs and music players, along with certain one-button functions on smartphones.
In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board, which does not have the authority to make rules on its own, is recommending that all 50 states adopt a universal cellphone ban for all drivers – including the use of hands-free devices.
Down the Road & Merry Christmas – Mike
October
6
2011
Although substantial progress is being made in driving down commercial motor vehicle (CMV)-related deaths, enforcement across North America will come down hard on those caught driving aggressively during Operation Safe Driver 2011. The campaign, organized by Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier’s Safety Administration (FMCSA), targets both passenger car drivers as well as commercial ones.
Effective enforcement, education and awareness are all keys to improving driver behavior. Since speed is the primary factor in one third of all fatal crashes and aggressive driving behavior this deserves an aggressive response.
On October 16-22, 2011 Operation Safe Driver will have enforcement officers on the road focusing on commercial and non-commercial aggressive driver actions.
“Cutting It Close Can Cut Your Life Short.”
September
27
2011
I’m headed to Tulsa, OK this week to meet with forty to fifty safety professionals to discuss safety performance, strategies and best practices. I have the honor of presenting an update on CSA for 2011.
What is your main concern today with CSA and FMCSA?
Down the Road – Mike
August
30
2011
Commercial carriers and truckers, you will want to mark your calendars for CVSA Brake Safety week, scheduled for Sept. 11-17. The event is held nationwide by participating members of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
Brake issues remain one of the top reasons for DOT citations and Out of Service violations. Poorly adjusted, or defective, air brakes reduce braking capacity of air brake vehicles. Therefore, training drivers to know what to look for is key.
The typical inspection procedure involves a check of the driver’s license, commercial vehicle registration, low air warning devices, pushrod travel (adjustments), brake linings/drums, air loss rate and tractor protection system. Take action now and beat enforcement violations.
Visit cvsa.org for more details.
Down the Road – Mike
August
3
2011
Maybe you don’t want to think about it yet, but for students August means the back to school process begins. Here are some safety tips to review with your family as school gets ready to start.
Texas has more than 9,000 schools. More than a million children and teens depend on buses to get them safely to and from school every day. They also depend on us to know the law and drive safely around school buses.
Here’s the Law
Stop for flashing red lights on a school bus, regardless of which direction you’re headed.
Continue your trip once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing or the bus driver signals it’s okay to pass.
Violations can lead to a $1,000 fine.
Safety Tips for Motorists
Obey the posted speed limit.
Fines double in school zones.
Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops.
Watch for children who might dart across the street to catch the bus.
Safety Tips for Students
Respect your school bus driver and follow these rules:
Stand far back when you are waiting for the bus.
Sit still so the driver can pay attention to the road.
Look both ways if you have to cross the street after getting off the bus, or wait for the driver to signal it’s safe to cross the street.
Here’s the Law: Pedestrians
Yield to vehicles on the roadway if you cross the street at a place other than a marked crosswalk or pedestrian tunnel or crossing. If you’re hit while jaywalking, the driver may not be liable, and his or her auto insurance may not cover your injuries.
Stay on sidewalks and the right-hand side of crosswalks. Drivers are supposed to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks.
If the road has no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
Pedestrian Tips
Always cross at intersections. Look left, then right, then left again before proceeding.
Look for traffic when stepping off a bus or from behind parked cars.
As a passenger, get in or out of a car on the curb side of the street.
Make eye contact with drivers before you cross the street.
Down the Road – Mike
July
27
2011
I pulled this from a Landline article today. It is hard to believe that nearly half of one payment ($3.3 million) that the US made for transportation in Afghanistan is being used to fight against us. Somebody’s head needs to roll on this one. There is no telling how much of the total contract is being used to kill our own soldiers and citizens.
The United States is spending more than $2 billion for a trucking contract used to help rebuild Afghanistan, and millions of dollars from that contract are being funneled to the Taliban.
A Pentagon investigation completed in May revealed that a portion of the $2.16 billion transportation contract is funding a direct enemy of the U.S.
According to a Washington Post article, one $7.4 million payment went to eight companies, through contractors, subcontractors and eventually to the account of an Afghan National Police commander. The Pentagon reportedly found that $3.3 million of the original $7.4 million had been transferred to Taliban insurgents in cash, weapons and explosives.
According to ABC News, Pentagon Spokesman Col. Dave Lapan confirmed the investigation’s findings.
Down the Road – Mike
July
12
2011
Is Fleet Fueling Free Falling?
By Sokolis Group – June 23rd, 2011
“Look for your fleet fueling prices of diesel fuel prices and gas prices to take a turn down over the next couple of weeks. A lot of action is happening in the oil world. Fuel prices were falling several dollars a barrel already this week which is good news to your fuel management programs. Then what I believe was a little out of the blue, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve decides to release 60 million barrel of oil over the next 30 days to help reduce fuel prices. Wow! Lower diesel fuel prices please to meet you. For some companies this might be the difference between having a good year or having a poor year. A company’s fuel management solutions are usually the keep to help drive lower diesel fuel prices.”
So Glen, why didn’t Obama use the reserve when gas prices were near $4.00 a gallon a couple of months ago?
Answer to follow..
Down the Road – Mike
July
1
2011
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an oath of loyalty to the national flag and the Republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the national pledge in 1942.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.”
July Fourth marks the anniversary of when the United States signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring our independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. This Holiday weekend we will honor our military people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, fought and died for our country, as well as our POWs, MIAs and our military on the job today, here and around the world. We will honor our veterans and the part they played in our country’s ongoing fight to live free.
Thanks for all who have served!
Down the Road – Mike