Reflections from this Week's Fatality Report

Central Region for Missouri's Coalition for Roadway Safety has a seen a dramatic reduction in fatalities this year.

So far, 26 people have died in Central Missouri using Missouri's highways, and roads.  Last year, 35 people had lost their lives in the Central Region.

Are the numbers going up or down?

It is 9 fewer than last year at this time. This is a 26% reduction when compared to last year.

How do we compare with the rest of the state?

The Coalition has 10 regions. Central Region has the second highest number of fatalities at 26. Only the St. Louis region has had more people killed.

Were they wearing their safety belts?

6 out of the 10 fatalities were not wearing a safety belt. Last year, it was closer to 8 out 10.

What is the deadliest day of the week?

It is a tie between Saturday and Wednesday at 5 each.

What about young drivers and passengers?

5 out of the 26 killed were between the ages of 15 and 20. Three of these were not wearing a safety belt. One involved a motorcycle. We also had 1 infant so far.

Multiple fatalities crashes?

All of the crashes this year have only had a single fatality. Last year, we had 4 crashes with multiple deaths. Most of these had 2 fatalities, but we had one with 3 fatalities.

Where have they occurred?

 

U.S. Numbered highways had the most at 9. County roads and city streets were next at 7.

This was followed by State Lettered routes and then by Missouri Numbered routes.

Last year, U.S. Numbered highways had the least number of deaths.

What about alcohol and drugs?

 

Four of the fatalities involved some sort of impairment. 19% of the fatalities that occurred across the state involved an impaired driver, while in Central Region, the percentage of impaired drivers is 15%.

What about the counties?

Last year, I was pulling for Gasconade to be the county without a fatality, but that didn't happen.

This year, Morgan and Moniteau counties are in the running with zero fatalities so far. Something to watch as the year continues.

Our biggest concern is Pettis county which is experiencing a large increase this year. They have had 6 fatalities to date. Last year, they only had 1.

Benton, Cole, Gasconade, and Maries are counties who are experiencing a higher number of fatalities over last year.

This also means that our biggest counties are seeing a decrease. These are Boone, Callaway, Camden, and Miller.

What is Matt's View?

I have to say this is not just about the numbers. There are 26 families trying to work through this time in their lives the best they can.

It is encouraging to know that we are seeing a large reduction so far this year. We even have a few counties that could have zero fatalities.

But, there is still work to be done. Out of the 10 regions, the Central Region usually has enough fatalities to be the second or third worst region in the state.

We need to keep reminding ourselves and others to emphasize and practices what works:

Wear a safety belt, drive sober, leave cell phone down, and stay attentive.

Thanks for reading, M

Three Seconds Before the Crash

A local television station called me last week with questions about the dangers of distracted driving. They had heard the announcement by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Safety Council President Janet Froetscher about the creation of a national nonprofit organization called FocusDriven. It is the first of its kind devoted specifically to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

The reporter wanted to know my view on distracted driving and I was very pleased to take the time to talk with him about this topic. Distracted driving is serious business and a growing concern among safety advocates nationwide.

Although many people think of driving as just a routine task, the reality is that controlling an automobile takes a driver’s full attention. Did you know it only take three seconds to travel more than 300 feet when driving 70 mph? The National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration says that 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some sort of driving distraction occurring within three seconds before the vehicle crash. One such distraction is texting while driving.

It is not okay to think you can take your eyes off the road to focus on the keyboard of your phone in an attempt to send or read a text. No message is so important that it cannot wait until you have stopped in a safe location.

Our society is a busy one and technology has made the communication of information instant. I have mentioned before how much I depend upon my Blackberry. It allows me to multitask and get a lot done—anywhere and at anytime. But we need to learn to use our technology responsibly and we need to teach our driving-age children to do the same.

My hope is that you pause to think about what you can do now to prevent a crash, rather than think about what you wish you had done differently after a crash. My hope is that my words in this blog or on television this week might just save a life. Please give driving your full attention.

Respond to my blog and let me know what you think.

Matt

Is "MyKey" a Young Driver's Best Friend?

In a September 1, 2009 article in USA Today, Ford is introducing something I think is pretty “cool”. It is a new technology called “MyKey”. An engineer at Ford wondered how he could use technology to help get a teenage driver through that first year of driving. After the teenage driver in his family rolled a family car twice, the father decided that maybe there was something that could be done.

What does the key do? From the article, it becomes a obnoxious little brother. If the driver and passengers are not buckled up, the car chimes at them until they do. It also does not allow the radio to be used until they are buckled up. The key can set the volume of the radio or it can set the maximum speed the car can be driven. The key can also program the car to chime at specific speeds such as 55 or 65 mph.

Being the Central Region Coordinator for Missouri’s Coalition for Roadway Safety, I see the weekly fatality numbers for Central Missouri. As of this week, 12 more people have died than last year at this time. The article causes me to ask: Can technology save more teenager drivers and passengers?

I believe that the answer is yes and no. I realize this is a goofy answer! I believe technology can help, but there are limits. It is certainly difficult to be a parent and watch your teenager drive out of the driveway without your all-imposing presence and experience to guide them. A reminder that their best defense while driving is a simple click of a seat belt is wonderful. Their schedules can make them so busy it is easy to forget the simple things. Their lives have so many distractions that reducing the “volume” to help their focus can only help their driving as well.

I certainly like how the key helps control speed. Between the years 2005-08, high school drivers in Central Missouri were involved in a crash with a fatality or disabling injury. The statistics show that in 147 of these cases, speed contributed towards the crash. Teenagers are already full of energy and motion. They do not need to translate that into a driving habit.

Technology does have its limits. I don’t believe there is a substitute for experience. The first year is the most critical time for a teenage driver. The number of crashes they experience decreases significantly after the first year of driving. More seasoned drivers recognize situations quicker and undertake the correct actions. Teenagers have to experience these situations as they come. So, I don’t believe that gadgets can replace time behind the wheel. But, I do believe it has a place.

In Missouri, teenage drivers represent 9% of the licensed drivers, but they were involved in 23% of the crashes resulting in a fatality and disabling injury in 2008.


This blog was submitted by Matt Myers, Central Region Coordinator for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

Let's Talk

As regional coordinator for the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, I am often invited to speak with groups about safe driving habits. Some stories I hear at these outings are uplifting and some are sad. More importantly, we can all learn from these stories because they are about real people just like you and me.

Real People, Real Loss - This summer, a local high school principal in mid-Missouri invited me to speak with students and parents as part of their driver’s education class. The principal was concerned because several teens in this community had died in car crashes during the last school year. Some of the teens were riding with their parents. Sadly, none were wearing a seat belt. The principal felt an urgency to educate the students and community about seat belt safety because she didn’t want to see another young life lost. I applaud her efforts.

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand that without a seat belt, a person can be tossed around and out of a vehicle during a crash. Seat belts keep you secured in your seat.

Check out this link of a taxi cab driver that fell asleep while driving. He ends up with his head out the window of the car after it rolls.



Check out this public service announcement showing how an unbelted passenger hurt others in the car.



In my job I see a lot. I’ve seen people survive serious crashes because they were wearing a seat belt and stayed secured in their seat. I’ve seen crashes in which the passenger area of the car was barely damaged, but the unbelted occupants were thrown from the car or seriously hurt others inside the car as they were tossed about. I hear people tell me they can hold on during a crash. The reality is that the force of a crash at 40 mph is like hitting the ground after falling off a 50-foot cliff. You can’t hold on.

Do As I Do - I am a parent. One of the most important safety tips I’ve tried to teach my children is that they have a much better chance of surviving a vehicle crash if wearing a seat belt. I tell them this sometimes. More importantly, my wife and I show them how important we think it is by buckling up every single time we drive or ride in a vehicle.

Why I Do This - Just like the high school principal, I encourage you to proactively work to encourage others to use their seat belt. Buckling up takes seconds. Use that time to choose wisely because it might just affect the rest of your life or the life of someone you love. My hope is that as I visit places to speak on this topic in the future, the positive stories will outnumber the sad.

Start A Dialogue - I encourage parents and teens to respond to this blog. Let me know what questions you have about safe driving practices like seat belt safety and sober driving. I’m happy to respond and I look forward to hearing from you.