Pedestrian / traffic safety & the new cross walk law

The new "cross walk" law says that drivers must yield for any pedestrian who is in their half of the roadway. Drivers must also yield "when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be a danger."

That means that in a five-lane road, the car in the center lane must come to a stop until the pedestrian gets to the other side of the street. Those in the far and near, right and left lanes can go as soon as the pedestrian is in the other half of the roadway.

The law applies to both marked and unmarked crosswalks.

The existing "pedestrian" law is as follows:

A safety campaign started island-wide Thursday (9-1-05) and will go through Sept. 23, with enforcement concentrated at busy intersections from Kapahulu to Kalihi. After that, police say they will continue to enforce the crosswalk and jaywalking laws, but with fewer officers patrolling the streets.


http://www.pritchettcartoons.com/ped-safe.htm < interesting take on the situation

http://www.hawaii.gov/dot/publicaffairs/safecommunities/walkwise.htm learn more

http://www.kgmb9.com/kgmb/display.cfm?storyID=5703&sid=1183 another article - KGMB


 

Posted on: Friday, March 11, 2005

New concern for pedestrian safety

By Peter Boylan and David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writers

A spate of pedestrian accidents has concerned police, who say education and legislation are key to making drivers more aware of people walking the streets.

 

Police Sgt. Jason Kauwenaole shows Wai'anae High School junior Jewel-Leesa Benjamin how a laser speed gun works. Police monitored speeders yesterday in Wai'anae, where Benjamin is a member of the Law Enforcement Explorer Program.

Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

In the past week, a 73-year-old woman was killed and three youths were injured by vehicles while trying to cross O'ahu streets.

Masako Maruya died after being struck Monday night in Kalihi; two teenage girls suffered head and other injuries when they were hit Saturday afternoon on busy McCully Street; and a 12-year-old boy suffered a broken thigh bone and a broken jaw Wednesday morning when he was struck while crossing Farrington Highway on his way to Wai'anae Intermediate School.

Pedestrian deaths on O'ahu spiked last year after plummeting in 2003. There were 24 pedestrians killed in 2004, up from 14 the year before.

This year, police say, pedestrian fatalities are slightly ahead of last year, with eight people killed in Honolulu, two in crosswalks, as of March 10, compared with seven at this time last year.

In response to Wednesday's accident, police stood outside Wai'anae Intermediate School with radar guns at 4:30 p.m. yesterday, hoping to slow motorists and make sure children paid attention to crosswalks.

Sean Silva, who was hit by a pickup truck, underwent surgery at The Queen's Medical Center yesterday to repair a broken leg.

Ida Raposa said her nephew was in a crosswalk when a Nissan pickup ran into him.

 

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY TIPS

1. Use the crosswalk and look both ways.

2. Never assume drivers can see you; make eye contact with every driver in every lane.

3. Just because you're in a crosswalk doesn't mean you're safe.

4. Obey the pedestrian signals.

5. If you walk when it's dark, wear something bright or reflective.

Source: Honolulu Police Department

"They told us he flew about 15 feet through the air," she said.

Raposa said witnesses to the accident told her that a car had stopped to let the boy cross the busy highway near a childcare center, but that the Ma'ili-bound pickup swerved into a lane nearest the center line to go around the stopped car and ran into the boy.

"They told us she did stop after she ran into Sean," Raposa said. "It wasn't a hit-and-run."

No arrests have been made.

In addition to a broken leg, the collision left the boy with a bruised spleen, raw scrapes to his head, arms and hip, and a broken jaw, Raposa said.

Raposa, 27, said her nephew is about 5 feet 5 and weighs 160 pounds.

"He's a very healthy kid; he was playing football before this happened. Since he was hit, he hasn't shed a single tear. He's got a lot of inner strength, thank God."

Raposa said she, the boy's mother, Pebbles Moniz, and seven others were scheduled to leave for a vacation in Las Vegas the morning of the accident.

"We were having breakfast at Byron's Drive-In by the airport and one of his friends called us on the cell phone sometime after 7 a.m. to say Sean had been hit."

The boy was taken by helicopter to Queen's. Raposa said doctors there have told family members that the four external stainless steel pins used to mend the boy's broken thigh bone will have to remain in place for about three months.

"They're talking about eight months of recovery, going from the pins to crutches to therapy to finally walking on his own again," Raposa said.

She said her nephew normally uses a different crosswalk on his way to school, but was using this crosswalk because he saw several of his friends waiting for him on the opposite side of Farrington Highway.

Maruya was identified as the pedestrian killed Monday night while trying to cross an intersection near the Kamehameha Shopping Center in Kalihi.

Police said she was in a marked crosswalk and was crossing Makuahine Street from east to west with a green light in her favor about 6 p.m. when she was hit by a pickup truck driven by a man turning left from Hala Drive onto Makuahine. No arrests have been made.

Amber Wataru was one of two teenage girls who were struck by a hit-and-run driver Saturday as they tried to cross McCully Street in heavy traffic going against a red light. Honolulu traffic investigators said one of the girls is 14 and the other 15. The second girl's name has not been released.

One of the teens was in critical condition suffering head and facial injuries, while the other was in good condition with shoulder and pelvis injuries. Both were going to be OK, an Emergency Medical Services supervisor said earlier.

Education and community awareness, police say, are the main strategies to preventing injury and death.

"We are trying to educate drivers to think it is their responsibility (to watch out for pedestrians)," said Honolulu Police Department Traffic Division Capt. Jose Guyton. "Granted, when we see a pedestrian doing something wrong, we give them a citation. A car against a human being will do all kinds of carnage."

HPD traffic safety officer Mel Andres regularly makes safety presentations to schools, senior groups, or other community organizations.

"We go out and help educate the public on various traffic fines and penalties and some of the safety tips for driving or walking about," said Andres.

In response to a number of elderly pedestrian deaths in 2004, HPD and the state Department of Transportation helped form Walk Wise Kupuna in 2004. The program was expanded early this year and is now called Walk Wise Hawai'i. The program supports Andres' community outreach work.

"Oftentimes it's not the pedestrian's fault; it could be driver error as well," Andres said. "People just need to be more aware of their surroundings when you're driving a vehicle."

Police also hope that legislation geared toward protecting pedestrians will pass this year.

Under the proposed law, most drivers would be required to come to a full stop whenever a pedestrian enters a crosswalk.

Under current law, drivers have to stop only when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk on the driver's half of the road. The proposed law calls for most drivers to stop, no matter where the pedestrian is in the crosswalk.

The only exception would be for people crossing a roadway divided by a medial strip. Drivers in those cases still would be subject to the old rules.

The bill did not make yesterday's initial deadline for legislation to move between the House and Senate and is at risk of failing.

Staff writer Derrick DePledge contributed to this report. Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com. Reach David Waite at dwaite@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-7412.


Safe Driving
 

Introduction

More people are killed or injured in motor vehicle accidents than in any other way, both on and off the job. We can assume that most of the people killed or injured in motor vehicle accidents knew how to drive, yet that didn't prevent the worst from happening. We hope that by highlighting some of the most common causes of accidents—and some of the ways to prevent them—we can help you stay safe behind the wheel.

General Hazards

Driving can present all kinds of hazards: other vehicles, poor road surfaces, poor visibility, and stationary objects such as trees or posts. But the greatest potential hazard of all is the driver. Improper driving causes more than half of fatal accidents and more than two-thirds of accidents that cause injuries. Speeding is the worst culprit.

Other types of improper driving that often lead to accidents are:

  • Ignoring traffic signs and signals
  • Following too close to another vehicle
  • Driving in the wrong lane
  • Failing to yield to another vehicle.

There are three other factors that come up again and again in accidents:

  1. Drinking. About half of all fatal accidents involve drivers who have been drinking alcohol.
  2. Night. More than half of motor vehicle deaths occur in accidents that happen after dark.
  3. Seat belts. If you do have an accident, wearing a seat belt is considered 45 percent effective in preventing death and 50 percent effective in preventing moderate to critical injuries.

OSHA Regulations

OSHA is concerned about the number of motor vehicle deaths and injuries and is developing a standard to try to prevent them. The standard will require all employees who drive or ride in motor vehicles on company business to wear safety belts. Employees riding on motorcycles on company business will have to wear helmets. The OSHA rule will also require employers to provide a driver safety awareness program for their employees.

Protection Against Hazards

Let's look at what you can do to prevent accidents.

First and foremost: buckle up. In many states, wearing seat belts is the law. And it's common sense at any time and place. Be sure to use seat belts even for the shortest and slowest trips. Serious and even fatal injuries can occur at speeds under 40 miles an hour. For the greatest protection, place your shoulder belt across your collarbone and over your shoulder. Your lap belt should be snug and low across the hips. Then, if there's an accident, you won't get thrown into the windshield or steering wheel, or out of the car.

You don't need instructions for wearing a motorcycle helmet. The point is just do it. Even when it's not legally required, it's the best way to keep your head.

Driving is a skill. Don't take it for granted or decide that things like speed limits and red lights are only there for other people. People do sometimes get away with ignoring the law and good sense. But if you push the law of averages, dangerous driving will catch up with you. A good driver is a defensive driver, always alert and aware when behind the wheel. Let's look at what that means in terms of specific driving rules and techniques.

  • Obey the speed limit. Speed limits are considered the safest top speed for a particular road. Obey them even if you don't agree. It cannot only save lives, but your driver's license. Many states suspend speeders' licenses, plus impose heavy fines.
  • Obey traffic signs and signals. Jumping stop lights and signs is a major cause of accidents—especially since the driver across the intersection may be jumping the light, too. Stop at red lights and stop signs. And remember: A yellow light doesn't mean go. It means stop unless you're already in the intersection. Always slow down and look both ways before you go, even if the light is green or you're allowed to turn right on red. And pay attention to other traffic signs, including notices to yield, or construction or road hazards ahead.
  • Don't tailgate. The rule is to stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. When the car in front of you passes something stationary like a telephone pole, count "one thousand one, one thousand two." If you get to the pole before "one thousand two," you're following too closely.
  • Pass on the left only. That's true on a highway as well as other roads. And before you pass, check that nothing's coming from the other direction or behind you. Then signal, pass, and signal again as you move back to your regular lane.
  • Yield right of way. Always yield when the other driver has the right of way, or if he's determined to take it. At a four-way stop, take your turn before going into the intersection. When you're going onto a highway from an entrance ramp, check the traffic and yield to those vehicles on the highway. They're going faster than you and might not be able to slow enough to let you in.
  • Don't overload a vehicle. A vehicle that's overloaded with people or weight is likely to have less stopping ability. Overloading can also make tires overheat and blow out. An overloaded vehicle can block the driver's rear and side vision. In addition, if you put too many people in a vehicle, there won't be enough safety belts to go around.
  • Don't drink and drive. Everyone knows that, but we also know that people still do it. The same goes for drug use. Alcohol and drugs:
    • Slow your reactions
    • Blur your vision
    • Reduce your ability to judge distance
    • Impair your judgment
    • Make you think you're doing great when you're not.
    Don't drive for at least an hour after you've had a drink. Even better, don't drive at all. If you're in a a group, have a designated nondrinker who will be able to get you all home safely.
  • Be especially cautious at night. You can't see as well at night, and you're likely to be tired, which may reduce your attention or your reaction time. For safe night driving:
    • Let your eyes adjust to the dark when you leave a building.
    • Make sure your headlights are clean and working properly and turn them on as soon as it starts to get dark.
    • Allow more distance between you and the car in front than during the day.
    • Don't use your high beams if there's a car in front of you or coming from the other direction.
    • Stop at a rest area when you're tired. Walk around and get some fresh air. Have a cup of coffee.
    • Try not to stop on the side of the road, especially on curves. Other drivers may not see you or may not realize you're not moving. If you have to stop, use flares or flashers.

Bad Weather

Driving always requires your full attention but never more than in bad weather when road conditions can change and other drivers are more likely to make stupid or careless mistakes.

Rain, even a light shower, makes the road slick, so slow down. Stay four, or two, seconds behind the driver in front because you may not be able to stop as fast. In addition:

  • Use wipers, defroster, and headlights to improve visibility.
  • Be careful of large puddles that can make your brakes less effective. Drive through slowly, tapping your left foot on the brake. Test the brakes once you're through the puddle, making sure the driver in back isn't so close he'll hit you.
  • Avoid hydroplaning. That's when you lose control because your tires are driving on water instead of the road. Drive slowly and smoothly, avoiding puddles. If you do lose control, take your foot off the gas. Don't brake suddenly.

Fog is also causes accident. Slow down gradually as you enter fog so you don't hit someone and so the cars behind don't hit you. Put your headlights on low beam and use your wipers and defroster. Avoid passing. If you can't see well enough to drive, pull off the road, leaving flashers and lights on.

Safety Procedures

There are numerous other safety procedures and techniques that will help you stay safe on the road. Traffic is so heavy these days, and poor roads and road construction so common, that there's a lot to pay attention to. Make defensive driving a way of life.

  • Keep your eyes on other drivers and expect them to do the unexpected.
  • Keep your eyes on the road and be prepared to react quickly. Watch out for potholes, debris, pedestrians, bicycles, and animals.
  • Look for changes in traffic and road conditions. Slow down when you see a lot of brake lights and expect to act quickly.
  • Keep a little distance behind the car in front of you in heavy traffic so there's somewhere for you to go in an accident.
  • Be especially cautious in heavy traffic. There's always the possibility of a disabled or overheated car, cars passing from any side, or cutting in and out of lanes to get to an exit or to try to move more quickly through the traffic. Be prepared to move or stop suddenly.
  • Never pass a stopped school bus. Be on the lookout for children anywhere near a stopped or moving bus.
  • Be especially cautious when driving a strange vehicle. Take it slow until you get used to the handling, especially in rain or wind.
  • Check rear and side mirrors constantly for oncoming traffic. Learn your mirrors' blind spots so you know when and where to turn your head and check.
  • Keep your mind on your driving, your eyes on the road, and hands on the wheel. Driving requires all your physical and mental attention. Don't daydream or get too involved in conversation.

Maintenance

In addition to safe driving, you need a safe car. To maintain your vehicle safety:

  • Have your oil changed at least as often as your owner's manual suggests and get regular tune-ups.
  • Make sure belts and wires are in good condition.
  • Check that lights and signals work.
  • Keep windshield washer fluid in the car and change wiper blades when they streak your windshield.
  • Add antifreeze in winter, coolant in summer.
  • Check that tire tread is good and, when your tires are cold, check tire pressure to keep tires properly inflated.
  • Find the cause of any performance problems or unexplained noises promptly.

Wrap-Up

You know how to drive safely, but we all need reminders sometimes about how and why to do it. More people are killed and injured in road accidents than any other way, and most of them knew how to drive safely, too. But either they didn't use their knowledge or the other driver didn't. In many cases, careless driving turns fatal because a safety belt wasn't used. We all want to hold onto our lives and licenses, to keep our cars in good shape, and our insurance rates down. And certainly, no one wants to have someone else's death or injury on his or her conscience.

So pay attention to how you drive. Put your safety sense in high gear every time you get behind the wheel. And always buckle up!


 

Of interest... from http://www.drdriving.org

United States Army Forces Command

Freedom's Guradian

FORSCOM News Service

FORSCOM Selects American Institute For Safety Campaign

American Institute for Public Safety News Release

The U.S. Army has selected the American Institute for Public Safety’s innovative interactive programs to help limit loss of life from automotive crashes involving soldiers and their families while operating Privately Owned Vehicles.

The American Institute for Public Safety (AIPS), based in North Miami, Fla., signed a contract in mid-June with the Army’s Forces Command, headquartered at Fort McPherson, Ga.

“The Army is making a step change to save lives,” said Chris O. Huffman, president of AIPS. “The leading cause of death for soldiers is not in combat with the enemy. It’s when they drive in their privately owned vehicle.”

The Army’s safe driving campaign will operate under the “Combat Aggressive Driving” brand name. The campaign that will be built on use of AIPS’ aggressive driver course, called “RoadRageousTM.”

RoadRageousTM is the nation’s first comprehensive course on aggressive driving. Presented in eight one-hour segments, the course was developed by AIPS in conjunction with three leading experts on aggressive driving, Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl, both of the University of Hawaii, and Dr. Arnold Nerenberg, a Ph.D. psychologist in Southern California known as “America’s road rage therapist."

James and Nerenberg have testified before Congress on aggressive driving and road rage, now ranked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as the leading concern among drivers today. In addition, Nerenberg has taught numerous seminars for the California Office of Traffic Safety and has appeared on major television network newscasts as the recognized expert on aggressive driving and road rage.

The Army campaign will be launched at Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Polk, La., and Fort Stewart, Ga. All three versions of the course will be utilized for Military Police and local law enforcement, general adult education and education for teens.

Huffman said the “Combat Aggressive Driving” program is more than just educational courses. AIPS will coordinate instructor training, public awareness campaigns, and outreach to communities and state and local governments to insure that principles of non-harmful driving are communicated to soldiers, families, and civilians at key Army posts where the “Combat Aggressive Driving” program will be used.

“After extensive research, the Army selected AIPS because we’re more than a course provider,” Huffman said. “The Army program we designed is an all-embracing campaign that features education, public awareness, community integration with state and local initiatives and even websites to deal with an overall approach to traffic safety. This approach will also include defensive driving, driving under the influence, seat belt usage, child safety seats, distracted driving, cell phone safety and other related auto safety topics.

“This builds on AIPS’ success delivering leading-edge driver safety programs across the nation. Our programs feature new and innovative ways to teach responsible driving to motorists with a proactive approach to behavior modification,” Huffman said.

see original here