ROdown Blog
How can you stay safer on the roads?
You probably would have seen in the media that there have been a lot of fatal car accidents involving young people recently.
Every week when I turn on the news or open the paper there seems to be another horrific accident, and it makes me really, really sad to see such young, promising life taken so prematurely. It doesn’t need to happen – it feels stupid and unnecessary to me.
The devastation has impacts beyond those who might be immediately obvious; it affects families, friends, crash survivors, school and broader communities.
Young people are most affected
According to the RTA website young drivers represent around 36 per cent of annual road fatalities, despite making up only 15 per cent of drivers.
The biggest killer of young drivers is speeding and around 80 per cent of those killed are male.
In fact, sadly, young drivers are over represented in all fatal crashes, including drink driving and fatigue.
What can you + your friends do to stay safe on the roads
- Keep an eye on your speed. Watch this video from Crashlab to see the impact difference if you crash at 60km per hour versus 100 km per hour. Really made me think.
- Don’t drink and drive. Check out the Reach Out fact sheet and video on drink driving for for more info.
- Don’t drive when you’re tired. Fatigue can lay a major role in car accidents.
- Try to avoid driving at night (after 10pm) and carrying passengers also increases the crash risk significantly.
Check out the RTA Geared website for a whole lot of info about driving, from getting your licence and keeping it through to tips for staying safe on the road.
How do you stay safe on the roads?
Do you have tips for other people about how to stay safe on the roads?
For example, what do you do for transport when you go out to parties?
How do you talk to a friend if you think their driving is dangerously fast?
What do you do if you have to drive long distances?
Share your tips below in the comments section below.
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9 Comments
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Daniela Falecki
over 1 year ago
Reply Reportgreat suggestions
Antria
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportHmm I am pretty bad with tired driving and I never really consider it as much, I fell asleep last year at the wheel while driving on the highway (scary). I think after this I have been a bit more aware!
I also used to have to do this for my job, often I would be on a 24 hour shift and could be like 19 hours into a shift with only an hour or two of sleep and have to go out and drive for up to three hours to pick up young people who had run away and were feeling unsafe. I remember a few times I had to make complaints because I was so tired even with coffee that I could barely focus or respond while driving - at the end of the day though I was in the position repeatedly because there was no funding to have a back up worker although looking back I think I was actually putting young people at risk by driving with them. It seems this is more widely acceptable in society (I would have lost my job if I had any alcohol in my system!)
To get around this (tired driving) my partner and I usually have an agreement that if we are driving home late at nigh we both stay awake and chat to keep both of us alert and swap if the driver gets too tired.
Chey
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportHeres some tips:
1:If your planning to drink have a desginated drive you can trust,or use public transport,also make sure you tell someone (parents,family etc) where you are and your plans.
2:Speeding kills your not invisble as much as you like to think you are plus also remember its not just your life your putting at tisk.
3:Dont get into a car with someone you feel unsafe with.
4:In wet weather be more careful.
anna
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportAlso - check out this great article on ActNow
http://actnow.com.au/Issues/The_Psychology_of_Driving_Young.aspx on the Psychology of driving young
anna
almost 2 years ago
Reply Reportsome great suggestions :)
What a lot of you have commented on is the difficulty of speaking up if someone is drunk and driving, or if you think their driving is unsafe. Tricky one - some great ideas though there :)
I've seen the one about not knowing (or thinking) you're drunk even though you are - I once hopped in a car with a friend and we were lucky to make it home - she wasn't ok to drive and we clipped a curb around the corner from home.
At theat time I'd heard about breathalisers (spelling?!) that past drink driving offenders needed to blow into before their car started - expensive solution, but not a bad idea. The car wouldn't start without a good reading.
The fatigue point is really interesting too. So many of us drive home from work or uni at the end of a long day tired. If you're not focusing at a critical moment, it is incredibly dangerous.
Good points - keep them coming :)
mazzman
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportThere is STACKS of research out there that shows that driving tired is as bad as driving drunk. From memory i think driving under 12 hours sleep deprivation (i.e. being up 12 hours longer than you normally would) is the same as driving .05 over the limit in terms of your reaction time, decision making etc.
Scary!
Antria
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportI think its pretty hard - I mean, I've never been drunk (or tipsy) and tried driving. I have never intentionally got into a car with someone who has been drinking excessively but most of my friends say they have been drunk while driving at least once. It can be hard to intervene, especially when you have had a few drinks because its hard to know if they are over the limit or not. If more places had those machines that allow you to read your blood alcohol it would make it easier - although I suspect they would be misused as a competition to see who could get the highest.
I've also been in a position where I was picked up (with friends) by someone they knew and we didn't realise until we were already driving that he was under the influence of drugs. It was a pretty dangerous road and we felt unsafe but at the time we didn't think to make him stop and get out (which in hindsight, would seem like the best idea!).
I guess over time I've smartened up about the benefits of either just waiting for a cab or catching the bus. Often either myself or my partner will agree to drive and the other can drink if we go to a BBQ, dinner or something like that.
I've also been the friend who goes out at 3am (dead sober) to pick up my sister, friends or others who are out drinking to make sure they get home safely.
I think its best to plan ahead how you will get home, to stay with friends and to make sure if you think someone else is drunk, you encourage them not to drive. With people really close to me, I have even hidden their keys when I thought they were too drunk to drive and they were insisting that they were not. Kind of sneaky, but you gotta do what you gotta do, lol.
Oops, I just realised I made this all about drink driving - not sure how that happened. I probably don't have much to add regarding other issues of road safety.
Ophelia.L
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportMy friend tweeted this to me, but not sure if anyone would like it, but here it be for those who would like it: http://www.streetfire.net/video/Embrace-Life-Always-Wear_732509.htm
Ophelia.L
almost 2 years ago
Reply ReportSpeeding is not cool. Neither is dying.
For example, what do you do for transport when you go out to parties?
- I get a ride back home, but if I went out drinking with a couple of my mates, I'd probably not want to go home. So, I'll get a motel or something. Normally cabs are good ideas, but during night times I don't trust cabbies.
How do you talk to a friend if you think their driving is dangerously fast?
If you don't slow down, we will crash. If you won't slow down - pull over on the side - I'll bus it back home.
or
Please drive the speed limit. You're driving 80 in a 60 zone.
or
I haven't written my Will yet, please slow down.