Common Sense

This Picture was taken in the Pan American Highway in Lima, Peru; As you can see there is a crossing bridge for people to use, and it is very close to the two persons in the picture. There are also guardrails that are there to prevent people from crossing the highway without using the crossing bridge. These two persons in the picture look that They don't care about all the infrastructure the was built for safety reasons, the car drivers, and their own lives. They are not using their common sense. To avoid situations like this you have to give more education to the people, and teach them the basics of road safety. You can also give stronger penalties, like bigger tickets, or make them do community work.

Pedestrian and Driver Safety Tips

Driver Safety Tips

Stay focused and alert for pedestrians.

Stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is crossing on your half of the road.

Stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is approaching from the opposite half of the roadway and is close enough to be in danger.

Stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk while executing a right or left turn and the pedestrian is in the half of the roadway that your vehicle is entering.

Look out for pedestrians that may be hidden from view by other vehicles that have stopped.

Be extra vigilant for pedestrians when driving at dawn or dusk.

Anticipate the difficulties of the elderly or young children who are crossing the street.

Obey all traffic laws and pay attention to traffic control signals and posted signs.

Courtesy of Honolulu Police Department
http://www.honolulupd.org/

Pedestrian Safety Tips

Pedestrian Safety Tips

Always cross within marked crosswalks or at street corners.

Look left, right, then left again for vehicular traffic before stepping onto the roadway.

Yield to any approaching vehicles while crossing even if you have the right of way. Oncoming vehicles may reach you faster than you anticipate.

Make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they see you.

Keep to the right of the crosswalk, and be patient and alert when crossing the street.

Walk across the street, never run.

Obey all traffic signals and use the pedestrian signal button at intersections.

Cross the street only when the green "Walk" light is on. Do not begin crossing if the red "Don't Walk" or upraised hand is flashing or steady.

Be especially careful of vehicles that may turn right on red or turn left at an intersection. Drivers may be busy looking out for other vehicles instead of pedestrians.

If buses or other large vehicles are blocking your view, wait for them to pass before crossing. These vehicles may also be blocking the view of drivers in the other lanes.

Do not walk behind a vehicle that has its reverse lights on.

Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the roadway so you can see oncoming traffic.

Stand at least ten feet away from the curb while waiting at bus stops.

Do not allow your children to walk near roadways or cross the street unsupervised. Parents should accompany their young children until they are sure that their children can cross the street safely.

Courtesy of Honolulu Police Department
http://www.honolulupd.org/

Jaywalking

Facts about "Jaywalking"

Did you know that there are people who think that it is okay to jaywalk?
Some people feel that it is inconvenient to use a marked crosswalk or to walk to the corner to cross the street. Some are in a rush and think that they can get across the street before the approaching vehicle reaches them. They assume that once they're on the roadway the driver of a vehicle can see them crossing. Others assume that jaywalking is allowed because they see other people doing it all the time. But it isn't.

Jaywalking is crossing the street outside of a crosswalk or away from a street corner. It is against the law, dangerous, and deadly.

The majority of the fatalities occurred because people failed to use crosswalks and did not cross at intersections. The most common reason why pedestrians were struck is because drivers failed to yield the right of way or were inattentive.
Don't become a statistic. Don't Jaywalk.

Courtesy of Honolulu Police Department
http://www.honolulupd.org/

Driving At Night

Driving at Night

Traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day, according to the National Safety Council. Yet many of us are unaware of night driving's special hazards or don't know effective ways to deal with them.
Why is night driving so dangerous? One obvious answer is darkness. Ninety percent of a driver's reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely limited at night. Depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision are compromised after sundown.
Older drivers have even greater difficulties seeing at night. A 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year old.
Another factor adding danger to night driving is fatigue. Drowsiness makes driving more difficult by dulling concentration and slowing reaction time.
Alcohol is a leading factor in fatal traffic crashes, playing a part in about half of all motor vehicle-related deaths. That makes weekend nights more dangerous. More fatal crashes take place on weekend nights than at any other time in the week.
Fortunately, you can take several effective measures to minimize these after-dark dangers by preparing your car and following special guidelines while you drive.

The National Safety Council recommends these steps:

Prepare your car for night driving. Keep headlights, tail lights, signal lights and windows (inside and out) clean.
Have your headlights properly aimed. Mis-aimed headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
Don't drink and drive. Not only does alcohol severely impair your driving ability, it also acts as a depressant. Just one drink can induce fatigue.
Avoid smoking when you drive. Smoke's nicotine and carbon monoxide hamper night vision.
If there is any doubt, turn your headlights on. Lights will not help you see better in early twilight, but they'll make it easier for other drivers to see you. Being seen is as important as seeing.
Reduce your speed and increase your following distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicle's speeds and distances at night.
Don't overdrive your headlights. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area. If you're not, you are creating a blind crash area in front of your vehicle.
When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beams so you don't blind the driver ahead of you.
If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering guide.
Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If you're too tired to drive, stop and get rest.
If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible. Warn approaching traffic at once by setting up reflecting triangles near your vehicle and 300 feet behind it. Turn on flashers and the dome light. Stay off the roadway and get passengers away from the area.

Observe night driving safety as soon as the sun goes down. Twilight is one of the most difficult times to drive, because your eyes are constantly changing to adapt to the growing darkness.

Reprinted with permission from the National Safety Council

Courtesy of The Weather Channel
http://www.weather.com/

Safety Tips For Car Drivers

You can have a very safe car to drive, but if you are not a responsible driver you can have an accident. You should not drive when you are sleepy, in this case it is better to rest and after that continue driving; Also you should not drive if you have been drinking, or have had a drink, It is very dangerous for you and the people around you. In this case you should give your car keys to a designated driver, or take a taxi. When you drive a car always concentrate on the road, and nothing else. Do not use your cellphone while driving; If you must use your cellphone park on the side of the road and use it, or use a hands free device (It is better if you do not use your cellphone while driving). Always follow the rules; Do not drive over the speed limit, and do not drive fast. Have your car in good condition with all lights working properly, the brakes working well, and don't forget to check the car fluids and the tyres pressure periodically.
It is very important for the car driver to drive defensively. This means that the driver should be alert and ready in case other drivers around him do stupid things, like drive drunk, drive too fast, etc. The driver should always consider that all the drivers around him don't drive well, and he or she should always be ready and expect the unexpected.
Remember, always be a good driver, and drive safely.