Be Extra Alert

To combat the level of distraction on our roads today, you can become an extra alert driver and save yourself from getting in accidents.

If you live in a congested city you see terrible examples of Distracted Driving at every turn, but no matter the size of your city, distracted driving is a threat to all motorists. To diminish your risk of being involved in an accident with a distracted driver you can take some simple steps:

1. Be focused on the road. Scan the road ahead and behind you for potential problems. If you see a problem make sure to honk your horn loud & long. People who are distracted aren't as responsive as those who are focused.

2. Look Left-Right-Left before you cross into an intersection. Distracted Drivers are more likely to run red lights and stop signs. Make sure you aren't in their path!

3. If you see a Distracted Driver behind you, or someone following too close pull off the road at a safe place, and allow the Distracted Driver to pass. It is much better to have unsafe drivers ahead of you, than behind you.

4. Watch the center line for Distracted Drivers who might drift over the line and hit you head on. If you are on a 4+ lane road, you may want to avoid travelling in the lane by the center line.

5. Watch for people drifting into your lane. Watch for Distracted Drivers who might drift into your lane. Keep a close eye on people who camp out in your blind spot who might be Distracted Drivers. Again, allow them to get ahead of you.

6. Also remember to watch for pedestrians who are texting & walking. They too have inattention blindness and sometimes step off the curb without even looking, or walk slowly across the street.
Bottom line: Continuously watch for Distracted Drivers...they are out there in abundance. Be safe and feel free to add additional Safety Tips in the comment secion below.

How Lucas Euser is making a Difference in Road Safety

When Lucas Euser and I talked recently, he unveiled his plans to help improve Road Safety. We both agreed that Distracted Driving will not be solved by one person. It will take many. It will take an Army. An Army of people working on different levels relaying the dangers of distracted driving, educating youth, implementing laws and penalties that will be taken seriously, police writing citations, Moms and Dad talking to their kids about the dangers, friends reminding friends not to text and drive, PSAs galore, a continued massive attack of media reports, personal responsibility to not put people in needless danger on the roads...and then some.

Lucas is not only a speed demon on a bike, but a highly intelligent and motivated 26 year old. He detailed a well mapped out plan of attack on how to improve road safety near his US home in Napa Valley, California.

In what seems like an ironic twist of fate, the man who ignited Lucas’ passion for cycling via a mountain bike team, is the same man working side-by-side with Lucas to help improve road safety in Napa. Under-Sheriff John Roberston started Team NSO (Napa Sheriff’s Office) a junior mountain bike team, a division of S.A.L. The program was designed to “keep kids off the streets and get them active” as Lucas said. Lucas was hooked on cycling and transitioned from mountain biking to road and became a professional.

After Lucas’ cycling accident in Spain (See previous Blog Post), Lucas returned home to Napa to continue training. There he met with John Robertson and told him of his new passion: Road Safety. As the under-Sheriff, John Robertson was happy to team up with Lucas again to make a difference in road safety.

Lucas plans to start a Yield to Life chapter in Napa (Cycling and Road Safety for Cyclists created by teammate Dave Zabriskie). Additionally, with the help of the California Highway Patrol and John Robertson, they will design a program to teach new drivers the rules of cycling in addition to the rules of the road. “Whether they ride a bike or not, they will know the rules.” Too many auto/cyclist accidents happen because the driver isn’t aware of rules of the road for cyclists, or they are too distracted when they come upon a cyclist and don’t “see” them. Lucas said in most cases drivers “Don’t treat us as a motorist. We aren’t a vehicle and we don’t get the same respect.” Lucas & John Robertson’s program will teach young drivers a level of respect and understanding for cyclists that few people on the road have currently.

While a cell phone wasn’t an apparent factor in the accident that severely injured Lucas, he understands the dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel. He sees distracted motorists on a daily basis and says “The more you text and drive, your chances go up that something is going to happen.” Lucas has been a big supporter for @DontTwive, and knows his tweets can help bring awareness and ultimately save lives if people put their cell phones down and focus on driving.

Lucas Euser and John Robertson team up again! If their work with road safety nets the same results as their first partnership, then Napa will have some of the safest roads in the country for cyclists.

Lucas promised to keep us informed as they roll out the program in Napa. We’ll continue to follow Lucas’ career success as well as his success with Road Safety! Thank you Lucas for making a difference!

Meet Lucas Euser: Pro Cyclist & Road Safety Advocate

Lucas Euser (@LucasEuser) has an office with a view most of us would drool over. His office is on the road. For hours every day, he trains in the lovely terrain of Napa Valley, or in Girona, Spain the European Headquarters of Garmin Slipstream, his pro cycling team. Last week Lucas took time out of his evening to talk to me about his passion for Road Safety.

This past May on a training ride in Spain to hone his time trial skills, a car turned in front of him, and Lucas unable to avoid the car, smashed into the rear panel of the SUV. (Read full account of the accident in the VeloNews article.) According to David Moulton (@exframebuilder) this type of accident between car and cyclist is so common it has a name: The Right Hook.

While the driver didn’t seem to be a Distracted Driver, the she wasn’t fully aware either. Wasn’t aware that as she slowed her SUV, she was going to turn into the path of Lucas who was peddling at a fast pace of 52 km/hr. As a driver, her mind wasn’t fully where it needed to be…on the road, and on the people she shared the road with who might cross her path.

Your mind is a super processor, every second you drive, your mind is calculating distance, potential dangers, and objects to avoid. It is critical to be focused behind the wheel, but especially when you come upon a cyclist, motorcycle, runner or other person without 2 tons of steel wrapped around them. They are the most vulnerable passengers on the road and deserve our respect and protection.

Being an uber positive-minded athlete, the inspirational Lucas started training as soon as his knee was wired back into place, before his broken ribs had healed. In addition for an even bigger hunger to succeed in cycling Lucas also pledged to make a difference in road safety and is approaching that with the same passion that drives him to success in his sport. Part of his plans involve joining with teammate David Zabriskie (@DZabriskie) founder of Yield to Life (www.Yieldtolife.org) and (@Yield2Life).

People like Lucas come out of a bad experience stronger, changed, more determined, and touch other lives around them in a positive way. Lucas personifies the kind of teammate people want in all situations. At a time of year where most cyclists are having fun during the offseason Lucas is focused and training hard in Girona so he can help his Garmin teammates excel in 2010. Remember when you see a cyclist, Yield to Life!

COMING SOON: How Lucas Euser is making a difference in road safety.

National Teen Driver Safety Week - Oct 18th - 24th

It is National Teen Driver Safety Week and from US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's Blog (@RayLaHood) the theme of this year is not teens, but parents!

It is good for parents to focus on the week and talk about the facts with their teens...the stats are not good.

- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens;
- More than one in three deaths for this age group involves a motor vehicle;
- More than 4,200 teens in the United States, aged 15–19, are killed in motor vehicle crashes;
11 teens, ages 16-19, die every day from motor vehicle injuries;
- 400,000 teens were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes; and
- Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. (All stats are from 2007)

According the Century Council's website, driver error and speed are the leading cause of teen driver crashes. Century Council (@CenturyCouncil) also has the Concentration Game which is a great way to sit down with your teen and initiate a conversation about the dangers of Distracted Driving.

Talk to your teens. Driving is a big deal to them, and a big responsibility. Even if they've been driving for a year or more...talk to them. Take it from someone who knows it is a horrible feeling to get a phone call with the news that your 17 year old has been in a wreck because they were distracted. Stats show talking helps...let the talking begin!

Look Ma....No Hands!!!

There are times in life when it is really cool to not use your hands...like on a roller coaster. It shows bravado and major cool factor. But no hands behind the wheel?? The woman in the video below drives for a considerable amount of time with her hands on her cell phone texting while she's speeding down the road. She doesn't look cool, in fact she's an accident waiting to happen. The more you text and drive, the more likely you are to crash. As mentioned in the video a man who was texting & driving hit a car head on and died.

Tweeted this video out last Friday, and it got a huge number of views. Thought it should be permanently added to the blog for future visitors, or repeat views.

Texting & driving is a dangerous and deadly mix. This video shows why. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.

Distracted Drivers Run Red Lights

Distracted Drivers run red lights. The previous blog entry said "Look Left-Right-Left" before crossing into an intersection - the video below demonstrates why. Distracted drivers not only run red lights, but it is often at full speed. When they hit another car (or cyclists, or person) going full speed, the results are disastrous. Texting & driving takes people's eyes off the road, sometimes while approaching a traffic light that is red. They don't see the red light because their eyes are focused on their phone, everything else around them blurs. Their eyes so focused on the cell phone, never see the red light to send a message to their brain to hit the brakes. They go into the intersection full speed. The sad truth is that we have to be extra careful because there are people on the road NOT being careful. The bottom line is being extra careful can save our lives, and the lives of our loved ones. No matter if you travel on 2 wheels, 4 wheels or up to 18 wheels - be extra alert on the roads at all times, even when you have a green light.

NOTE: this video contains a car/pedestrian accident as well as a car/scooter accident some might find too graphic. The first 2 minutes of the video are car/car accidents if you want to bypass. (Double click the video to go to the YouTube site and see the larger version.)

Also, read about the tragic results one Distracted Driver caused running a red light and hitting Hannah Grant and her family on Stay Alive, Just Drive's website. Hannah Grant Story

Be extra alert on the roads! Look Left-Right-Left as you approach an intersection. Be aware of cyclists and pedestrians too.

At Intersections Look Left-Right-Left

DriverCam dash cams prove most accidents happen at intersections. As you near an intersection take a quick look left, right and then left again before you enter the intersection. Be aware if there is a distracted driver that might cross your path in the intersection. As the video below shows it can save you from getting in a crash and can also save your life.

DriveCam Figures Out What Went Wrong

Reminder: Please focus on the road, and be aware of cyclists, walkers, and runners.