May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and safety advocates hope the reminder will help drivers "start seeing motorcyclists," as the campaign goes. They also hope riders will obey traffic laws and wear appropriate gear.
]]> The Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, notes that riding a motorcycle takes more skill and concentration than driving a car. The organization has played a vital role in training Wisconsin motorcyclists: More than 153,000 riders have gone through training with the program, which recently expanded to include more comprehensive courses for riders of varying levels of experience.The program is also utilizing its mobile training facility, called THE REF. (That stands for "Transportable High-End Rider Education Facility.) That aspect of the program can provide training to motorcyclists across the state.
Just looking at the numbers shows why promoting motorcycle safety is so important. In the last five years, accidents have left 100 motorcyclists dead, while some 2,500 have sustained injuries. Recent data has shown that motorcycle sales are up and a lot of the buyers are new riders. That means there will be a lot of new bikers on the road. It's important that both drivers and motorcyclists keep an eye out for each other when they share the road.
Source: Patch.com, "Born to ride: May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month," Sarah Millard, May 5, 2012
]]>The first accident involved a 32-year-old motorist, who is charged with being involved in a hit-and-run crash. He claims that he believed that he had only run over some kind of animal, when he actually drove his car over the woman's body as she lay across the street near a bar in West Allis.
]]> Later that same day, her 22-year-old son was traveling in a car to go to the hospital to find out more about his mother's condition after the accident. The driver of that vehicle, a 21-year-old man who may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time, was traveling at a high rate or speed, and the son was subsequently killed in the ensuing crash.The first motorist was released on $20,000 bail on a fatal hit-and-run charge, while the second was held on $25,000 bond on a charge of drunken homicide, among other charges, although that amount was later cut in half.
Police later learned that the woman may have been lying on the street because of a fight with her estranged boyfriend outside the bar. Investigators believe that the ex-boyfriend's car may have struck her before the hit-and-run vehicle did, although he had not been charged as of last week.
What makes this case unusual is that two people who were related died in completely separate accidents on the same day. The charges filed against both drivers, however, are not out of the ordinary.
Source: WTAQ, "Charges filed against 2 drivers involved in fatal West Allis crashes," May 9, 2012
]]>Drivers either neglecting to activate their turn signals while changing lanes or making turns, or forgetting to turn them off after completing a lane change, are causing up to 2 million car accidents each year. That towers over the approximately 950,000 roadside collisions attributed to distracted driving.
]]> Problems with motorists' use of turn signals appears to be extremely common, with drivers failing to use them or turn them off approximately 48 percent of the time during lane changes and about 25 percent of the time when executing a full right or left turn. That means that turn signal neglect occurs about 2 billion times a day, or 750 billion times over the course of a year.Law enforcement of turn signal requirements appears to be way down on officers' list of priorities, a fact that the research study authors hope to change. Researchers also suggest that there is new technology available which could help address the problem.
The report proposes adoption and use of some sort of "Smart Turn Signal," a device to turn off a turn signal without further action by a driver after an elapse of time, or when detection sensors confirm that a lane change has been accomplished, similar to the way modern cars deactivate a turn signal after an intersection turn is accomplished.
Such a device could also issue audible warnings to motorists who often ignore the status of their turn signals, similar to the reminders provided by many vehicles to fasten seat belts.
Source: MSNBC, "Turn signal neglect a real danger, study shows," Paul A. Eisenstein, May 1, 2012
]]>When 16 or 17-year-old drivers ride with one passenger under the age of 21, and no one else, their risk of death per mile increases a whopping 44 percent. The more teen passengers there are, the bigger the risk. The threat is quadrupled when there are at least three teen passengers in the car while a teen is driving.
]]> The opposite is true if there's an adult in the car. Their risk of death per mile with a passenger of 35 years of age or older drops by 62 percent, according to the study.While it's not surprising that teen passengers prove distracting for their friends, the fact remains that these crashes are still occurring despite graduated licensing laws that have been introduced in every state. Some of those laws prevent teens from driving at night and have a specific number of hours they can drive with a passenger. The laws are not always obeyed, however, and it's often up to parents to make sure they are enforced.
In general, the number of teen traffic deaths has fallen. Between 2000 and 2010, for example, young teenager drivers in fatal accidents fell by about half. However, it should be noted that four in ten of those crashes involved drivers who were accompanied by at least one passenger under 21.
It's still a problem.
Source: WMBF, "Teen passengers spell danger for novice drivers," Joan Lowy, May 8, 2012
]]>The Institute's CEO says that for most people, riding a motorcycle is a complex task requiring at least a half-dozen steps including shifting gears, feathering the throttle, releasing the clutch, braking and watching for traffic. The study showed 22 percent of nearly 57,000 collision claims from 2003 to 2007 occurred in the first month after the insurance policy took effect. The numbers began to gradually drop after the second month, according to the Republic.
]]> No amount of training bikers receive while learning to ride may be enough to reduce the risk of accidents. One safety study suggests that licensing courses that fast-track the time it takes to get on the road don't lower crash risks and but could potentially raise them.A representative with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety admitted that some training courses actually contradict the idea that they reduce the likelihood of accidents. For example, research has shown that collision claim frequency among graduates of state-required training programs for riders under 21 was actually 10 percent higher than states without those requirements.
Federal data shows more than 5,000 bikers died in motorcycle accidents in 2008, which is twice the amount compared to the previous decade.
Source: The Republic, "Motorcycle crash risk drops sharply after the first month on the road," Michael Virtanen, April 15, 2012
]]>The accident happened at the intersection of State Highway 66 and Birchwood Lane in the town of Linwood, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's not entirely clear what happened, but it appears that the truck went off the right side of the road and then the driver overcorrected. The truck apparently skidded across the road, went into the opposite ditch and struck a utility pole.
]]> When officers got to the scene, power lines were down and the vehicle was on fire. A man was found dead outside the car after having been ejected, while two others were found dead inside the car after the flames were extinguished. Several crews responded to the scene, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Stevens Point Police Department, and various first responders and technical traffic crash investigators.The crash was still under investigation. The victims were identified as three men, ages 19, 25 and 29, respectively. According to the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, it is believed they died from the force of impact. Officers with the Portage County Sheriff's Department say that a lack of seatbelts may have a contributing factor in the deaths.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Portage County crash kills three," Gitte Laasby, April 29, 2012
]]>The city made an addition to the town code that bans drivers over the age of 18 from using a cellphone or "related technology" while driving. (There is already a ban for those under age 18.) Public streets and "vehicular areas" are specifically mentioned as places where drivers can't use cellphones. If a driver is flagged, they will face a $25 fine.
]]> There are a slew of exceptions, however. For instance, if a driver is talking to a parent, spouse, child or legal guardian, then it is allowed. It's also fine if they are calling a hospital, the police or fire or rescue personnel. They can even call to make a doctor's appointment if they can prove who they were talking to.Also, it would be a secondary offense, meaning drivers cannot be pulled over just for talking on a cellphone; they would need to be cited for something else first, such as speeding.
It will be interesting to see if this is a growing trend and more cities, including some in Wisconsin, follow the lead. The ban is being lauded by the president of the National Safety Council.
Source: PCMag.com, "Chapel Hill enacts total cellphone ban on drivers," Mark Hachman, March 29, 2012
]]>Since those devices have been considered successful by many, the government is looking into the possibility of requiring similar technology in all vehicles. $10 million has been invested into researching the technology, while a federal transportation bill calls for an additional $24 million to be earmarked for the project.
]]> Controversy is already brewing about the effect the devices might have. There are a couple ways they could work. One involves technology that uses lasers and touchpads to detect alcohol in a person's system. Another would incorporate sensors that would essentially smell a driver's breath for traces of alcohol.Critics say that the systems might be faulty and prevent a vehicle from starting even if a driver isn't legally drunk. The accuracy of the technology is likely to be a key issue when or if it is introduced. According to the LA Times, the restaurant industry is worried that the technology could affect its alcohol sales. If a person has a glass of wine with dinner, for instance, and their vehicle doesn't start because it falsely detects an excess of alcohol, it may deter them from ordering any in the future.
Still, opponents would say, "what does it matter? If it prevents drunk driving accidents, shouldn't that be the priority?" There is sure to be a controversy. What do you think?
Source: LA Times, "Should future cars curb drunk drivers?" Dan Turner, March 28, 2012
]]>Recently, charges of nursing home abuse were lodged against two nurses. Prosecutors claimed that the nurses were negligent in caring for a 77-year-old woman, who died at the home following a brief stay in March 2008. The two nurses pleaded not guilty to the felony charges in court on April 10.
]]> The nurses, 58 and 38 years old, respectively, both worked at the home at the time of the woman's death. The older woman, a registered nurse, served as the home's director of nursing. The younger nurse, a licensed vocational nurse, served as the floor nurse where the patient was staying. She has agreed to refrain from working as a nurse until the prosecution is resolved, as well as pending problems concerning her license.The younger nurse had moved to another state following the incident, but recently returned and surrendered to authorities to face trial. She is the mother of five children, and the judge agreed to release her without bail, trusting that she will be attending trial proceedings.
The prosecutor also requested that the judge revoke the other woman's license, but he declined to do so. In addition to the nurses allegedly providing the patient with inadequate care during her 13-day stay, prosecutors asserted that the skilled nursing home neglected to properly supervise its employees.
Source: Sacramento Bee, "Nurses plead not guilty to elder abuse charges in Placerville," Marjie Lundstrom, April 10, 2012
]]>A two-car accident last week took the life of a 55-year-old man Delavan. The crash happened at approximately 6:37 p.m. in Darien, about a mile east of County Highway M on U.S. Highway 14.
]]> Deputies from the Walworth County Sheriff's office rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the crash. They labored to extricate the 55-year-old motorist from his 2012 Chevy Malibu, where he had been trapped. Their efforts were successful, but he died at the scene.The driver of the second car, a 2010 Toyota Highlander, was a 59-year-old man from out of state. He was also trapped inside his vehicle. After deputies managed to get him out, he was transported by helicopter to a hospital in the Milwaukee area with serious injuries.
The Malibu had been traveling west on Highway 14. Investigators said that it then crossed the center line on the highway and veered into the east lane of oncoming traffic. This led to a head-on collision with the Toyota Highlander, which the other motorist was unable to avoid in time. No one was in either car except for the two drivers, according to reports from investigators.
It's possible that we may never know why the Malibu crossed the center line. Unfortunately, head-on collisions like this one often result in fatalities due to the nature of the impact of such an accident.
Source: Walworth County Today, "Delavan man dies in two-car crash in Darien," April 3, 2012
]]>Case in point: A Wisconsin couple was killed in a motorcycle accident over the weekend when their motorcycle collided with a truck.
]]> According to the Pioneer Press, the 65-year-old man and 59-year-old woman were riding their motorcycle north on U.S. 53 near Haugen on Friday evening when the accident occurred. They apparently collided with a truck that was crossing the road from County Highway V. They were both pronounced dead at the scene.The 59-year-old truck driver and his passenger, both from neighboring Minnesota, were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
A LifeLink helicopter responded to the scene, as did Barron County sheriff's deputies and various local police and fire departments. The northbound lanes of Highway 53 were closed for several hours after the accident, which was being investigated by the Barron County Sheriff's Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol, according to the Northland News Center.
It's apparently not the first fatal accident at the intersection. The fatal crash rate there is apparently much higher than the state average. The DOT is already working on plans to build an overpass there in the hopes of making the area safer for motorists. The project should be completed by November 2013.
Source: Pioneer Press, "2 killed in motorcycle, car crash near Rice Lake," Rachel Wedlund, April 7, 2012
]]>University researchers, who conducted the study in 2007, did acknowledge that teenagers with ADHD can learn to be responsible drivers, but they also believe that many of the youths will do so with great difficulty and effort. As a result, for some, it may be responsible for them to postpone obtaining a driver's license until they are significantly older or possibly avoid it altogether.
]]> Learning to drive at all is difficult and may be challenging for many young people, especially since it may well be the most dangerous activity they have ever attempted. But young people with ADHD face all the ordinary difficulties, and then some.The key factor may seem obvious. If those with ADHD have trouble keeping their attention focused on one thing for a relatively extended period of time, such inattention may mean that they are not always focused on the road while driving.
Lack of attention to the road has been characterized by some as perhaps the one single largest cause of all car accidents. Drivers with ADHD also tend to be impulsive and may be more willing than others to take risks.
Some experts suggest that the use of appropriate medications by young people with ADHD may help alleviate some of these problems. Commonly used medications include Adderall and Ritalin. Extended driver's training may also be beneficial.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "Study: ADHD teen drivers run higher crash risk," March 27, 2012
]]>Beginning with next month's prom at Cedarburg High School, as students mill about and drink punch, they may be asked to blow into a Breathalyzer device. Students will be selected at random to blow into the machines.
]]> The school board has been considering the move for some time, the Cedarburg School District superintendent says. The issue was pushed to the forefront last month when police cited several students for intoxication at a school dance.Using breath tests at student functions to detect blood alcohol content isn't exactly new in the area. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Germantown High School has administered the tests to students before dances for several years. Waukesha West High School, too, recently started using the tests before school dances.
At most of these school events, not everyone will be tested. Typically, students are randomly selected, and for many the mere possibility of being tested is a deterrent from drinking. There may not be a truly scientific way to see if it works, but if fewer citations are issued, that may certainly be an indication.
The tests appear to be a growing trend. What do you think?
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "This year's hottest prom trend: Breathalyzer tests," Erin Richards, March 29, 2012
]]>According to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32,885 people died as a result of car accidents in the U.S. in 2010. When the number of miles traveled is taken into account, the number seems even lower. There was an equivalent of 1.1 fatalities for every 100 million miles driven. That's the lowest ever.
]]> It appears that safety features in new cars has helped lower the numbers, and not necessarily the way drivers are behaving. Indeed, about a third of the fatal crashes in 2010, over 10,000 of them, could be attributed to speeding, according to a report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association.The report also found that only two states have increased fines for people caught speeding, while seven states have increased speed limits on highways in the last seven years, some as high as 85 mph.
Clearly, drivers are still indifferent to speeding. The proportion of crashes related to speeding hasn't changed much in the last 30 years. The GHSA is recommending that states enact more laws that would go after aggressive drivers.
Since 2005, Indiana is the only state to enact such a law, and only 11 states have introduced similar legislation. Clearly, more needs to be done to counteract speeding and aggressive driving so that the numbers can be lowered even further.
Source: The Car Connection, "Speeding, aggressive driving still cause 1/3 of fatal accidents," Richard Read, March 9, 2012
]]>The first car accident was set into motion when someone shot two occupants of a vehicle near the on-ramp to I-43 in Milwaukee close to Keefe Avenue. The 22-year-old male driver of the vehicle died from his wounds, while his passenger, also 22, suffered serious injuries from the gunshot.
]]> The shooting reportedly caused the vehicle they were riding in to travel onto the highway in an uncontrolled manner, requiring traffic to halt to avoid collisions. Police were looking for the person who shot the men, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.At approximately 1:30 p.m. that same afternoon, a chain reaction series of car accidents resulted in one death and injuries to eight other people, including two minors. This incident occurred in Racine County at the 7 Mile Road exit to the northbound portion of I-94.
A slight traffic backup occurred as a car traveled into the center lane from the right. A semitrailer truck subsequently struck that car in the back. The truck also hit another car which was stationary in the right lane. The series of collisions involved three sedans, two pickup trucks, and one semitrailer truck.
A 22-year-old man sitting in the rear passenger seat of the first sedan hit by the semitrailer was killed by the force of the collision. A one-month old child and three adults also riding in that car were also injured. They were taken to medical facilities by emergency responders.
Also injured were two children and two adults in the second sedan, and two adult occupants of one of the pickup trucks. An unrelated accident that afternoon in Racine County also resulted in four other injuries.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "2 die, dozens injured in separate interstate accidents," Meg Jones, March 18, 2012
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