CRASH SAFETY
(Written by Joel Neilsen, Managing Director, Safe Drive Training)
Driving a motor vehicle is a simple task, we do it everyday.
But it is also the most dangerous thing you’ll ever do.
When we put the keys in the ignition we take command of a weapon far deadlier than any gun. We are in control of 1.5 tonnes of steel, glass and rubber capable of traveling at speeds of up to 65 metres per second. Because we drive so often and nothing bad happens, we easily become complacent to the dangers.
Over the past 10 years approximately 23,000 Australians have been killed and a further 1.5 million Australians involved in road crashes. That’s a lot of unnecessary death and injury.
Each year in Queensland there is an estimated 30,000 car crashes, that injure 15,000 and kill over 300.
If you drive a car you are an accident waiting to happen.
If you are a young driver, be aware that one third of all those killed; injured and involved in road crashes are 17-25 years old. Road trauma is a leading cause of death amongst young Australians
It is every parent’s greatest fear that their son or daughter will be killed as a driver or passenger in a motor vehicle crash. Unfortunately statistics demonstrate this tragic waste of life occurs all too often.
If you drive a company car be aware that the Federal Office of Road Safety and the National Safety Council recognize that road crashes are the most common cause of work related deaths, injuries and absence from work in Australia. On average a company vehicle will have a crash once every five years with the average total cost to the company being $18,500.
The cost of crashes to the community are far higher; each life lost costs an estimated $800,000.
Yes speed, alcohol and fatigue are killers stalking us on the road, but so to is over-confidence, inexperience, peer pressure, a lack of concentration, a need to show off and our foolish believe that it won’t happen to us.
Accidents happen to all road users. No one is exempt.
Those that take more risks have more accidents.
So what makes a good driver?
Having a licence, being a racing driver, having a safe car, being able to drive faster than everyone else in heavy traffic or wet weather, out performing or maneuvering other drivers, the fact that you haven’t had an accident yet?
What makes you think you’re not an accident waiting to happen.
Being a good driver is about understanding the attitude and behavior of others, about knowing your own limitations and the limitations of your vehicle, about managing the risks we take, about understanding road rules and why not all drivers follow them, about making our vehicle safe and being ready for the unexpected. Safe Drive Training can show you how.
We urge you to invest in your life by becoming the best driver you can be.
A drivers licence has not taught you everything you need to know and years of driving experience are not always the best teacher.
Under the current licencing system driver performance is rated on simple control skills performed under ideal conditions. A licence is gained far too easily and unfortunately their is no requirement to continually update our driving skills and awareness.
Safe Drive Training is committed to improving the driver education and safety of all road users. Our team of instructors work with industry, the media, road safety researchers and the community to improve the safety of all road users.
Whether your a novice just starting to drive, a parent carrying the most precious cargo of all, the driver of a company car or an enthusiast looking for a safe place to find your limits, Safe Drive Training has a specific driver education and training program for you. After all Safe Drivers are Life Savers.
Unfortunately for those most at risk there is nothing we can tell you, no video you can see, no car control skills that you can learn that will highlight the hidden dangers of driving; like having a car crash. What a terrible way to learn a lesson.
We all make mistakes, no one is a perfect driver. But sometimes these mistakes have fatal consequences and sometimes we can become involved in other peoples mistakes.
Our attitude and what motivates us as a driver is the key to managing the risks we take when driving.
For example speed and what motivates drivers to speed is an area that can increase the risk of having a crash.
- Trying to drive at 25 kph faster than the surrounding traffic increases your risk of a crash by 10 times. One day another driver will misjudge the speed and distance of your approach and leave you with no where to go.
- Those doing the dance of death at high speed through a roundabout late at night will have fun until the night they misjudge clip a kerb and meet a power pole face to face.
- The driver and passengers seeing how fast their car can go may wish they were at home when the under inflated tyre explodes and says sorry make your own arrangements from here.
- The driver speeding down a side street to get ahead in traffic may blame the child they run over for riding their bike in what was normally a quiet suburban street. But we know who is really to blame.
- A speeding driver at night may get a kangaroo as a bonnet emblem because their stopping distance exceeded the range of their headlights.
Its all about what motivates us to drive like we do.
Driving to survive is about driving like everyone is out to get you, because if you don’t they will get you. Let other drivers have there accidents somewhere else.
But always be prepared for the unexpected.
Safe Drive Training asks you to re-evaluate your driving and the risks you unknowingly take every single day. Driving is a simple task, driving safely is the hard part.
CRASH STATISTICS
Each year worldwide there are 500,000 road deaths, It is estimated that by 2020 this figure will rise to 700,000 deaths per annum.
Injuries outnumber deaths 70 times
15,000,000 serious injuries each year
Annual cost of motor vehicle crashes in USA is $70 billion
(In Queensland between 1993 and 1998 there were 180,000 road crashes)
WORLDWIDE
1 in 200 will die from road crash
1 in 7 chance on being injured in a road crash during your life
- 25% of deaths occur at the crash scene
- 25% of deaths occur in transit to hospital
CAUSES OF FATAL CRASHES
Side Impacts 43% Frontal Impact 26% Front Under-ride 23% Rollover 6% Rear Impact 2% (Based on international studies by Mercedes Benz)
COMMON TYPES OF INSURANCE CLAIMS
Hit in Rear 26% Failed to Give Way 24.1% Hit Parked Car 23.5% Single Vehicle Crash 14.5% Other 11.9% (Based on insurance claims lodged with AAMI Insurance)
According to the AAMI Crash Index the average Australian driver is involved in a motor vehicle crash every 6.94 years (2,553 days).
The most common time for car crashes in between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm especially on Friday afternoons.
DEATH RATES PER DISTANCE TRAVELLED
(Source: European Safety Council, figures per billion vehicle kilometres)
EU AVERAGE 17.8 GERMANY 16.6 GREECE 64.3 LUXEMBOURG 16.3 PORTUGAL 53.0 IRELAND 14.2 SPAIN 41.9 DENMARK 13.7 BELGIUM 21.3 NETHERLANDS 12.0 AUSTRIA 21.0 FINLAND 11.5 FRANCE 18.5 SWEDEN 9.2 ITALY 17.4 UNITED KINGDOM 8.8 NEW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS
Vehicle designers are constantly seeking improved safety systems, often though the company is seeking to exploit these systems as a marketing edge. Systems currently under development include;
- Enhanced Visual Imaging (night sensors)
- Intelligent Cruise Control (automatically brakes if closure rate is high)
- Alcohol Interlocks
- Route Guidance Systems
- Intelematics Cruise Control (GPS system monitors a cars position on road compared with the set speed limit and retards engine to limit excess speed)
- Intelligent Speed Adaptation (3 stage: Flashing light or audible warning to alert driver; Positive Throttle Pressure to make pedal harder to depress; Fuel cut-out to limit speed)
- Dual Stage Airbags
- Integral Seat and Seatbelt (sash belt located in seat back to always maintain correct angle)
- Head and Chest Side Airbags
- The Inflatable Curtain (a full length airbag covering both front and rear side windows and doors)
- Seatbelt Airbag
- Knee Bolsters (airbag that protects the legs under the dashboard)
- Active Head Restraints (head rests reduce whiplash)
- Post-crash Trauma Management Systems (car notifies a communications base of crash, crash speed and GPS location so that help can be co-ordinated immediately)
The Post-crash Trauma Management Systems are being trailed by several manufacturers in the United States. The added technology is simply a GPS navigation device, a mobile phone and a crash event recorder which monitors engine speed, vehicle speed, brake use and throttle position, plus the change of velocity in the crash, whether the airbags deployed and if seatbelts were in use.
LOADING YOUR VEHICLE
When I was 17 and didn’t know any better I dared a mate of mine to drive his Volkswagen Kombi Van around this 90 degree bend as fast as he could.
About mid-corner both of us suddenly appreciated the danger we were in; when the high-centre of gravity, skinny tyres and loose road surface conspired against us and the Kombi pivoted, tipped and then rolled 3 times over landing back on its wheels.
Now we were really lucky, firstly because we were wearing our seatbelts which kept us inside the vehicle and secondly because we did not hit anything solid.
But in the crash all the loose objects which included an axe, a circular saw, a socket set, a pair of football boots, a golf club, assorted rubbish, a pair of dirty underwear which still disgusts me today and several burgers we had just picked up from a take-away store migrated to the roof, then the floor, then the roof, then the floor then the roof then the floor in the washing machine roll over process.
I got 2 black eyes from these loose objects. We got lucky.
In a collision small objects become big missiles, making impacts of 20-30 times their weight. 20 kg of load can impact the skull at an equivalent of ½ tonne. This means even the smallest objects can pack a big punch.
When loading your car it is essential to not inadvertently make objects lethal weapons in your car. This car is set-up as an example of what not to do. Chances are your car is not this bad but it may have one or two similar misplaced missiles.
Firstly never store objects in the drivers footwell. Not the steering lock, nor your shoes. Under heavy braking or cornering these items can move and reduce your ability to use the pedals.
Even the floor mats if not properly designed can squash forwards as you get in the car, limiting or blocking your access to the pedals.
Loose objects on the dashboard or centre console such as CD cases, loose change and mobile phones can be distracting as they slide around while cornering.
These items belong in the numerous storage compartments provided.
Use the drink holders so you do not need to nurse a drink between your legs while driving. In some cars the drink holders are even conveniently located in front of the air-conditioning controls to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot.
Avoid the temptation created by leaving your handbag or briefcase on the front passengers seat. Store it safely so you have to stop the car to get at objects inside.
Safely means in the passengers footwell or behind the passengers seat.
Be aware of what lurks under the drivers seat. An empty bottle, tennis ball, referdex or other object can also moved from under the seat to under your feet. The referdex belongs in the map pocket.
Never leave large objects unrestrained on the backseat. Often at the drive-thru bottle shop the attendant will place a carton of beer on your backseats.
In a small crash this heavy mass could kill front seat occupants. Death by beer, what a way to go.
If your car has a remote boot release, use it to allow the attendant at the bottleshop access to the boot.
This section of the car is commonly referred to as the parcel shelf. But we should never store objects here either. Not small dogs, nor cats, nor tissue boxes, nor umbrella’s nor hard hats.
As a civil engineer I have seen many colleagues demonstrating their ignorance to the dangers of loose objects, by storing the hard hat here. A hard hat will hurt. Tragically there have been occurrences of Australian drivers killed by their golf umbrella as it stabbed them through the seat from behind.
In another tragic case, a young lady was murdered in a small fender bender leaving her local shopping centre by her groceries placed in the backseat and not the boot.
When storing items in the boot, also give some consideration to how they are placed.
Objects banging around are distracting and can damage the boot.
So pack items carefully. Place the largest heaviest items down low and up against the backseats.
Large items should be placed to make sure the maximum surface area contacts the backseats. Having this luggage the other way concentrates forces in a crash.
A product that exists to provide extra protection for occupants from their luggage is a Cargo Barrier. Milford Cargo Barriers are manufactured in Adelaide by Milford Industries and can be fitted as an after-market accessory to almost all commercial vans or wagons. The idea being to provide a reinforced cage to separate load from occupants.
Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act the vehicle is becoming recognized as a workplace and as such employers have obligations to protect employees on the job site. This may include the fitment of cargo barriers to the company vehicle fleet.
So in the interest of your safety and that of your passengers load your car correctly, if regularly carrying heavy loads consider the purchase of a Cargo Barrier and store loose objects in the storage compartments provided.
