Technology Aside, Driver Safety is Top Priority for NHTSA

Kevin Jones
Technical Analyst

With so many telematics and smart phone technologies built into today’s automobile, what’s possible seems limitless. More and more, it looks like we’re closing the gap between what Hanna-Barbera’s The Jetsons envisioned in the 1960s and where we are now.

Nevertheless, all of this technology is not as openly welcomed as you might think. While there is a lot of excitement about new technologies and their being incorporated into automobiles, some safety advocates would like to see more restraint.

On June 9, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Administrator, David L. Strickland, spoke at the 2011 Detroit Diesel conference in Novi, Michigan. Mr. Strickland praised the use of vehicle technology that supports such functions as vehicle maintenance and also the use of navigation systems to help first-responders in the event of vehicle crashes. However, he made it clear that he does not support technologies that are distracting to drivers. In Mr. Strickland’s presentation, titled "USDOT Sheds Lights on Driver Distraction Issues (Crucial Session)," he expresses that while drivers’ connecting to all the new technologies in their vehicle is not necessary, some vehicle owners still very much embrace the technologies being added to vehicles.

In May 2011, at the Association for Safer International Road Travel Annual Gala Fundraiser, in Washington, D.C., Mr. Strickland spoke about the need for crash avoidance technologies. In his remarks, Mr. Strickland says, “Crash avoidance technologies provide an opportunity to save lives and reduce injuries by supporting the driver and preventing crashes from occurring in the first place.” He also puts forth that vehicle to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication are two possible ways to help reduce the number of automobile crashes.

However, at the same time that these safety applications are making a positive difference in reducing crashes, and while their use is being encouraged, NHTSA is simultaneously “taking a hard look at these systems” and challenging both the auto industry and cell phone industry to work hand-in-hand with federal transportation officials “to keep the driver on their required task: driving.”

National Two-Second Turnoff Day: Sept. 17, 2010

A lot can happen in two seconds. For example, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles your chances of being in a car crash. However, it only takes two seconds to turn off your cell phone before you get behind the wheel.

National Two-Second Turnoff Day takes place tomorrow. The campaign, sponsored by AAA, Seventeen Magazine, and the US Department of Transportation (DOT), urges teens to pay special attention to the risks of distracted driving. Research conducted by AAA and Seventeen found that 86% of male and female teens have driven while distracted, even though 84% admitted they know it's dangerous.

Seventeen Magazine's "Viral Video Challenge,” part of National Two-Second Turnoff Day, is actively helping teens spread the news of the dangers of distracted driving. Winner Emily Langston's anti-distracted driving video, "It Can Wait," will be featured at DOT's 2010 Distracted Driving Summit, in Washington, D.C., on September 21, 2010.

Congratulations to Ms. Langston, AAA, Seventeen Magazine, and DOT for working hard to promote safe driving.

Visit the official US Government website for distracted driving.

The 2010 IIHS Booster Evaluation: Check the Fit of Your Child's Booster Seat

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a good booster routes the lap belt across the child’s upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at mid-shoulder. Proper safety belt positioning is shown in the IIHS photo above, in which the crash test dummy represents a six-year-old of average size.

Of 72 boosters recently evaluated by IIHS researchers, 21 of them (29%) earned the “BEST BET” rating (as opposed to only 15% earning the same rating last year). Seven boosters earned a “GOOD BET” rating, and eight boosters did a poor job of fitting belts and were not recommended by the Institute at all.

The remaining 36 boosters that were evaluated fell into the “in-between” group, based on their inconsistently fitting belts well on most children in most cars, minivans, and SUVs.

In a Sept. 8 IIHS press release, Institute senior vice president for research Anne McCartt said, "Unlike the top performers, consumers can't assume boosters in the in-between group will work in every family vehicle. Some may be fine, but parents still need to try them out to see if the lap and shoulder belts fit their kids correctly." The lap belt should not ride up on the child’s tummy, and the shoulder belt should not fall off the shoulder or rub against the child’s neck. Scroll down to the end of the press release to view the 2010 IIHS Booster Evaluation Results.

Do you have concerns about your child’s booster seat? September 25, 2010 is NHTSA’s National Seat Check Saturday, and certified child passenger safety technicians will be providing advice and offering hands-on seat inspections of child seats nationwide, free of charge. Find a Child Safety Seat Inspection location in your area.

Con-way Freight Incorporates Advanced Safety Technologies

Less-than-truckload (LTL) Con-way Freight recently invested $5.4 million toward the installation of several advanced safety technologies into 1,300 new Freightliner Cascadia 2010-model tractors, which the carrier has put into service. Con-way’s goals for incorporating the safety technologies are to reduce the frequency of accidents and the accident situations that trucks are most commonly involved in. They are also aiming to minimize driver distraction.

Examples of the technologies Con-way has installed include a forward collision warning technology with adaptive cruise control, developed by Meritor Wabco, to help with maintaining a safe following distance and to help with avoiding rear-end collisions by braking as needed. The lane departure warning system, developed by Iteris, monitors the vehicle’s lane position and sounds an alarm when the vehicle’s operator unintentionally moves out of the lane. The roll stability control, also developed by Meritor Wabco, senses when the vehicle is at high risk of a rollover and automatically intervenes. And in order to help minimize driver distraction, Con-way implemented factory-installed, in-dash AM/FM/satellite radios in place of portable radios. This means drivers have one fewer distraction to content with behind the wheel.

"With the anticipated release of FMCSA's Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 initiative and the potential for stricter safety regulations for truck drivers and trucking companies, Con-way Freight is proactively pursuing a high-tech approach to safety," said Bob Petrancosta, the company's vice president of safety. Petrancosta also stated that Con-way was very pleased to work with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) in the year of testing and research that went into the implementation of the technologies which can provide “real-world, lifesaving results.”

Read a news piece about Con-way’s safety technologies.

Visit Con-way Freight online.
Visit Meritor Wabco online.
Visit Iteris online.

Good News About Crash Statistics & Survival Rates for Senior Drivers

A status report published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on June 19 reports that the rate of fatal crashes per licensed driver aged 70 and older declined between 1997 - 2008. The rate of less severe crashes reported to law enforcement during the time period also decreased.

These unanticipated declines are particularly noteworthy considering the proportion of the US population aged 65 and older is growing. IIHS researchers also found a 34% decline in injury crash rates among drivers aged 80 and older between 1997 - 2005 -- compared to a decline of 16% for drivers aged 35 - 54.

What factors may have influenced these trends? According to the IIHS study, older drivers may be "policing" themselves; in other words, they may be deciding to stop driving when they believe they can no longer do so safely. Another possible factor discussed in the report is that states can impose restrictions on drivers as they age. The study reports that as of May 2010, 18 states have shortened license renewal periods; nine states require vision tests for older drivers at each renewal; two states require road tests; and seven states require older drivers to renew their license in person.

The Institute notes that improvements in older people's physical conditioning and health could be reducing their risk of crashing, as well as increasing their chances of survival in the event they do crash. "Seniors are less likely to get into police-reported crashes in the first place, and they're less likely to die from their injuries when they do crash. This isn't what we expected, given older driver demographics and other influences," said Anne McCartt, IIHS Senior Vice President for Research and an author of this recent report.

View the IIHS Status Report, Volume 45:6.