Cell Phone Ban While Driving: Mixed Opinions

The National Safety Council says drivers

on the phone see only 50 percent

of the traffic information around them.

NewsObserver
By: Bruce Siceloff
12/27/2011

Sure, it would be hard to push through the legislature. It would be harder still to enforce on the highway.

But Lewis Lokitz of Cary is cheering a push by the National Transportation Safety Board for a sweeping, 50-state ban on phoning at the wheel.

"It may be unpopular, but it is the right, moral, and life-saving thing to do,"Lokitz said by email, responding to a recent Road Worrier column. "I don't understand how anyone could object. Especially if you have children."

He could be thinking of Erin Lindsay-Calkins and her 5-year-old son, Nicholas. Witnesses said Erin appeared to be holding a phone to her ear on Dec. 22, 2009, when she crashed through the flashing barrier gate at a railroad crossing in Orange County. She drove into the path of a fast-moving train. Both were killed. Nicholas' baby sister, Aven, survived.

Safety researchers cite other grim examples of phone-impaired drivers who behave as if they've been struck blind. They run red lights and blunder into disasters they should have seen coming, without even tapping their brakes. The National Safety Council says drivers on the phone see only 50 percent of the traffic information around them.

After a multitasking real-estate agent rear-ended Mike Stanford a few years ago, both drivers stopped their cars. Stanford walked back to speak to her, but she was still on the phone.

"She was holding her finger up and saying, 'Just a minute, just a minute,' " said Stanford, who lives in Charlotte. "She was completing her call." Continue Reading

Property/Casualty Insurance Industry Earnings DROP 70.5%

Business Insurance
Mark Hoffman
12/27/2011

U.S. property/casualty insurers' aftertax net income dropped 70.5% to $7.98 billion during the first nine months of this year compared with a year earlier, according to a survey released Monday by the Insurance Services Office Inc. and the Property Casualty Insurers Assn. of America. Inc.

The survey found that P/C insurers' net underwriting losses grew to $34.91 billion during the first nine months of 2011 from $6.30 billion during the same period of 2010.

The industry's combined ratio deteriorated to 109.9% from 101.2% a year earlier.

Catastrophe Losses Triple

“The deterioration in underwriting results is largely attributable to a spike in net losses and loss adjustment expenses—LLAE—from catastrophes,” the ISO and PCI said in a statement. “ISO estimates that insurers’ net LLAE from catastrophes rose to $33.2 billion” in the first nine months 2011 from $10.8 billion in the first nine months 2010. “These amounts exclude LLAE that emerged after insurers closed their books for each period, but do include late-emerging LLAE from events in prior periods.”

The survey found that net investment gains partially offset the underwriting results, with investments rising 5.4% to $41.97 billion during the first nine months of this year.

Policyholders’ surplus dropped 1.6% to $538.63 billion as of Sept. 30 vs. $547.19 billion at the end of 2010.
 
Net written premiums grew 3.1% to $334.53 billion during the first nine months of the year.
Property/casualty insurers’ third-quarter net income fell 68.7% to $3.22 billion, according to the survey. Net written premiums rose 4.1% to $115.74 billion.

823 Minnesota DWI Arrests in 11 Days

Albert Lea Tribune
12/23/11

ST. PAUL — Midway through a month-long statewide DWI enforcement campaign, preliminary reports from 191 law enforcement agencies indicate 823 DWI arrests were made Dec. 1–11. Nearly 400 agencies are conducting increased patrols through New Year’s Eve. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety is coordinating the campaign that includes approximately 8,500 extra hours of DWI patrols.

Multiple agencies made arrests where the driver registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.30 or higher (the legal limit is 0.08), including Dakota, Goodhue, Martin, Olmsted and south St. Louis counties’ sheriff’s offices; State Patrol St. Cloud district; and Bloomington, Robbinsdale and St. Cloud police departments.

In Minnesota during the month of December, 2008–2010, alcohol-related crashes accounted for 34 traffic deaths. During this same period, 8,503 motorists were arrested for DWI.
Consequences for a DWI include loss of license for up to a year, up to $20,000 in legal costs and heightened insurance rates and possible jail time.

On average, there were 170 alcohol-related traffic deaths in each of the last five years in Minnesota — accounting for one-third of all state’s total road deaths annually. These crashes and fatalities have been declining in recent years, and DPS officials say enhanced DWI enforcement campaigns have been a major factor in Minnesota’s continuing trend of lower alcohol-related traffic deaths.

There were 131 alcohol-related traffic deaths in 2010 in the state, the fewest on record and down 21 percent from five years ago. Still, during 2006–2010, 791 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes — reflecting impaired driving as a factor annually in one-third of the state’s road fatalities.

Each year, 30,000 motorists are arrested for DWI; one in seven Minnesota drivers has a DWI on record.

A DWI offense can result in loss of license for up to a year, thousands in costs and possible jail time. Stronger DWI sanctions are also now in effect for all repeat DWI offenders, as well as for motorists arrested for a first-time DWI with a 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level. Under these sanctions, offenders must use ignition interlock for at least one year or face at least a year without driving privileges. Continue reading

Hang Up and Drive (Editorial)

Distracted drivers are a menace, and they're not getting the message. But we don't need a broader law; we need more enforcement of laws already on the books.
Chicago Tribune
Editorials
12/23/2011

The National Transportation Safety Board wants all 50 states to ban cellphone use by drivers. No texting, no tweeting, no talking — not even on a hands-free phone.

It's a standard that goes beyond anything on the books in any state. The board has no authority to impose it. The data on accidents involving cellphones is inconclusive, the government is not our nanny, and eating a chili dog while driving is dangerous, too.

A nationwide ban will not happen.

That doesn't mean the NTSB isn't onto something. If you're not frightened by what's going on around you during your daily commute, you're not paying attention. Drivers are texting while flying down the expressways, sending emails in stop-and-go traffic on Lake Shore Drive, carrying on animated conversations while changing lanes with one hand on the phone and the other holding a Starbucks.

All of that is already illegal in Chicago and beyond. Have you noticed fewer people doing it? Neither have we.

A second agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says distracted driving was a factor in more than 3,000 fatal accidents in 2010. It doesn't say how many involved texting, how many involved talking on the phone or how many involved reaching behind the seat to retrieve the toddler's fallen pacifier.

But one of those accidents provided the NTSB with a horrific anecdote to support last week's call for a comprehensive ban. A 19-year-old driver sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes before his pickup truck plowed into a tractor trailer near Gray Summit, Mo. The chain-reaction collision also involved two school buses. The teen driver and a student on one of the buses died, and 38 others were injured.

But a nationwide ban wouldn't have prevented that tragedy. Missouri already prohibits drivers under 21 from texting while driving. Thirty-five states prohibit texting by all drivers; 30 ban cellphone use by novice drivers; and 10 have outlawed the use of even hands-free phones. Hundreds of local governments have their own laws covering behind-the-wheel cellphone use. And we would argue that all of those prohibitions (and a lot more) are covered under broader distracted driving laws in force in most states, including Illinois. (Think about that, you in the gray car, with the eye makeup implements in both hands, gazing at yourself in the rearview mirror, while drifting lane to lane on Columbus Drive, in Grant Park.)

Still, a traffic safety commission survey found that 1 in 10 drivers — and half of those ages 21 to 24 — said they'd texted or emailed while behind the wheel. At any given moment, 1 in 100 drivers is texting, tweeting, emailing or web-surfing, a rate that's up 50 percent over the previous year. Most of them said they don't think it's dangerous.

While states have been busy passing laws to limit distractions, Americans have been acquiring all sorts of new gadgets that promote multitasking in the car. GPS systems; MP3 players; smartphones that enable users to play games, pay bills, order dinner or watch a movie while barreling down the Eisenhower. But the distractions aren't all high-tech. The worst local example we can think of involved a driver who struck and killed a motorcyclist while painting her nails.

Distracted drivers are a menace, and they're not getting the message. But we don't need a broader law; we need more enforcement of laws already on the books.

What if police pounced on behind-the-wheel texting with the same zeal applied to parking meter violations? What if those hated red-light cameras could bust you for talking on your handheld phone? If the risk of killing yourself or others isn't deterrent enough, maybe a ticket or three will get your attention.

It's time we all started taking these dangers seriously. Keep your hands (thumbs and all) on the wheel.

NTSB Wants to Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving

In 2009, nearly 5,500 fatalities and 500,000 injuries resulted from crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Washington Post
By: Michael Bolden
12/13/2011

The National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices Tuesday, following its investigation into a deadly accident last year in Missouri.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman discussed the recommendations during a press conference after a meeting on that accident.

Take this poll: “Do you use your cell phone while driving?”

“According to [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,”she said. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving.”

While the NTSB investigates transportation and pipeline accidents and makes recommendations on safety rules and regulations, it has no power to implement them.

The NTSB’s recommendations urge all 50 states and the District ”to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices (other than those designed to support the driving task).” According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 35 states, including Maryland and Virginia, and the District ban texting while driving.

The NTSB has been investigating a deadly crash in Gray Summit, Missouri last year. A 19-year-old pickup driver sent 11 texts in the 11 minutes before before the accident, according to the NTSB, including one “right before impact.” The accident killed two people and injured 38. Continue Reading

The Last Text: AT&T Don't Text While Driving...A Moving Documentary

Watch AT&T's new 10-minute documentary titled "The Last Text," featuring stories of real individuals whose lives have been adversely affected by texting behind the wheel.

AT&T created this documentary as part of its "It Can Wait" campaign because we want consumers be safe while using our technology. We are grateful and humbled by the bravery of the people who agreed to be on camera for the documentary. We would have no story to tell without them. Don't text while driving documentary

2010 Highway Deaths fell to 32,885 however Pedestrian Deaths Rose

Before getting all yippee about the reduction in traffic deaths, 32,885 is the equivalent of the entire population of Brainerd, MN and Stillwater, MN. Pedestrians remained a target in 2010 with 4,280 reported deaths and 70,000 injured.

NHTSA 21-11
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Contact: Karen Aldana
Tel: 202-366-9550

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced updated 2010 fatality and injury data showing that highway deaths fell to 32,885 for the year, the lowest level since 1949. The record-breaking decline in traffic fatalities occurred even as American drivers traveled nearly 46 billion more miles during the year, an increase of 1.6 percent over the 2009 level.

"While we have more work to do to continue to protect American motorists, these numbers show we're making historic progress when it comes to improving safety on our nation's roadways," said Secretary LaHood. "Thanks to the tireless work of our safety agencies and partner organizations over the past few decades, to save lives and reduce injuries, we're saving lives, reducing injuries, and building the foundation for what we hope will be even greater success in the future."

The updated information released by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today indicates 2010 also saw the lowest fatality rate ever recorded, with 1.10 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2010, down from 1.15 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009. Other key statistics include:

• Fatalities declined in most categories in 2010, including for occupants of passenger cars and light trucks (including SUVs, minivans and pickups).
• Deaths in crashes involving drunk drivers dropped 4.9 percent in 2010, taking 10,228 lives compared to 10,759 in 2009.
• Fatalities rose among pedestrians, motorcycle riders, and large truck occupants.

New Measures of Fatalities Related to Distracted Driving

NHTSA also unveiled a new measure of fatalities related to distracted driving today, called "distraction-affected crashes." Introduced for 2010 as part of a broader effort by the agency to refine its data collection to get better information about the role of distraction in crashes, the new measure is designed to focus more narrowly on crashes in which a driver was most likely to have been distracted. While NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) previously recorded a broad range of potential distractions, such as careless driving and cell phone present in the vehicle, the new measure focuses on distractions that are most likely to affect crash involvement, such as distraction by dialing a cellular phone or texting and distraction by an outside person/event. New data released today by NHTSA using its refined methodology show an estimated 3,092 fatalities in distraction-affected crashes in 2010.

The NHTSA effort to refine distraction data is similar to a step taken with alcohol information in FARS data for 2006. Prior to 2006, FARS reported "alcohol-related crashes," which was defined as crashes in which a driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist had a blood alcohol level of .01 or higher. In an effort to focus on crashes in which alcohol was most likely to be a causative factor, NHTSA introduced the new measure, "alcohol-impaired driving crashes," with a more narrow definition including only those crashes in which a driver or motorcycle rider had a blood alcohol level of .08 or above, the legal limit in every state.

"Even as we celebrate the incredible gains we're making in reducing traffic fatalities, we recognize our responsibility to improve our understanding of the dangers that continue to threaten drivers and passengers," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "That's why, under the leadership of Secretary LaHood, NHTSA is working to refine the way we collect data on distracted driving and laying the groundwork for additional research to capture real-world information on this risky behavior."

While the explicit change in methodology means the new measure cannot be compared to the 5,474 "distraction-related" fatalities reported in 2009, other NHTSA data offer some indication that driver distraction continues to be a significant problem. The agency's nationwide observational survey of drivers in traffic remains unchanged between 2009 and 2010, with 5 percent of drivers seen talking on handheld phones. In addition, given ongoing challenges in capturing the scope of the problem — including individuals' reluctance to admit behavior, lack of witnesses, and in some cases the death of the driver — NHTSA believes the actual number of crashes that involve distracted driving could be higher.

National Attitude Survey on Distracted Driving

A new national NHTSA survey offers additional insights into how drivers behave when it comes to texting and cell phone use while behind the wheel and their perceptions of the safety risks of distracted driving. Survey respondents indicated they answer calls on most trips; they acknowledge few driving situations when they would not use the phone or text; and yet they feel unsafe when riding in vehicles in which the driver is texting and they support bans on texting and cell phone use. These findings provide further evidence that distracted driving is a complex problem that is both hard to measure and difficult to address given conflicting public attitudes and behaviors. View the new telephone distraction survey

"The findings from our new attitude survey help us understand why some people continue to make bad decisions about driving distracted—but what's clear from all of the information we have is that driver distraction continues to be a major problem," said Administrator Strickland. "We need to maintain our focus on this issue through education, laws, enforcement, and vehicle design to help keep drivers' attention on the road."

Among the findings, more than three-quarters of drivers report that they are willing to answer calls on all, most, or some trips. Drivers also report that they rarely consider traffic situations when deciding when to use their phone. View the new electronic device survey

While most drivers said they are willing to answer a call and many will send a text while driving, almost all of these same drivers reported that they would feel very unsafe as a passenger if their driver was sending or receiving text messages. Over one-third report that they would feel very unsafe if their driver was using a handheld phone. Link to Report

Commercial Insurance Rates On the Rise/Time To Dust Off the Risk Management Manual

No, the sky is not falling however the largest players in the commercial insurance marketplace are leaving the "soft market party." Increases in commercial insurance rates are no longer an image on the horizon.



To reduce the impact from a firming premium marketplace, I strongly urge the following:

1. Review your driver hiring criteria (age, minimum # of years commercial driving experience, moving violation criteria) and does it require tweaking?
2. Profile your current drivers (age, years experience, # of moving violations and # of preventable accidents). Would you confidently submit this profile to underwriting?
3. Secure a copy of your claims history for your current policy period and 3 prior policy periods, request a status on all open/reserved claims and the plan to close claim. It will prove beneficial to also recap details relevant to all larger claims. This is a proactive step when pursuing quotes from the marketplace.
4. Profile your claims over a 4 year policy period (look for patterns by accident type, calculate physical damage claims with a couple of higher deductible levels, how many prior accidents involved drivers currently employed and what steps have been taken to reduce reoccurrence).
5. Review your accident review policies/procedures and if you do not currently have an accident review program...implement one prior to your next insurance renewal.
6. Position your company for maximum control of your insurance and risk management program. No, the sky is not falling however if you have never experienced a genuinely hard insurance market...it can be ugly.

MarketWatch
By: Erik Holm
12/6/20-12

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Travelers Cos. Chief Executive Jay Fishman said his company had increased prices for business insurance clients by 5.2% in October and 5.8% in November, the largest rates increases in several years.

The data from Travelers are the latest evidence the market for commercial insurance is hardening after years of declining prices. That's good news for property-casualty insurers and their shareholders, but will translate into increased costs for the businesses that buy the coverage.

Travelers has often painted a rosier picture on prices than others in the insurance industry, and the latest data are no exception. But the company triggered a rally in property-casualty stocks in October when it reported it had managed to increase prices in the third quarter, and the new figures disclosed by Fishman Tuesday show the trend had continued.

"Our principal tactic right now is to drive rate," Fishman said at a Goldman Sachs financial services conference Tuesday. "This is at the very least [a case of] so-good-so-far, but actually it's beginning to feel even better than that. There is a sense of optimism building around this, and a notion that we can continue to drive this strategy successfully."

There have been other indications of an industrywide price turn in recent days. MarketScout, a Dallas-based insurance exchange, said its data show commercial insurance rates up 1% in November, the first time its market barometer has shown an increase in nearly seven years. Insurance broker Marsh Inc. said Friday that commercial property-insurance prices had increased 1.7% so far in the fourth quarter.

Pricing data released by insurers or by the brokers that arrange the coverage offer a glimpse into what is otherwise an opaque market. The details of individual commercial insurance contracts aren't disclosed by the parties involved, and the buyers, sellers and middlemen are the only ones who know the exact prices of specific policies.

The price increases are coming at a time when insurers have struggled to earn worthwhile returns on their investment portfolios. In years past, insurers could count on their investments to make up some of the difference if they underpriced a policy, but ultralow interest rates mean the margin for error is shrinking.

Previously, Travelers had said it increased business-insurance prices by 2.3% in August and saw a 4.2% price hike in September on returning customers. At the time, executives said the increases were the most aggressive the company had been able to push through since it reached its current form through a merger of Travelers and St. Paul in 2004. Continue Reading

It's Not A One Insurance Company Rate Increase

Insurancenewsnet.com

12/7/11

In addition to Travelers, W. R. Berkley Corp. has increased rates for the past three consecutive quarters. William R. Berkley, chairman and chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Corp., said smart insurance companies should be making strong moves to position themselves as the market continues to show signs of hardening.

During his Dec. 6 remarks in New York, Berkley said he predicted at the outset of 2011 there would be a price increase of between 5% and 8% this year, and he said he continues to think those numbers will hold up. "But we're really just in the beginning of that happening," Berkley said. "And along with price hardening, terms and conditions are changing which lets the business you write become more profitable."

Berkley has been one of the most outspoken industry professionals saying the long-awaited turn in the property/casualty market has arrived. In October, Berkley said his company posted a 14% increase in third-quarter net premiums written; Berkley said it was the third quarter in a row of increasing rates (Best's News Service, Oct. 27, 2011).

The Wall Street Journal Reports AIG/Chartis Rate Increases

Speaking at a Goldman Sachs financial-services conference in New York on Wednesday, the head of AIG's property-casualty unit, Chartis, said his company has been aggressively raising rates in the U.S. this year, giving rivals the cover they need to do the same.

Graduated Driver Licensing Laws Could Save 2,000 Lives Per Year

Rome Newswire

By: Josh McGee

12/7/2012

The Allstate Foundation License to Save Report, developed in conjunction with the National Safety Council, shows that if Georgia implemented comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws, an estimated 41 lives and $300 million could be saved. Nationally, if all states implemented comprehensive graduated GDL laws, an estimated 2,000 lives and $13.6 billion could be saved per year.

The report findings are timely, as Congress readies to consider reauthorization of highway and infrastructure spending – legislation that historically has included bold public health and safety measures.

Novice teenage drivers are the most likely drivers on the road to have car accidents. In fact, 16-year-old drivers have crash rates two times greater than 18-to-19-year-old drivers and four times that of older drivers.

GDL helps new drivers gain experience under supervised and less risky conditions. The most comprehensive GDL laws include nighttime driving restrictions, passenger limits, cell phone and texting bans, mandatory behind-the-wheel driving time, minimum entry age for learner’s permit (16), and age 18 before full licensure. In some states that have enacted strong GDL laws, the incidence of teenage driving related deaths have dropped by as much as 40 percent.

More than 81,000 people were killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 20 in the decade from 2000 to 2009, making teen driving crashes the leading cause of teen deaths nationwide.

In addition to the lives lost, the total cost to the nation of crashes involving teen drivers in 2009 was estimated at $38.3 billion. These costs include wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses for public and private insurance, police and legal costs, motor vehicle damage, employers’ uninsured costs and fire losses. These costs were paid by employers, state and local governments and by citizens through taxes, fees and insurance premiums.

“Over the last 20 years, graduated driver licensing laws have saved an estimated 15,000 lives. These laws can save thousands of American lives and save billions of dollars for consumers, businesses and state and local governments,” said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. ”Our elected officials do not have many opportunities during their careers to take action that will save thousands of lives and billions of dollars in one legislative action. This is one of those times.”

To review the complete report and related content, visit www.allstatenewsroom.com.

GDL laws are minimum standards that can help keep teens safer on the road; however, the more that parents are involved in their teen’s driving experience, the more likely they will be a safer driver and passenger. To help educate parents and teens about the safety measures that keep drivers protected, The Allstate Foundation created a new free Parent-Teen Driving Agreement.  The agreement can help parents and their teens make safer decisions when they get behind the wheel and when they ride as passengers with their friends. Continue Reading

Markel Announces Agreement to Acquire THOMCO

Markel Press Release
12/7/2011

Markel Corporation and Thompson Insurance Enterprises (dba THOMCO) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreeement for Markel to acquire THOMCO. THOMCO will continue to operate as a separate business unit. The operating unit will be part of Markel Specialty.

THOMCO expects to underwrite in excess of $170,000,000 in gross written premium in 2011. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2012.

M.I.T. has an Algorithm for Predicting a Red-Light Runner

Wall Street has been using algorithms for years

 to trade the market. Not likely an algorithm will prevent

a stock market crash however,

M.I.T. might reduce intersection crashes.

The New York Times
By: Paul Stenquist
11/30/2012

A green light at an intersection may offer a driver the legal right to proceed, but it offers no guarantee of safe crossing. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed an algorithm to predict when an oncoming vehicle would be likely to run a red light.

With the proliferation of spatial sensors, advanced telematics systems and other hallmarks of so-called smart cars, algorithms could help prevent drivers from getting into accidents, according to Jonathan How, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at M.I.T.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that of 7,000 traffic-related fatalities in 2008, 700 of them were the result of drivers running red lights at intersections, according to a media release from M.I.T. Half of those killed were not the drivers of the offending vehicle, but were passengers, pedestrians or the driver of another vehicle.

Developed by Georges Aoude, formerly a student of Professor How, the M.I.T. algorithm used parameters like the vehicle’s rate of deceleration and distance from the traffic light to determine which vehicles were most likely to run the light. If the algorithm were to be put in place, that data would be generated by means of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, a smart-car technology being researched by the Transportation Department in conjunction with a number of vehicle manufacturers.

“If you had some type of heads-up display for the driver, it might be something where the algorithms are analyzing and saying, ‘We’re concerned,’” Professor How said in the release. “Even though your light might be green, it may recommend you not go, because there are people behaving badly that you may not be aware of.”

The algorithm was tested at an intersection in Virginia. Applying it to data from more than 15,000 approaching vehicles, the researchers observed that the algorithm accurately identified red-light violators 85 percent of the time. The identification was achieved a couple of seconds before those vehicles reached the intersection — sufficient time, the researchers said, to allow drivers to react.

The research team is investigating ways to use the algorithm in a closed-loop system that would provide a recommended response to the driver whose vehicle may be in danger. They also plan to modify the algorithm to test its efficacy in air traffic control applications.

Until M.I.T. perfects their algorithm,

BE ATTENTIVE when entering all intersections.

Assume Nothing and Stay Alive!

Hand-Held Cell Phone Usage Banned for Interstate Truckers and Buses

FMCSA 35-11
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Contact: Candice Tolliver Burns
Tel: 202-366-9999

WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced a final rule specifically prohibiting interstate truck and bus drivers from using hand-held cell phones while operating their vehicles. The joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is the latest action by the U.S. Department of Transportation to end distracted driving.

"When drivers of large trucks, buses and hazardous materials take their eyes off the road for even a few seconds, the outcome can be deadly," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "I hope that this rule will save lives by helping commercial drivers stay laser-focused on safety at all times while behind the wheel."

The final rule prohibits commercial drivers from using a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a commercial truck or bus. Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Additionally, states will suspend a driver's commercial driver's license (CDL) after two or more serious traffic violations. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000. Approximately four million commercial drivers would be affected by this final rule.

"This final rule represents a giant leap for safety," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "It's just too dangerous for drivers to use a hand-held cell phone while operating a commercial vehicle. Drivers must keep their eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and head in the game when operating on our roads. Lives are at stake." While driver distraction studies have produced mixed results, FMCSA research shows that using a hand-held cell phone while driving requires a commercial driver to take several risky steps beyond what is required for using a hands-free mobile phone, including searching and reaching for the phone. Commercial drivers reaching for an object, such as a cell phone, are three times more likely to be involved in a crash or other safety-critical event. Dialing a hand-held cell phone makes it six times more likely that commercial drivers will be involved in a crash or other safety-critical event. Complete Press Release

Minneapolis Taxi Drivers: Dress Code and Drop the Cell Phones

Star Tribune
By Eric Roper
11/28/2011

The city's regulatory committee delayed action on a proposal requiring taxicabs to accept credit cards Monday, but approved a new regulation that restricts drivers from using cell phones.

Taxi drivers and industry representatives lined the Council chambers for the hearing on a multi-faceted modernization of the taxi code.

The cell phone restriction was passed along with a host of technical changes and alterations of the driver dress code. The next stop for that ordinance is the full City Council.

Councilmember Gary Schiff was slated to move forward his proposal requiring electronic credit card readers in cabs, but postponed it because of concerns about card service fees being passed to drivers. It was delayed until January.

"I don't want drivers to be penalized for a passenger who uses a credit card," Schiff said. "The purpose of this ordinance change is to make it easier for people to use taxis by giving people the option of cash or credit."

Mark Shields, a driver with Rainbow Taxi, worried that drivers will be charged high service fees and experience delays receiving their money.

"I dont want this dumped on the drivers," Shields said.

The new cell phone ordinance states that cab drivers cannot "operate a taxicab while using a wireless telephone, including a wireless telephone equipped with hands-free technology, except for emergency purposes."

That change did not arise in committee discussion, but Yemane Mebrahtu with the Minneapolis Taxicab Drivers and Owners Association said in an interview they oppose the language as it's written.

He said they had an understanding with the city that the change would only prohibit cell phone use when passengers are in the cab.

"If we don't have a passenger, [we] should be able freely to do our business," said Mebrahtu, the group's president. "Because we get a call from customers, we get a call from families."
Grant Wilson, the city’s manager of business licensing, said the intent of the bill is to bar cell phone use only when passengers are in the car. They will examine whether that language needs to be clarified, he said.

More from MN Daily

By: Nick Sudheimer

11/29/2011

Bari Niaz, president of Checker Cabs in Minneapolis, said he supports the ordinances, but admits they will make it harder for smaller cab companies to compete.

Niaz went on to say he hopes this will indirectly address a larger problem in the cab industry — the city allowing too many taxi licenses.

“For smaller companies, credit card companies won’t approve them but again it comes back to the city,” Niaz said. “The city will give [licenses] to anybody and now we have a problem because people complain and they think that every company has this problem [with credit card readers].”

Zen Tesseena, a driver for Blue and White Taxi, said he has noticed a significant increase in tips and ridership since he installed a credit card reader in his cab, which he said was one of the first card readers in Minneapolis.

Though he echoed Niaz’s concern with the number of cabs in Minneapolis, Tesseena doesn’t have any problems with the proposed changes.

“It doesn’t matter what the city does at this point; we are there so we will just do it,” Tesseena said. “Minneapolis is a beautiful city, and we love Minneapolis, and hopefully this will make things better for Minneapolis.”

MN Driver Pleads Guilty In Traffic Death yet Continues to Drive Recklessly

Mancheski, answering questions from prosecutor Imran Ali,

admitted he was driving between 83 and 89 miles

per hour before the crash.

To which the judge responds:

Judge Mary Hann warned Mancheski that any additional

offenses before his Feb. 24 sentencing,

including driving a vehicle, could result in prison time.

Star Tribune
By Kevin Giles
November 17, 2011

A Maplewood man pleaded guilty Thursday to causing a collision that killed a Minnesota National Guard staff sergeant who was driving to work.

Anthony Lloyd Mancheski, 21, admitted in Washington County District Court that he was speeding in May 2010 when he lost control and struck Brian J. Jacobson's car.

Under the plea agreement with county prosecutors, Mancheski will spend up to a year in jail on a felony charge of criminal vehicular homicide.

He also will spend as long as 10 years on probation.

Since Jacobson's death, Mancheski has had speeding convictions, all petty misdemeanors, in Cottage Grove, Oakdale and Newport.

He was cited in Maplewood on Sept. 11 for fourth-degree drunken driving, a misdemeanor, after wrecking his car in an accident.

A person operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated can be charged and convicted of a Fourth Degree DWI in situations in which such an individual has no other driving while impaired violations within ten years before the current case. It appears reckless driving and killing someone is acceptable as long as one was not "driving while impaired."

On Thursday, Judge Mary Hann warned Mancheski that any additional offenses before his Feb. 24 sentencing, including driving a vehicle, could result in prison time.

Jacobson's car was "virtually destroyed" in the collision on Hwy. 61 just north of the Hastings Bridge, according to the criminal charges.

Mancheski, answering questions from prosecutor Imran Ali, admitted he was driving between 83 and 89 miles per hour before the crash.

Driver Safety Incentive Programs That Work...

Just throwing money and / or prizes at drivers

for a safe driving record won't necessarily be

successful in motivating them to continue driving safely.

Automotive Fleet

There is little question that keeping company vehicle drivers, their passengers, and the public safe is the single most important responsibility a fleet manager has. From vehicle selection to specification to policy, safety should be a primary force in decision making. 

One method used by many companies to help make safety efforts successful is implementing a safe driving incentive program. Using various measurements, drivers whose safety records are exemplary are rewarded.

But if the basis for the program is merely “no accidents = cash,” the overall goal of achieving a safety culture among drivers won’t be met. Here are some tips to remember when you want your safety program to have maximum effectiveness.

Incentives: What Kind?

There are a number of incentives that do work and help promote a safety culture:

• Recognition among peers and others. Most people work hard and do their jobs with little fanfare. Publicly recognizing excellence, on a wide scale, is something most people rarely, but would like to, receive.
• Tangible rewards. These can take many forms. Letters of commendation, plaques, and trophies are usually proudly displayed. Prizes, perhaps chosen from a catalog, are sometimes used, as is permitting a driver to upgrade the model or equipment on their vehicle. Combinations of all of these methods are another way to emphasize the safety message.
• Monetary. “Money talks,” as the saying goes, and monetary incentives can help bolster the effectiveness of the program. Monetary rewards don’t necessarily have to be in the form of a check; drivers can have personal use charges suspended or reduced for a set period, or something along those lines — anything that either provides money for a driver or reduces/prevents his or her money from going out the door. 

Employees — and people in general — are motivated in different ways. Some actually crave recognition above money, others want the money. Still others need both. It is easy to provide both recognition as well as some tangible or monetary reward in a safety incentive program, which helps motivate the broadest set of personalities.

Biggest Safe Driving Incentive of all...

You get to do this when you come home.

What and How to Measure

A combination of recognition and monetary/tangible rewards are usually the best way to motivate the largest number of drivers. However, what do you measure, and how do you measure it? “Keeping score” is also an important part of safety programs that work. Criteria should be clear, measurable, and fair to all. 

Fairness can sometimes be tricky to achieve. If, for example, drivers are judged, in part or overall, by chargeable accidents, drivers in congested urban areas are exposed to far more instances in which such accidents can occur (more intersections, traffic controls, and traffic) than drivers in wide-open, rural areas. Then again, rural drivers accumulate far more miles than those in urban and suburban areas where customers are closer together. For that reason, don’t make chargeable accidents the only measurement. Consider using accidents-per-thousand-miles driven, rather than just the number of accidents in a designated period.

Be sure to include violations, too. Assign points to various types of violations — the lowest number for administrative violations (expired registration or inspection), a bit higher for equipment (broken tail light, burned out headlight), higher still for moving violations (failure to yield, improper lane change), with the highest number of points for the most serious violations (speeding, reckless driving, following too closely). Drivers who get DUI/DWI violations shouldn’t be driving company-provided vehicles or, at the very least, should be excluded from the  incentive program.

More on: What and How To Measure, Checking the Program Period and Rewarding Safety

Don’t just throw checks at drivers who manage not to run the company car into a highway underpass. Choose your criteria, measure it, set the rewards, and most of all, communicate with drivers and management regularly.  Have sales managers announce award winners at scheduled conference calls or branch meetings. Highlight the program on the company website. Remember, the purpose of a fleet safety program is as much to foster a culture of safety throughout the organization as it is to recognize individuals. If done right, it works, and will save money, too.

Dear American Motorists: "If you can't stay AWAKE, then stay off the road."

School Transportation News
By Ryan Gray
11/7/11

Sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation, "Drowsy Driving Prevention Week" began Nov. 6 and concludes Nov. 12. According to a 2002 National Sleep Foundation study, half of all American adult drivers, especially young males, admitted to driving drowsy, and 20 percent said they had fallen asleep while behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, NHTSA estimates that drowsy driving causes 100,000 automobile crashes each year, which result in 71,000 fatalities and 1,550 fatalities. But NHTSA adds, drowsy driving can be the most difficult for police and crash investigators to detect and prove, unlike speeding, alcohol and drug use and weather.

"For more than 20 years fatigue has been recognized as a transportation danger on the NTSB's Most Wanted List," said NTSB's Hersman. "Tired drivers pose a safety risk because fatigue can degrade every aspect of human performance. It slows reaction time, impairs judgment, and degrades memory."

Fatigued driving among all drivers, including those with their CDLs, remains a hot-button issue for the NTSB, which only makes recommendations to U.S. Department of Transportation agencies, states and organizations on how to improve the nation's highway safety.

In addition to the common-sense recommendation that all drivers including transportation professionals get adequate sleep before getting behind the wheel, NTSB advises regulators to play a larger role to play in establishing commercial hours-of-service regulations. NTSB also said employers must develop guidance and rules for proper screening, detection and treatment for sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea.

"Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is an ideal time to remind drivers that being well rested is a safety measure that can save lives 52 weeks a year," adde Hersman. "If you can't stay alert, then stay off the road."

Mary Smarelli New President of TLPA

Congratulations Mary Smarelli

It is so refreshing when quality people

are recognized for a job well done!

Biz Times Daily
11/8/2011

The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) announced it has named Mary Smarelli, owner of one of Wisconsin’s largest passenger transportation companies, as its new president.

Smarelli owns Transit Express in Milwaukee, a company with a fleet of 150 vehicles including paratransit vans, buses, trolleys, limousines, executive cars and several riverboats. Since starting her company with just two wheelchair accessible vans more than 30 years ago, her company has risen to become one of the most respected leaders in the for-hire transportation industry.

Smarelli was voted into office at the TLPA’s 93rd annual Convention & Trade Show held Oct. 26-30 in San Francisco.

“The TLPA and its membership have really helped me grow my business over these many years, and this is a great honor to give back to it and to serve as its president,” Smarelli said.

“The TLPA represents the absolute best of our industry through our collective legislative voice, our professional training, our focus on customer service and safety, our community involvement, and our charitable giving.”

Established in 1917, the (TLPA) is a nonprofit trade association of and for the private passenger transportation industry.

Killing a MN Grandpa in a Crosswalk Yields a 7 Year Jail Sentence (truly sad)

Criminal Vehicular Homicide in MN

May be sentenced to Not More

Than 10 Years in Prison

or to Payment of a Fine of

Not More Than $20,000

or Both

Star Tribune
By Anthony Lonetree
November 3, 2011

When their paths crossed on St. Paul's East Side in July, Roger Tetu, 78, was a "man of honor" beloved by his Dayton's Bluff community, while Gregory J. Larsin, 21, was a felon whose life was "out of control," a judge said Thursday.

Larsin, driving with a suspended license, passed cars that were waiting for Tetu to cross Earl Street on July 26, and struck and killed him.

For three days, Larsin was on the run, trying to persuade a woman from whom he bought the car to report it stolen. But eventually he surrendered to police. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 7 1/3 years in prison for one count of criminal vehicular homicide.

"You are and continue to be a danger to the community," Ramsey County District Judge Robyn Millenacker said.

Tetu, in contrast, was an iconic patriarch, "a pillar of the community," said prosecutor Margaret Galvin.

She read to the court a victim impact statement written by a daughter, Nancy Tetu, who gave up trying to read it herself after she shook with emotion.

For 56 years, Roger Tetu lived in a house near where he died. Even in his late 70s, his daughter wrote, he shoveled snow for his neighbors, never complaining. He was crossing the street to pick up litter when he was hit and killed, friends and family said. Continue Reading

D.C. City Council Goes Pro-Pedestrian (How About Minneapolis?)

DCist.com

While the safety of cyclists on the District's roads has been at the center of many discussions of late, pedestrian-centric proposals are usually drowned out by the noise of who's to blame in the evolving relationship between the two-wheeled and their motorized counterparts. Today, though, two measures were introduced in the D.C. Council that would put additional emphasis on pedestrian safety.

Are we to believe it is acceptable for a D.C. motorist to pass a vehicle

stopped at a crosswalk...say WHAT? Tell me it is not so!

The first, which was proposed by Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), would mandate that if one car is stopped at a pedestrian crossing, any cars coming up behind it should also have to stop, rather than come around or pass on a two-lane road. According to the proposal, this would ensure that any pedestrians in the crosswalk would be able to safely finish crossing.

It is time for the Minneapolis City Council to consider a 15 mph on

residential side streets. The current 30 mph is simply insane.

The other measure, introduced by Councimember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), would lower speed limits on residential roads to 15 miles per hour. According to Bowser, concerns over speeding in residential neighborhoods has discouraged residents from walking and cycling, and she cited research noting that decreases in speed can have a substantial impact on how severe an injury to a pedestrian or cyclist could be. Under Bowser's proposal, arterial roadways would be exempted.

Both proposals were referred to the Council's Committee on Environment, Public Works and Transportation, which is chaired by Cheh.

Vigilant Transport Math

At 30 mph, a vehicle is traveling 44 feet per second and with an average (non-distracted reaction time) of 1.5 to 2 seconds, one has travelled 66 to 88 feet before hitting the brakes. One has already blown by 4 parked cars before hitting the brakes. So much for the youngster fetching the football. SLOW DOWN.

An average Minneapolis city block is 660 feet (north to south) so at 15 mph, it takes a mere 15 seconds longer to reach the next block versus flying down a side street at 30 mph. I maintain all pedestrians are worth at least 15 seconds per block!

Distracted Driving is the #1 Killer of American Teens

New National Survey Shows Eighty-Two Percent

of Young Adults Say They Have Read a

Standard Text Message While Driving

Washington, D.C., October 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Eighty-two percent of young adult drivers (16-24) have read a standard text message while driving, according to a national survey conducted by the Ad Council. In an effort to educate young drivers about the dangers of texting while driving, the State Attorneys General and Consumer Protection agencies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council are launching a new public service advertising campaign (PSA) nationwide. The campaign includes TV, radio, outdoor and digital PSAs. Additionally, to extend the campaign messages online, new Facebook, Twitter and YouTube social media channels go live today.

NHTSA reports that distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. Sixteen percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reports that a texting driver is twenty-three times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver.

Give Pedestrians a Break and a Brake

In 1975, Hollywood released the cult action film Death Race 2000. It was a brutal cross-country race of the future where contestants scored points for speed and the number of innocent pedestrians struck and killed.

Time for a reality check American motorists, Death Race 2000 was a movie!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 4,92 pedestrian fatalities in 2009 and 59,000 pedestrian reported injuries in the same year. On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every nine minutes in traffic crashes.

41% of all children under the age of 10 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians. Pedestrians age 65+ accounted for 19% of all pedestrian fatalities in 2009. In Minnesota, 10% of all traffic fatalities were pedestrians (2009).

We are long overdue to give pedestrians a break and a brake. This is not a movie!

5 Simple Pedestrian Life and Injury Saving Driving Do's

1. Make eye contact with the pedestrian. Let them know you see them and then expect the unexpected. A horn and brake lights are not standard options on a pedestrian.
2. When coming to a stop at a controlled intersection, stop before the crosswalk, not on it and not through it. You are stopping because you have a red light. This means kids entering the crosswalk to your left and/or on your right have a green light. GIVE THEM THE CROSSWALK!
3. Threading the needle is a sewing term not a driving strategy. Just because there is space in between pedestrians crossing the street, does not mean you shoot through it. Make absolutely sure the crosswalk is clear. The gap can and does fill in quickly when one is trying to catch their bus.
4. When approaching a street from an alley, STOP BEFORE the SIDEWALK. Make sure the sidewalk is clear before you cross the walk and enter the street. Not only is it the law, but picture yourself telling mom who is pushing her child in the stroller how sorry you are for the accident!
5. Right turn on Red scares we pedestrians to death. First, the driver has more than likely already blocked the crosswalk, Secondly, driver totally focused on traffic to his/her right, because, God forbid, the driver pulls out too soon and gets hit by a vehicle with the green light. Thirdly, how long has it been since the "right turn on red" driver bothered to look to the right and see if anyone is entering the crosswalk? Finally, there appears to be a small window to make the turn on red however one needs to give it more gas to make the turn. Scary scenario: pedestrian in crosswalk hit by an accelerating "right turn on red" vehicle.

We all have obligation to bring our "A" game when operating a vehicle around pedestrians.

NHTSA Creates New Web Page Dedicated to School Bus Safety

School Transportation News
October 24, 2011
By Ryan Gray

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration announced at the NAPT Annual Summit that it has created a new web page dedicated entirely to school bus safety.

This extensive new resource is geared toward school transportation professionals and the public, and it features numerous training materials, such as training for school bus drivers. It also provides the latest news in school transportation and industry regulations as well as information on current issues like seat belts and safer bus-stop locations.

NHTSA’s school bus program administrator, announced that the updated School Bus Driver In-Service Safety Series is now available online at www.stnonline.com/go/856. The training covers such topics as driver attitude and knowledge of bus routes, emergency evacuations, highway rail grade crossings, loading and unloading, vehicle training and student management, including students with special needs.

School buses are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school

Every 15 1/2 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies as result of a vehicle crash

American Highways, Streets and Roadways

Should Not be Confused

with the Jungles of Vietnam

58,148 Americans killed during the Vietnam War

33,808 deaths in U.S. from vehicle "accidents" in 2009

Come on America, PAY ATTENTION

Every 5.7 seconds: a vehicle crash is reported to the police.

Every 15 1/2 minutes: someone dies from a vehicle crash

Every 5 minutes: pedestrian or bicyclist injured in traffic crash

The highest price we pay for car crashes is in the loss of human lives, however society also bears the brunt of the many costs associated with motor vehicle accidents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in 2010 that the cost of medical care and productivity losses associated with motor vehicle crash injuries was over $99 billion, or nearly $500, for each licensed driver in the United States. In addition, every 10 seconds an American is treated in an emergency department for crash-related injuries, based on data from 2005.

A 2008 report by the Automobile Association of America states that according to the Federal Highway Administration, the per-person cost of traffic fatalities in 2005 dollars is $3.2 million and $68,170 for injuries. AAA estimates the cost of traffic crashes to be $166.7 billion. Costs include medical, emergency services, police services, property damage, lost productivity, and quality of life. Read AAA executive summary (PDF).

In 2010, an estimated 32,788 people died in motor vehicle crashes, down 3 percent from 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. In 2009, 33,808 people died in motor vehicle crashes and an additional 2,217,000 people were injured.

Who Pays?

Private insurers pay approximately 50% of all motor vehicle crash costs. Individual crash victims pay about 26%, while third parties such as uninvolved motorists delayed in traffic, charities and health care providers pay about 14%. Federal revenues account for 6%, while state and local municipalities pick up about 3%. Overall, those not directly involved in crashes pay for nearly three-quarters of all crash costs, primarily through insurance premiums, taxes and travel delay (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).

Crash Type and Driver Behavior

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports in 2009 there were 5,505,000 police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes, down 5.3% from 5,811,000 in 2008. Of total crashes, 1,517,000 caused injuries and 3,957,000 caused property damage only.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates about 10 million or more crashes go unreported each year.
• Alcohol-Related Crashes: In 2009, 10,839 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes, down 7.4% from 11,711 in 2008. In 2009, alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 32% of all crash deaths. There is an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality every 48 minutes in the U.S.
• Drunk Driving and Speeding: In 2009, 43% of intoxicated drivers (with a blood-alcohol content at or above 0.08%) involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared with 17% of sober drivers involved in fatal crashes.
• Speeding: In 2009, 10,591 lives were lost due to speed-related accidents.
• Speed-related crashes cost Americans $40.4 billion each year.
• In 2009, 39% of 15- to 20-year-old male drivers who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash.
  
• Red Light Running: More than 900 people a year die and nearly 2,000 are injured as a result of vehicles running red lights. About half of those deaths are pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles who are hit by red light runners.
• Fatigue: A study released in November 2010 conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety using NHTSA data for 1999-2008 found that 16.5%, or about 1 in 6 fatal crashes, involved a drowsy driver.
• Distracted Driving: A September 2010 study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2010 5,474 people were killed and 448,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted driving. The percentage of people killed in such crashes rose from 10% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2005 to 16% in 2009. Of those people killed, 995 involved reports of a cellphone as a distraction, or 18% of all distracted driving crash fatalities.
• Cellphone Use: In September 2009 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis released the results of their National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), which found that in 2008, 6% of drivers used hand-held cellphones, the same percentage as in 2007. Hand-held cellphone use was highest among 16 to 24 year olds (8% in 2008, down from 9% in 2007) and lowest among drivers 70 and older (1% in both 2007 and 2008).
• Non-Use of Seatbelts=$20 billion.

Hat tip to RMIIA (Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association for the layout)