Tag Archives: Driving Safety

Aug 31 2020

Intersection Safety

No time to read a long-winded BLOnG? Welcome to the Three-Second-Stop mini-Blog.

Today’s Three Seconds: Judging Time to Make a Maneuver

3 Second Stop

Judging time to make a maneuver requires you to estimate the distance and speed of other vehicles, and then proceed when you believe you have enough time to execute the maneuver safely. Whenever you drive in city traffic, you should always look a block ahead. It takes approximately 10 to 15 seconds to travel one block. If you are traveling on a highway with several lanes, or on a divided highway, check for vehicles in all lanes that you have to cross. Don’t forget to look for smaller bicyclists and motorcyclists and check crosswalks for pedestrians. You should cross or turn only after you have determined that you can complete the movement safely without impeding other road users.

Jul 31 2020

Stop On Red 2020

National Stop on Red Week starts this Sunday, August 2 and runs through August 8. Red-light running is extremely dangerous.  Red-light runners cause hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries each year. Together, we can put a halt to the crashes, injuries and fatalities. Make the choice to stay alert and help people stay alive.

Jun 30 2020

Safer on the Road

No Speeding Please

Due to less traffic on the roads in the last few months, more citations for excessive speed have been issued throughout the US. Even with less traffic, speeding motorists put themselves at greater risk. Speeding can lead to loss of vehicle control. Speeding increases the potential for more last second braking which increases the risk of a collision. Traveling at higher speeds mean less reaction time to respond to other collision factors, like other motorist’s driving errors, equipment failure, and poor roads. In addition, a crash at higher speeds will have a greater force of impact than at lower speeds. So even though an open road may be tempting you to drive a little faster, please continue to take your time and get to where you are going safe and sound.

Feb 28 2020

Recalls Safety

The start of Daylight Saving Time is right around the corner, which means it’s a good time to take care of a few safety essentials around the house. Set your clocks ahead, check smoke detectors, and check your VIN for recalls at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

Daylight saving time will begin Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Dec 11 2019

Make It Home for the Holidays

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is once again teaming up with law enforcement across the United States during the 2019 Holiday Season to increase enforcement targeting the traffic safety issue of impaired driving. The enforcement campaigns, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI, run from December 13, 2019, through January 1, 2020 to coincide with the 2019 holiday season. The Holiday Season is one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of impaired-driving fatalities.

NHTSA reminds us, “It doesn’t matter what term you use: If a person is feeling a little high, buzzed, stoned, wasted, or drunk, he or she is impaired and should never get behind the wheel.”

Nov 27 2019

Extra Space

No time to read a long-winded BLOnG? Welcome to the Three-Second-Stop mini-Blog.

Today’s Three Seconds: Three-Second PLUS Rule

3 Second Stop

Under normal driving conditions, the “Three-Second Rule” works great in determining following distance and should give you plenty of time and space to avoid a collision.  Sometimes, however, you may need to add additional space to the equation, and this is called the “Three-Second PLUS Rule.” Here are some instances when you need to leave extra space and increase your following distance to 4 seconds or more:

  • When visibility is poor.
  • In adverse weather conditions.
  • On poorly paved roads.
  • When following a motorcyclist.
  • When towing a trailer or are carrying a heavy load.
  • When being tailgated.

For a more in-depth look at the 3-Second Rule check out our blog on Following Distance.

Sep 27 2019

Little Pedestrians

National Walk to School Day

You may notice an increase in children walking to school next week. National Walk to School Day is October 2, 2019. The movement encourages communities to promote health and safer routes for students to walk to school. Children pose a special traffic problem because of their unpredictability. You should exercise extreme caution when driving by schools, parks, and through residential streets. Keep your speed down, scan the sides of the roads, and be prepared to stop at any time.

In California, unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 25 mph within 500 to 1,000 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing the street. Some cities throughout California have adopted lower speed limits in school zones and have posted signs showing the speed as low as 15 mph.

Aug 30 2019

Labor Day Weekend

 
 
Summer is drawing to a close. For many families the Labor Day weekend is a time for one last road trip before getting back into the school year groove. More people on the roads means greater potential for something to go wrong. While you enjoy your holiday please be vigilant behind the wheel and remember to:

  • Stay alert and drive defensively
  • Wear your seat belt
  • Drive sober
  • Avoid drowsy driving
  • Avoid driving distractions