Tag Archive: car crashes
There’s No Such Thing As A Traffic Accident!
August 26, 2015
There’s no such thing as a traffic accident! We have written on this before but it bears repeating; especially for young drivers. Before anyone tries to tell us we’re crazy, let’s take a look at the meaning of the word accident.
The dictionary defines an accident as “an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.”
An accident is a situation that we have no control over. If you’re struck by lightning or a tree limb falls and hits you in the head, that’s an accident. However, where there’s a motor vehicle crash, it’s rarely an accident; it was caused.
Motor vehicle crashes are caused when one or more drivers make a poor choice and that poor choice leads to a crash. Driving too fast to safely react to road conditions ahead or running a red light are examples of the poor choices that drivers make and they aren’t accidents; they are deliberate choices made by the driver. Even allowing yourself to be distracted and not paying attention to the road ahead is a choice that a driver makes and it can easily lead to a crash but not to an accident.
As drivers, we have choices and we can either choose to drive safely, pay attention to the road ahead, and use caution when potentially dangerous situations come up ahead. Or, we can choose to speed, run red lights, send text messages, or just allow our minds to wander and not pay attention to what may be ahead of us. The crash may be unintentional but the driver’s poor choice caused it. As drivers, the choices are ours and ours alone and can’t be blamed on some outside force.
Of course, if you’re driving safely and obeying all the traffic laws and someone hits you, from your perspective, the situation would qualify as an accident but, for the other driver who hit you as the result of a poor choice he or she made, it wasn’t an accident at all.
So what about bad weather events? Can’t bad weather cause accidents? It all depends on how the driver reacts to the bad weather. Did he or she continue to drive at normal speeds in a heavy fog or fail to realize that there may be patches of slick ice on the road? Did the driver slow down or get off the road to wait for a heavy rain storm to pass? Weather can cause accidents but, more often than not, it was the poor choice of how the driver reacted to the bad weather that causes a crash.
An organization called Families for Safe Streets is calling for people to stop using the word accident when it comes to motor vehicle crashes. The organization is made up of people who have lost loved ones in motor vehicle crashes and they want to spread the word that they didn’t lose their loved one due to an accident. They want it known that a driver made the choice to take the actions that led to the death of their loved one.
Families for Safe Streets is conducting a drive to educate people that there are no motor vehicle accidents and the word “crash” should be used instead. If you agree, they’re asking you to sign a pledge and help spread the word to stop using the word accident when motor vehicles are involved.
To sign the pledge, go to: I will not call traffic crashes “accidents.” I will educate others about why “crash” is a better word.
Video Game Car Crashes Reach New Level
July 15, 2014
A small video game developer has taken computer generated car crashes to a new level. Combining car crash data, physics, and materials science, BeamNG has developed video game scenes with incredibly realistic car crashes. It’ll be hard to keep driving in a game with this level of damage. To see a video and learn more, read: Video-game wrecks get real
5 Things A Teen Driver Must Do To Handle A Crash
May 9, 2011
If you compare industrialized nations, some may say the US has a poor record of teaching young drivers how to drive. Instead of the requirement to be taught by professional driving instructors, American teens are taught to drive by their parents who, with few exceptions, are ill prepared to teach their teen how to drive. As a result, many teens are sent out on the road without the proper training or experience to handle a lot of the driving situations they will be faced with. Unfortunately, in the United States, that means that the chances of a teen becoming involved in a collision within the first year of driving are very high. Since the chances of a teen driver being involved in a motor vehicle collision are so high, teens should, at least, be prepared to deal with the aftermath of a crash.
Here’s a brief checklist of what a teen driver must know, when involved in a crash:
Don’t place blame, remain calm – This is much easier said than done given the emotions involved in a crash however, remaining calm can help defuse a potentially volatile situation. Tempers can flare after a crash and there is the potential for a “road rage” attack. Losing one’s calm can’t “un-crash” the vehicles so it is imperative that the teen remain as calm as possible. If the other driver becomes confrontational, stay in the car and wait for the police. There may be a temptation to run but the teen should be aware that he or she could be arrested for leaving the scene of a collision.
Check immediately for injuries to other drivers. Call Rescue, if necessary. – If anyone involved was hurt, the first priority is to call 911 for medical assistance. First aid should be applied to stop bleeding but, to prevent even greater injuries, an injured victim should never be moved unless there is a greater chance of further injury from fire or a secondary collision from oncoming traffic. Never give injured victims any water.
Emergency packs – Your car should be stocked with first-aid kits, emergency flares or reflectors, tools, and any other items that may help in case of a crash. Reflective triangles or flares placed at least 100 feet away from the crash will help to divert other traffic away from the crash site. If the collision occurred around a sharp curve or other obstruction, someone should be sent to wave down or otherwise warn oncoming traffic of the danger ahead.
If the vehicles can be moved, they should be moved off the roadway as quickly as possible. If the vehicles can’t be moved, all victims who are capable of walking should be moved well off the roadway to a safe location to avoid secondary collisions.
License, insurance, and registration – Your teen should always know where the vehicle’s registration and proof in insurance card are located. They should always be kept together in an envelope in the glove box. Most state laws require that drivers who are involved in a crash share their driver’s license number, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, and current address with law enforcement officers and other persons involved.
In most states, if a collision results in more than $500 in damages either to vehicles, or public or private property, the police must be called. If the police are not called, a formal report must be made to local law enforcement within 24 hours.
Documentation – Nowadays, with cell phones, a camera is never far away. Take pictures of the crash site and any damages that may have occurred. Note and take pictures of conditions, such as weather, roadway hazards, or whether or not the sun’s position may have blinded a driver, etc. Get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses. If the collision results in a court case, having as much documentation as possible will help.
A car crash is no time to panic or lose one’s cool. Handle it properly and there will be fewer hassles, in the long run, for the teen driver.
Teen Driver Safety – When the Crash Isn’t Avoided
June 23, 2010
More often than not, teenagers are taught how to avoid vehicle crashes as opposed to correct procedures if they are ever a crash. Obviously, new drivers are taught defensive driving techniques to ensure their safety on the roadways and to minimize their risks. However, odds are that most teenagers will be involved in at least a minor crash.
The period of time between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day is when the most teenagers are involved in vehicular crashes. Below, you will find a basic checklist of things you should go over with your teenager to provide a better understanding of what to do after as well as the insurance aftermath from the crash.
- Discuss insurance basics: If you haven’t already explained to your teenager how insurance rates and premiums work, this is probably a good place to start. Explain why it costs much more to insure an experienced driver and explain the savings associated with a good driving record.
- Consider a contract: A teen driving contract would outline what is expected of the teenager (i.e. safe driving practices, curfews, etc). It would also outline who would cover the rise in insurance costs following a crash and any other consequences your teenager would face as a result of failing to live up the expectations you outlined.
- Insurance and Registration should be in the glove box: Make sure your teenager knows to have the insurance card and registration in a place that is easily accessible and won’t get lost. The glove box is the ideal place.
- Some additional things to consider keeping on hand: A small first-aid kit, self-lighting emergency flares, a disposable camera, a small notebook and a pen to take down another driver’s contact information, and lastly, names/numbers for rescue personnel to contact.
- Document the Crash: Photograph the incident, even if there is minimal damage. If you don’t have a disposable camera in your car the camera on your phone will suffice. If there were any witnesses make sure to get their names and numbers. Witnesses can help you sort out details later.
- File a police report: it is best to file a police report and have it recorded. This is the choice of both drivers to determine even if it was just a fender bender.
- Don’t place blame: Getting involved in a game of finger pointing with another driver is never a good idea. Instruct your teenager to wait in the vehicle until the police arrive if the other driver is trying to confrontational. No good can come from getting in a fight with the other driver.
Even if you think you were at fault, you may not be. That’s why insurance agents recommend that you not accept fault or blame at the scene. It is best to let the police officer sort it out.
Driver Education Information That Could Save Your Life
May 21, 2010
Driver education can save thousands of lives. Don’t believe me? Imagine a car and a gun side-by-side. Tell me, which do you think has taken more teen lives? If you feel like the answer should be the gun, think about this for awhile: which one of the two do you see more often day-to-day? While most of the country pays close attention to the subject of gun control or the views of the National Rifle Association, very little focus is given to the number one cause of death for teens- Car Crashes.
The need for driver education is very important because so many of us take the right and the responsibility of driving every day for granted. We travel the roadways and go about our daily routines without the safety reminders we all need. And if you are a new driver— you need the reminders more frequently. We’re going to discuss the basics — the lessons you should be absorbing. This is by no means a substitute for actual driver education, just a summary of the information you may need a refresher on and could save your life.
Buckle Up – Before even starting the car or stepping on the accelerator, always fasten your seat belts. Each year, over 400,000 teen drivers between the ages 16 and 20 get injured in car crashes. Wearing your seat belt will help save your life. It will keep you from being thrown out of the vehicle, lessen the force of impact when hitting the dashboard or other interior spaces in the vehicle and reduce the collision forces on your internal organs. Coupled with air bags, what would be a fatal crash can be reduced to one with only minor injuries. This is also true for your passengers. Make sure they fasten their seat belts. In the event of a crash, if they are not properly belted they can literally become a flying object within the car causing serious injury themselves and other occupants.
Overcrowding – When driving a car, you are not only responsible for your safety, but also for the safety of all your passengers. Being a teen driver already increases your crash risk, but having other teens in the vehicle actually doubles that. Teens make up about 12% of all fatal car crashes in the United States. Overcrowding not only affects the way you drive overall, but causes distractions while driving. In some states, you can be ticketed and fined for driving with minors in the car.
Overloading – A fact you learn in driver education: for every 100 pounds in the car’s trunk, we lower the car’s fuel economy by 2%. This may seem like a low number, but it adds up in the long run. Not only that, but it shifts the center of gravity of your vehicle which in turn affects engine performance, braking distance, and how the vehicle reacts in an emergency. If you’re planning on carrying a lot of stuff — don’t stuff it in the trunk, call a moving van instead.
Emergency Kit – Driver education teaches you all aspects of driving: from trip preparation, operating a vehicle, laws and safety guidelines, defensive driving techniques and handling vehicle emergencies. Always make sure that, when faced with a vehicular emergency, breathe — stay calm. Panicking does not fix your car or improve the situation. If you plan ahead with the proper knowledge, a vehicle emergency tool kit including a spare tire, you’re going to be okay. If you can’t fix the vehicle, remember to have a fully-charged phone, with all your emergency numbers before leaving.
Car Maintenance – Do you know how to check your oil? Is there enough fuel in the tank? Can you check if your tires are worn? Can you check the tire pressure? Are your mirrors adjusted correctly? These are small things you should know how to do after attending driver education — and you should turn this into a routine!
Defensive Driving Techniques – Do you know where your blind spots are and check them each time? Do you keep a space cushion around your vehicle? Is there always a minimum of a two second following distance between your vehicle and the one ahead? Do you look left right left again before entering and intersection? These are some of the many techniques to be a defensive driver and a driver education course covers them.
Driver education is a small step for turning teens into competent drivers on the road. Not only that, but driver proficiency is a skill you will be carrying for life — knowing the small things could save your life in the future! If you have a good attitude towards learning, and you try to learn as much as you can, you are well on your way to becoming a great driver.