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Archive for the ‘traffic safety’ Category

Survey: More than half of teen drivers talk or text behind the wheel

Thursday, June 7, 2012 by:Amanda Cuda
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A high percentage of the state’s teen drivers talk or text on their phone while behind the wheel, according to the 2011 Connecticut School Health Survey.

The results of the survey — administered to more than 6,000  high school and middle school students across the state — were released Thursday by the state Department of Public Health. Students are asked about a variety of behaviors, including sexual activity, alcohol and drug use and cigarette use. Students are also asked about their driving behaviors, and more than half (53 percent) of those surveyed said they talked on a cell phone while driving at least once in the month before taking the survey.

In further bad driving behavior, about 50 percent of teen drivers admitted to texting or emailing while driving at least once in the month before taking the survey. Also, about 10 percent of high school students said they rarely or never wore a seat belt as a passenger and about one out of every 10 high school seniors reported drinking alcohol and driving in the month before the survey. About one in four said they had recently been a passenger of someone who had been drinking alcohol.

State health officials report that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.

The Connecticut School Health Survey is administered in two parts, the Youth Behavior Component (YBC) and the Youth Tobacco Component (YTC). The  YBC surveys high school students and monitors public health risk behavior and the YTC survey high school and middle school students about their use of and exposure to tobacco. In 2011, 4,299 middle and high school students completed the YTC  and 2,058 youth completed the YBC. The YBC contained the questions about driving behaviors.

For more on the Connecticut School Health Survey, visit http://www.ct.gov/dph/cshs.

State Police’s S.A.N.T.A.S. also know if you’ve been naughty or nice

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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The holiday season is officially upon us. And you know what that means — our good friends in the law enforcement community are setting up their holiday efforts to make sure we’re enjoying the season within the safe and legal limit. Here is the press release from the Connecticut State Police on its Operation S.A.N.T.A.S. Also, note that there will be roving patrols on Interstate 95, between Stamford and New Haven, and on routes 8 and 25, between Bridgeport, Trumbull, Shelton, until the end of the year.:

“The Connecticut State Police today launched the 2011 Holiday enforcement program in an attempt to save lives and prevent injury as the Christmas/New Years holiday season approaches. Operation S.A.N.T.A. S-top A-nother N-eedless T-ragic A-ccident is the major holiday accident and injury prevention message from the Connecticut State Police.

This combined accident reduction effort (C.A.R.E.) involves all State Police Departments across the U.S. The focus of this enforcement will be on the drivers behavior that most frequently causes accident. Enforcment will also attempt to rid the roads and highways of drivers who will drive under the influence, speed, and fail to wear seatbelts.

DUI enforcement will increase dramatically during this holiday season. Traditionally at this time of year many holiday celebrations such as house and office parties take place. Many of these parties MAY include the consumption of alcohol. Some partygoers will not designate a non drinking driver and will neglect to remember that mixing alcohol with driving any motor vehicle is unwise, dangerous and illegal.  State Police Troopers have scheduled DUI sobriety checkpoints and enhanced DUI enforcement operations on the roads and highways all across Connecticut.

Emergency Services & Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford said, “Our State Troopers are trying to save lives and keep all of our roads and highways safe”. “Remember mixing alcohol with driving a any vehicle is a dangerous combination for everyone, and illegal in our State”.

No one looks forward to spending time in a jail cell,  a hospital,  or something worse during the  holidays.   Connecticut State Troopers will be out in force to try to keep drunk drivers off the roads. Troopers are asking the public to join our effort, if you are planning to consume alcohol at a festive event, make plans in advance for a non drinking driver to bring you home. If you spot a suspected drunk driver, call 911 and report it to the police, this is a true emergency.

Distracted driving, cell phone use and seat belt enforcement will be an important part of “OPERATION SANTA”. People talking on cell phones, not wearing seatbelts, exceeding the posted speed limit cause crashes.  Help the Connecticut State Police keep all roads and highways safe.   DUE TO SNOW 2010 OPERATION SANTA WAS CANCELEED NO STATS AVAILABLE.”

Festive lecturing from the CDC

Thursday, December 8, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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Always in search of new ways to nag us into practicing good health habits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created a new video, “The 12 Ways to Health.” This is musical journey into the land of good health habits is set to the tune of “The 12 days of Christmas” and replaces that song’s lyrics with helpful tips like “Don’t drink and drive” and “Prepare food safely.”

Though I’ve always been fond of the original version, this one is much much more practical. Who really needs eight maids a-milking or nine ladies dancing anyway? And three French hens? Don’t you know that birds carry disease?

Anyway, click below for some festive (and tuneful) lecturing:

How to avoid getting hit by a car this Halloween

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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Halloween is just mere weeks away, which means there’s precious little time left to decorate the house, pull together costumes for you and the kids and stock up on sweets to hand out.
But you should also make safety part of your Halloween preparation, according to a recent press release from the American College of Emergency Physicians. The risk of a child being hit by a car is roughly four times higher on Halloween than any other night of the year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other common Halloween injuries include eye injuries from sharp objects and burns from flammable costumes.
With an estimated 40 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 predicted to hit the trick-or-treat trails this Halloween, here are a few ways for them (and you) to stay safe … and avoid spending what’s supposed to be a fun holiday in the emergency room.
  • Emergency physicians recommend that children “trick-or-treat” at organized Halloween festivities, such as local churches, shopping malls or schools. This way children are not walking in the dark and it allows constant adult supervision.
  • If you are embarking on traditional trick-or-treating, make sure your child stays on the sidewalks as much as possible (off streets) and obeys all traffic signals.
  • Discuss the importance of staying together in a group. Require at least one adult to serve as chaperone during trick-or-treat gatherings.
  • Make sure your child knows the potential dangers from strangers. Make sure they know never to accept rides from strangers or visit unfamiliar homes or areas.
  • Avoid costumes that could cause children to trip, such as baggy pants, long hems, high heels and oversized shoes.
  • Avoid costumes that obstruct the child’s sight or vision. Avoid masks if possible. If your child must wear one, make sure it is well ventilated.
  • Make sure costume fabric, wigs and beards area made of flame-resistant materials, such as nylon or polyester.
  • Keep candlelit Jack-O-Lanterns away from children so they can’t get burned or set on fire.
  • Make sure costumes are visible at night: avoid dark colors. Add reflective tape to costumes so your child is more visible to motor vehicles.
  • Make sure you see all of the candy before your child eats it. Avoid candy that is not wrapped in its original wrapper, as well as all fruit.
  • Take a flashlight while trick-or-treating as visibility decreases long before it gets really dark.
  • Check accessories such as swords, knives, wands and other pointed objects. Make sure they are made from flexible materials and have dulled edges.
For more information on this and other health-related topics, go to www.EmergencyCareForYou.org

Hit the road, safely

Friday, July 1, 2011 by:Amanda Cuda
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If you haven’t already, chances are that you and the fam are planning to load up the car or other automotive device and head out on a July Fourth weekend adventure in the near future. That’s all well and good, but safety officials urge you to keep your wits about you if you’ll be on the road this weekend.

The National Safety Council estimates 374 traffic deaths will occur between 6 p.m. today and 11:59 p.m. Monday. The council also estimates that there will be roughly 36,000 traffic-related injuries over that same time period. During July 4 weekend last year, the Connecticut State Police investigated more than 275 motor vehicle crashes, five of them  fatal. 

Throughout the weekend, state police will man sobriety checkpoints all over the state. You can find a full list of checkpoint locations here: http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?Q=482240&A=11 . Last year, state cops issued 2,249 summons for speeding, 59 for DUI and 427 for seatbelt violations.

If you want to avoid a ticket — or a serious car crash — police and safety officials urge that you follow all laws while on the road. If you drink, don’t drive — and vice versa. Always wear your safety belt. And, even though you desperately want to get to Aunt Millie’s pool party before all the potato salad is gone, obey all speed limits.

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