Sep 16, 2010 – 9:59:58 PM
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By Gillian Birch
Car Headrests Drivers Reminded To Adjust Headrests
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Why are drivers reminded to adjust headrests? According to auto insurance and car safety experts the car headrests are a very important and over looked safety feature of any vehicle. Your vehicle’s headrests help prevent a multitude of neck, brain and spinal cord injuries. We should all give our headrests a little more thought when we are in our cars.
(NC)—While buckling seatbelts is second nature when getting into a car – how many of us think to adjust the headrest? Reports show that headrests are one of the most overlooked safety features in motor vehicles today and many don’t realize the important role they play in preventing neck, brain and spinal cord related injuries.
“Headrests are designed to work alongside the seatbelt so that when an accident occurs it prevents the head from twisting backwards, which subsequently results in whiplash,” explains Mauro Convertini, an insurance and claims expert at Aviva Canada. “Drivers can sustain an injury from an incorrectly adjusted headrest even at speeds as low as 15 kilometres per hour – the same speed as the average bicycle.”
According to an Insurance Bureau of Canada study, only 14 per cent of drivers on the road have their headrest in the proper position. And whiplash being the most common soft tissue injury incurred during auto collisions underlines the importance for all passengers to ensure their headrest is adjusted properly.
Aviva’s Convertini recommends that Canadian drivers follow three simple steps in order to prevent injuries associated with improper headrest position:
1. The top of the headrest should be in a straight line with the top of your head.
2. Position the centre of your headrest so that it is slightly above the top of the ear.
3. Ensure that the distance between the headrest and the back of the head is between five and ten centimetres.
An important message for local families with multiple drivers, the next time you get in your vehicle remember to use your brain and adjust your headrest. More information is available from your insurance broker or online at avivacanada.com.
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Aug 29, 2010 – 10:35:33 PM
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Driver’s Ed For Dog Owners
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Driver’s Ed For Dog Owners for dog owners who drive with their pet in the car. Animals can be a distraction while you are driving and that is why you should read these good pet safety tips before you get into your car with your dog again.
(NAPSI)-When dog owners are behind the wheel of a car, their dog can drive them to distraction. And that, it appears, can lead to dangerous situations for both.
That’s one of the key findings of a recent survey that examined what happens when dog owners take their dog with them when they hit the road.
Doggie Distractions
The survey was conducted by North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization–AAA–and Kurgo, which makes products specifically designed for traveling with your dog. The survey found that 31 percent of respondents admit to being distracted by their dog while driving, while 59 percent say they have participated in at least one distracting behavior while driving with their dog.
More than half–55 percent– have petted their dog while driving, and one in five–21 percent–allowed their dog to sit in their lap.
Other distracting behaviors that drivers admitted to include giving food and water to their dog (7 percent) and playing with their dog (5 percent). These kinds of behaviors can distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that looking away from the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of being in a crash.
Unrestrained Risks
Unrestrained dogs can be a danger to a driver, a passenger and to the dog itself. An overwhelming 80 percent of respondents stated that they have driven with their pets on a variety of car trips including day trips, local errands and leisure trips or to work, the pet store or dog parks. However, only 17 percent use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog.
Safety Tips
To increase driver and pet safety, here are some tips:
• The use of a pet restraint system, such as those available from Kurgo (www.kurgo.com), can aid in limiting distractions and help protect your pet.
• Keep your dog in the backseat, as you would a child. Being in the front seat can expose a dog to being injured if the car’s air bag is deployed.
• Remember, a dog near a driver can interfere with both a driver’s physical and mental ability to operate the vehicle. When a dog blocks the brake pedals or takes the driver’s attention off the road, it has become a safety hazard.
To learn more about keeping yourself and your dog safer while driving, visit www.AAA.com or www.kurgo.com. Pet owners who want to take their pet on a longer trip can find all the information they need to make their vacation easier and safer in “Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook,” which includes pet-friendly, AAA Approved property listings and advice on traveling with pets. Visit www.aaa.com/petbook.
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Jul 7, 2010 – 8:45:00 PM
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Practical Tips For Teen Drivers
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Tips for teen drivers where you will get some practical tips for keeping America’s youth safe when behind the wheel. Teach your teens about the dangers of DWD. Driving while distracted.
(ARA) – With the growing use of cell phones and text messaging, it’s not surprising that risky and distracted driving are the main causes of teen motor vehicle accidents. A 2009 Pew survey estimates that 26 percent of all American teens have texted while driving, and 43 percent have talked on a cell phone while driving.
Today’s teen drivers face an increasing number of risks and distractions, making safe driving habits more important than ever. At the same time, teen driving laws are evolving, and fewer public schools across the country can afford to offer drivers’ education.
Many community organizations and even large businesses have stepped in to proactively help teens learn the importance of practicing safe driving skills. For example, UPS, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and UPS NASCAR driver David Ragan are partnering for the second consecutive year to present UPS Road Code, a comprehensive safe driving course, based on UPS’s own driver training programs, to help teach teens across the nation the importance of safe driving and defensive driving skills.
“When I’m on the race track, I’m surrounded by about 40 other cars while driving sometimes more than 150 mph. I can’t afford any distractions,” says Ragan, UPS Road Code spokesperson. “Defensive driving is a priority for me on and off the track, and I think there needs to be greater education for American teenagers on what it means to be a safe driver.”
A teen’s first priority while driving should be to pay attention to the highway. Some helpful tips for keeping their eyes on the road include:
* Give enough distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to allow you a view of all your surroundings. A driver should be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you.
* Identify “stale” green lights — a light the driver did not see turn green — and prepare to stop if it turns red before you reach it.
* Be observant and expect other drivers to do unpredictable things while driving around you, such as speeding and changing lanes.
* Use your signals, lights and horn to communicate with other drivers on the road.
* Establish cushion space by delaying your start from an intersection by three seconds after the vehicle in front of you has moved.
* Check your mirrors every five to eight seconds because hazards that can cause an accident aren’t always in front of you.
Learning the risks and consequences of driving, plus hands-on experience behind the wheel, is essential to improve driving among teens. Drivers’ education, graduated licensing systems and teen-driving programs provide youth important information and the opportunity to practice safe driving. More teen safe-driving tips from UPS Road Code can be found online at www.ups.com/roadcode.
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