John and I just returned from a meeting of the International Society of Barristers in London. We had a great time and learned a lot including some interesting information on how Britain is effectively dealing with distracted driving. Continue reading
After years of trending downward, fatal car accidents have been on the rise, and most experts blame distracted driving as a leading culprit for the upward trend. Distracted driving comes in many forms: cellphone use, navigational systems, friend in the car, eating, etc., The good news is there are some relatively easy ways to reduce the chance that you will be distracted behind the wheel. Here are some tips on how to just drive: Continue reading
When I first heard about Distracted Driving Awareness Month I thought it was a great idea. But shortly thereafter, I found myself thinking: Is there really anyone who does not know about the dangers of distracted driving? Really? But a recent study by the Travelers Companies helps explain why we need Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Tennessee is one of the top five states for uninsured motorists. Roughly 20% of the vehicles on our roads are not covered by insurance. Second, 46.8% of all ride-share drivers do not have ride-share insurance. So why are these two facts so scary? Continue reading
It is the first Monday after daylight savings time. If you are like most people, you may have needed some more coffee to get through this morning and this afternoon. In a few days, our bodies make the adjustment to the loss of the hour but until then we are all at an increased risk of car crashes. Indeed, researchers looked at 21 years of car crash data and found the number of fatal car accidents on an average Monday is 78.2. On the Monday following “spring forward”, the average jumps to 83.5. So what can you do?
Do you like to stay up late binge-watching Netflix? Does your FOMO result in you getting only a few hours of sleep? Does work stress and anxiety leave you tossing and turning? If these things or anything else is keeping you from getting at least seven hours of sleep at night, you are putting yourself and others at risk on the roadway. Just how big is the problem and the risk, consider these statistics: Continue reading
Each year in this country, there are nearly 10,000 alcohol-related driving deaths. For decades, drunk driving deaths decreased thanks in large measure to increasing the drinking age to 21 and reducing the drunk driving BAC threshold. But unfortunately, drunk driving is again on the rise. Currently, twenty-eight (28) percent of all car accident deaths are attributable to alcohol. If you live in a rural area, the numbers are worse – the number jumps to 48%. Given these staggering numbers, the federal government commissioned the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to study the problem and offer suggestions on how to reduce these numbers. In a nearly 500 page report, the panel recommended some controversial changes to reduce the frequency of drunk driving, and some of those recommendations are already meeting with opposition.
In 2016, the United States had a record 161,374 accidental deaths. According to the National Safety Council, every three minutes someone dies from a preventable accident. And every second, an American is injured in a preventable accident. These figures include motor vehicle accidents, falls, drownings, drug overdoses, etc. Obviously, we can and must do better. Safety on our roads, in our homes and in our businesses must become as much as a priority as curing cancer and preventing heart disease (the other top three leading causes of death)
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family: Continue reading
Almost everyone makes them, and most of us quickly break them. In fact, only 8% of New Year’s resolutions are kept and 80% of us can’t even make it until February. So if you have already broken your New Year’s resolutions, you have plenty of company. But here is some good news: we have three EASY things you can do in the New Year that will make you and your family safer and better protected, and none of them involve losing weight. Continue reading
Should I Move Over?
We probably all have a long list of driving pet peeves from drivers who tailgate or don’t use their blinkers to drivers who aren’t paying attention when a light turns green so you have to honk to get them to go. My biggest driving pet peeve is drivers in the left lane on the interstate who are going slower than the rest of traffic. (There is a reason the left lane is called the fast lane!) Of course, this requires other drivers who are going faster to pass them on the right, which can be difficult to do safely depending upon the number of lanes and the amount of traffic. Feeling trapped, some drivers will become frustrated and angry and resort to risky driving maneuvers which can cause accidents or the drivers can develop road rage. Exactly what comprises road rage? Continue reading
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