May 08, 2013

Florida Distracted Driving Summit

I had the privilege of being invited to attend and participate in the Florida Distracted Driving Summit sponsored by USAA in November of 2012.

The Florida Department of Transportation, the Distraction Advocate Network, (one of our partners) and Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, hosted this event and it was informative, enlightening, motivating and moving all at the same time.

I met some wonderful people, heard some chilling stories, some from people you will see in our stories section, and marveled at the courage these victims and survivors demonstrated through the sharing of their stories and their ongoing advocacy.

Both of these remarkable women had children killed by distracted drivers and both turned their grief and anger into advocating for tougher laws against distracted driving.

If you wish to participate in these events, check out our partner’s website. Distracted Advocate Network, http://www.distractionadvocatenetwork.org.

Candace Lightner

President, We Save Lives

May 05, 2013

Global Youth Traffic Safety Month

The month of May focuses attention on our young people as we support Global Youth Traffic Safety Month.

It is also Prom Time and below are some tips for helping your teens enjoy prom night without risking their lives:

• Make sure you have the phone numbers of your teen’s friends and their families.
• Know their itinerary.
• Make sure they have their cell phone with them in case of an emergency but advise them not to use it while driving.
• Encourage and or pay for a limousine the night of the prom.
  • Make sure the company is reputable and the driver is trained in all kinds of road safety issues.
  • Make sure their policies include not allowing the use and or presence of alcohol and or drugs in their cars.
• Discourage drinking the night of the prom and DO N0T Serve Alcohol.
• Establish an agreement with the other parents that they, too, will not serve alcohol.
• Discuss with them the legal ramifications of drug use, not to mention the other consequences as well.
• Make sure they understand how dangerous it is to drive with someone who is under the influence of alcohol and or drugs
• Make sure you are available to pick them up if there is a problem or give them taxi money
• Emphasize the importance of seat belt safety
• Know where the prom and after prom parties are located
• Make sure they are chaperoned
• Support Safe Prom nights that offer alternative activities that are alcohol free and well chaperoned

All of these are common sense tips FOR STAYING alive and healthy on one of the most important night of your teen’s life.

May 05, 2013

May is National Motorcycle Awareness Safety Month

Did You Know that:

“Statistics show the percentage of intoxicated motorcycle riders in fatal crashes is greater than the percentage of intoxicated drivers on our roads,” according to NHTSA.

May is National Motorcycle Awareness Safety Month.

The following Motorcycle Safety Tips come from The US Department of Transportation and The Federal Motor Safety Administration.

WATCH THE NO-ZONES

Never hang out in a truck’s blind spot or “No-Zone.” Trucks have large No-Zones on both sides, the front and behind the truck.

ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET

Make sure to always wear a helmet. Beware of helmets that do not meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. A helmet could be your only source of protection in a serious crash.

DRIVE TO SURVIVE

Motorcycles are the smallest vehicles on the road. Unfortunately they provide virtually no protection in a crash. Other drivers may not see you on your motorcycle, so you must be aware of everything on the road. Even though your motorcycle may be small, you must adhere to the laws of the road. Never ride in between lanes in traffic or share a lane with another vehicle.

CHECK YOURSELF AND YOUR BIKE

Conduct a safety inspection of your motorcycle before each ride, and wear protective clothing including gloves, boots and a jacket.

WATCH YOUR SPEED

Of all vehicles, motorcycles accelerate the fastest, while trucks and buses are the slowest. Please watch your speed around trucks, especially in bad weather or at night. Colliding with the back of a truck will end your riding days.
We should always be extra cautious when sharing the road with a motorcyclist. They are far more vulnerable than those of us who are in our cars