Don

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Dont Drive Distracted That Phone Call Could Be
Your Last
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In Virginia in 2009

• There were more than 97,000 traffic crashes
• 753 people died on our roadways
• More than 50,000 people were injured
• (Preliminary data from DMV)

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In the United States...Every...

• 5 seconds a crash occurs
• 7 seconds a property damage crash occurs
• 10 seconds there is a traffic related injury
• 2 minutes there is an alcohol-related injury
• 12 minutes someone dies in a traffic crash
• 31 minutes an alcohol-related crash fatality
  occurs
• 113 minutes a pedestrian is killed in a crash
• 4 days an employee dies in a work-related crash
• (NETS)

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Distracted Driving Causes Crashes

• A Virginia Tech study reported that
• 80 of all crashes and
• 65 of all near-crashes
• involved a distracted driving incident within
  3 seconds of the crash

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Why discuss this on the job?

• The most dangerous part of the day for any
  employee is the time they spend in their vehicle
  (NETS)

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Most of us drive to work and some of us drive on
the job

• The average commuter spends approx 26 minutes
  traveling approx 15 miles to work
• 90 of all employees commute
• 81 use their personal vehicle
• (NETS)

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Young Males At Risk

• In Virginia in 2008, 31 of all those killed
  were between 18 and 30
• 80 of those were male

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What causes most crashes?

• Not the road
• Not the vehicle
• 94 of all crashes are caused by driver error
• (American Motor Vehicle Association)

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Driver Error Alcohol/No Safety Belt Severe
Consequences

• Alcohol
• 43 of all fatalities
• 10 of all injuries
• No Safety Belts or Child Restraints
• 59 of all fatalities
• 9 of all injuries

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Change is Needed!

• For safer roads in Virginia!

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What Is Distracted Driving?

• Distracted Driving is defined as anything that
  takes your eyes or mind off of the task of
  driving..
• It could be as simple as changing the radio

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Dangerous Behaviors

• Texting
  23x Increase in crash risk
• Reaching for a moving object 9x Increase
• Driving drowsy 5x Increase
• Looking at an external object 4x Increase
• Reading 3x Increase
• Dialing a phone 3x Increase
• Applying makeup 3x Increase

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The Danger of Cell Phones

• Drivers who use cell phones are 4x more likely to
  be in a crash while using a cell phone.
• (1997 New England Journal of Medicine, 2005
  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study)

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X The TXT

• Texting behind the wheel is 50 dangerous than
  talking on a cell phone while driving (University
  of Utah)
• Its now illegal to text and drive in Virginia

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How to Become a Less Distracted Driver

• RECOGNIZE DISTRACTIONS, change your ways
• MAKE A PLAN, be prepared.
• MANAGE YOUR TIME, dont multi-task

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More Tips to Minimize Distractions

• DRIVE TIME IS NOT DOWN TIME
• SCAN the roadways, know others are unpredictable
• CONCENTRATE on your driving, control emotions

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Tips.

• PULL OVER
• REDUCE THE USE! Use technology sensibly.
• TAKE A REFRESHER CLASS
• BUCKLE UP, EVERY TRIP, EVERY TIME

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• Contact
• Wynne Reece
• Public Relations Outreach Mgr
• DRIVE SMART Virginia
• 804-929-2988