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Drink Driving:

  

The Facts

Alcohol is estimated to be a contributory factor in 37% of all fatal crashes (drunk drivers/riders and drunk pedestrians) and a factor in 62% of single vehicle crashes. One fifth of fatal road crashes that happen between 6AM and 12 noon are alcohol related.

When a person drives at twice the legal alcohol limit they are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who isn’t under the influence of alcohol.

No matter how little alcohol is consumed it will still affect your ability to drive. There is no foolproof way of drinking and staying under the limit.

Each person's tolerance to alcohol is different and is dependant on the following range of factors including:

• weight
• age
• gender
• metabolism
• current stress levels
• whether they have eaten recently
• amount of alcohol

So the only safe option is not to drink alcohol if you plan to drive, and never offer an alcoholic drink to someone else who is intending to drive.

You should also never get into a car with someone who has taken an alcoholic drink, and never let them drive.

Drug driving

 

The facts

Driving while unfit due to drugs is against the law. This applies to prescribed medication or over-the-counter products as well as illegal substances. In fact, driving while unfit through drugs is just as dangerous as drink driving. The effects of some drugs can last for some time after use.

Ways in which drugs can affect driving include:

• slower reaction times
• poor concentration
• sleepiness/fatigue
• confused thinking
• distorted perception
• over-confidence

Fatigue

 

Westmeath County Council is encouraging drivers to be more safety conscious on the roads over the bank holiday weekend and especially be aware of the effects of driver fatigue.

New research released by the Road Safety Authority shows that over 1 in 10 drivers (14%) have admitted to nodding off or falling asleep while driving.

The survey of 800 drivers also found that more than half of Irish drivers (53%) attempt to fight tiredness through ineffective means such as opening windows.

The findings come as the RSA and Topaz launched a year long campaign on Bank Holiday weekends aimed at highlighting the dangers of driver fatigue.

For the rest of the year Topaz has undertaken to provide free coffee to drivers on Bank Holiday Fridays at their countrywide network of company owned sites all over the country. The Driver Reviver campaign will kick off this Easter Bank Holiday weekend with the country’s largest fuels and convenience retailer giving away up to 20,000 free coffees on Friday, at its 105 company owned stations, to help get people to their destinations safely.

The new findings re-enforces international research which suggests that driver fatigue could be a contributory factor in 1 in 5 driver deaths in Ireland. Therefore, this silent killer may have claimed more than 350 road deaths in the past 5 years.

As with every bank holiday weekend, there are added risks when using our roads. More people will be taking to the roads, travelling long distances, often without breaks. Scientific studies show that if a driver persists in fighting sleep while driving, the impairment level is the same as driving while over the drink drive limit.”

If you are fighting sleep at the wheel, stop immediately. If you can, drink a cup of coffee or caffeine drink but most importantly take a 15 to 20 minute nap. Following the nap stretch your legs and get some fresh air. By following this advice you should be able to drive for another hour or more.”
“Unfortunately, this new research indicates that over half of drivers (53%) respond to feeling sleepy while driving by opening the window, 28% said they stretched their legs and 21% said they turned on the radio. None of these are of help in combating driver fatigue.
In fact, these are the people who are most at risk of being involved in a driver fatigue related crash. Never drive if you are fighting sleep or you may never wake up.”

All drivers have to do is show their car keys to staff at the 105 company owned Topaz service stations nationwide on Friday 10th April and request a free coffee.

Commenting on the Garda Road Safety Plan for the Easter Weekend Chief Superintendent Gabriel McIntyre said, “Tragically two lives were lost and six people seriously injured on our roads over the Easter Bank Holiday last year. To prevent further loss of life this bank holiday period members of the Garda Traffic Corps will be out in force targeting all aspects of road traffic enforcement with particular emphasis on speeding, drink and drug driving, non wearing of seatbelts and reckless driving.”

The research, which was conducted by Amarach Research in December 2008 on behalf of the RSA, interviewed over 800 drivers to determine the incidence of long journeys and driving while tired. The research found;

• Of those who have admitted to falling asleep while driving, almost one in four have experienced this twice in the past 12 months.
• Males aged between 35 – 54 are most likely to have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.
• The average length of journey that led to falling asleep at the wheel was four and a half hours. Almost half of all these incidents (46%) occurred between 9pm and 6am.
• For those who had fallen asleep at the wheel, one in five admitted that they had drifted out of their lane, e.g. on the hard shoulder and across the centre of the road.

Luckily, the majority, 76%, startled awake before a more serious outcome occurred.

More information on driver tiredness can be found in the RSA’s booklet ‘Driver Tiredness – The Facts’ and can be downloaded from the RSA website

A copy of the RSA’s research on driver fatigue can also be downloaded from here

What to do if you are a tired driver?

1. NEVER DRIVE IF YOU'RE FIGHTING SLEEP.
2. When you start fighting sleep at the wheel, your impairment is as dangerous as     driving over the legal alcohol limit.
3. Stop and take a nap for 15 minutes- (set your mobile phone alarm)
4. To really make the most of your break you should take a Caffeine drink before the nap (150mg of Caffeine e.g. 2 cups of coffee).
5. After the nap, get some fresh air and stretch your legs.
6. By following all of the above advice you should be able to drive for another hour or more.

Excessive / inappropriate speed

  

Speed is the single biggest factor contributing to road deaths in Ireland. Excessive speed is a contributory factor in 1 in 3 fatal collisions.

5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed if hit by a car traveling at 50km/hr

Speed is one thing we can all control that could make our roads safer. Speed is at the core of the road safety problem because higher speed reduces the time available to avoid collision and makes the impact in a collision more severe. Speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around bends or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation. It's a very simple concept. The faster you drive the less time you have to react to a situation. At 100kph (60 mph), a car will travel 28 meters (91 feet) in one second - that's quite a distance in an instant and not a lot of time to react.

Research and international experience show that the frequency and severity of road crashes tend to decrease with reductions in average speed. A 1km/h decrease in average speed results typically in a 3% decrease in road crash frequency.

(Source: European Transport Safety Council)

• A 50 km/h (30mph) impact is equivalent to dropping a car from the top of a 2-storey building
• A 100 km/h (60mph) impact is equivalent to dropping 11 storeys
• A 150 km/h (80mph) crash to almost 30 storeys

Drivers can count on getting four penalty points on their licence and a fine of up to € 800, if found guilty in court. Or two penalty points if an € 120 fixed charge is paid. Points that will stay on the license record for three years. Any driver accumulating 12 penalty points at any time within 3 years will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months.

Young Drivers & Excessive Speed:

 

Car crashes are the number one killers of young men (16 - 25) in Ireland and driving at excess speed is the primary cause of these crashes. Driver error was the cause of 81% of all fatal and injury crashes from 1997 to 2000. Male drivers aged between 18 and 24 represented (24%) the majority of these drivers. Statistically 17-24 year olds are 7.7 times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious injury collision. (Source: NRA)

The profile of the young driver most likely to be killed/injured in car crash is:

• Male, 17 - 25 age group, licence holder for less than two years.

Many die in single vehicle accidents where speeding was the principal factor. Bravado, peer pressure and a sense of invincibility often leads young men to take risks while driving, without realising the dangers of these risks. The relative proportion of speeding-related crashes to all crashes decreases with increased driver age i.e. older drivers have fewer speed related crashes. Research conducted in the UK indicates that an 18 year-old driver is three times as likely to be involved in an accident as a 48-year-old. For every mile driven, a 17 year-old male is seven times more likely to be involved in an accident as a middle aged man. It is for this reason that we say excessive speed and the young driver is literally a deadly combination.

Older drivers:

Older drivers have a wealth of driving experience. They're also likely to be more tolerant and confident, which can mean they're safer on the road than other age groups.

However, as we get older our sight, hearing, and reaction times may not be as sharp as they were. Driving itself is also more complex and demanding than it used to be, with more traffic on the road and changes to road signage and markings.

Adapting your driving habits as you age can help you to stay safe on the roads for many years to come

We believe that older people should be able to live the lifestyle of their choice maintaining their independence for as long as possible.

Norfolks schemes are not driving tests.  They are merely to assess the drivers ability to make safe driving decisions, show safe car control and communication to other road users, and to drive to the rules of the road.  We use considerate and highly qualified trainers who will respect your driving experience and be helpful in their feedback towards maintaining your well being.

Advice for the Older Driver

 

With ever increasing traffic and changing vehicle technology it is no surprise that many of us find the task of driving very stressful. For those older drivers who do not have specific medical conditions but would still like advice concerning their driving there is a scheme of training and guidance available.

• To download a copy of the 'Advice for Older Drivers' leaflet please see the downloads area to the right of the page.

Guidance for the Older Driver (GOLD)

In January 2008 Norfolk County Council launched a scheme in partnership with Department for Transport for drivers who by age, ill health or mobility reasons would benefit from guidance and advice in maintaining a safe driving future for themselves and others. The scheme was named GOLD - Guidance for the Older Driver.

What is certain is that older people should be able to live the lifestyle of their choice maintaining their independence as long as possible, to deliver this vision agencies must work together to achieve the best outcome in terms of well being of older people. Norfolk's scheme endeavours to offer personal guidance and gives the client a belief that it is for their well being and safety and not merely a scheme to improve road casualty statistics. This personal intervention has enabled excellent relationships to be formed with the client.

The scheme coordinator visits the client in their own home and carries out an informal screening process centred on driving and health/medical questions; eyesight screening also takes place using a Keystone Vision Screener. Following this visit the client is contacted by one of our specialist appointed trainers to arrange a ‘drive' of a chosen time. This takes place in the client's vehicle and on roads they are familiar with.

Further drives are arranged if considered necessary. If a client decided to ‘retire' from driving or is advised to refrain from driving following an assessment, that person would then be assisted with future mobility decisions and not merely left to their own devices. This has sometimes involved protracted discussions with the client and family.

Mobile phones

 

The facts

All phone calls distract from driving.

Research demonstrates that reaction times for drivers using a handheld phone are 30 per cent worse than for driving under the influence of alcohol at the legal limit.

Research shows that using a mobile phone while driving means you are four times more likely to crash.

It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone or similar device while driving. The penalty is £60 and 3 penalty points. If the case goes to court, it's a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if driving a bus, coach or heavy goods vehicle), discretionary disqualification and 3 points.

Your insurance costs could also go up.

If you reach 6 points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence will be revoked and you will need to re-sit your test to get your licence back.

You can also be prosecuted for using a handsfree phone or similar device if you are distracted and not in proper control of the vehicle. The same penalties apply.  Employers could also be prosecuted if employees are distracted because they require them to use their mobile phones while driving.

Callers should hang up too
Callers also play an important role. If you ring someone on their mobile phone who turns out to be driving when they answer, say you'll call them later and hang up.

THINK! strategy for mobile phones
Our strategy for mobile phones has been to raise awareness of the 2007 legislation that increased the penalties for using a mobile phone while driving.

Seat belts

 

• In a crash someone not wearing a seat belt is more likely to die than someone using one. In 2007, of the 1,432 car occupants killed, research indicates that some 34 per cent were not wearing a seat belt.
• While few people admit to regularly traveling without a seat belt, research shows that 24 per cent of people admit they sometimes don't wear a seat belt when traveling in the back, and 10 per cent in the front. There is also evidence that people are less likely to use seat belts on short or familiar journeys or at low speeds. This puts them at serious risk of injury in a crash.
• You are twice as likely to die in a crash if you don't wear a seat belt.
• Nearly 300 lives would almost certainly have been saved in 2007 if all car occupants had been wearing a belt.  Roughly, that's one life a day. 

© 2010 Westmeath County Council | Tel: +353 (0)44 9332000 | Disclaimer