RECENT SAFETY NEWS
At Citrin Law Firm, we are committed to making our community a safer place to live. We are intensely passionate and driven to reduce terrible tragedies. All too often, the devastating effects of serious injury or death could have been avoided by adhering to basic safety practices. As we enter into 2010, we will focus much of our efforts on safe teen driver training. Some of the facts and reasons for choosing these programs are outlined below: Young drivers are involved in fatal crashes at more than twice the rate of all others. The first year for a newly licensed teenage driver is the most dangerous, with more than one in five involved in crashes. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 44% of teen deaths in the U.S. Each year nearly 6,000 teens are killed in vehicular accidents; more than 3,800 are drivers aged 15-20. Annually, more than 326,000 young drivers are seriously injured. More than half of highway deaths occurred between Friday and Sunday; 41% occurred between 9:00pm and 6:00am. Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at an unsafe speed is the most common error in fatal teenage accidents. More than 1,000 young drivers lose their lives each year in crashes because of an impaired driver, be it themselves or someone else. Although this group represents about 7% of the nations licensed drivers, they are involved in nearly 15% of all fatal crashes.
We are obsessed with Safety… All Citrin attorneys are certified Safe Driving Instructors by the National Safety Council, and volunteer their time to teach road safety disciplines and practices that are proven to prevent senseless tragedies.
The Hazards of Cellphones and Driving...
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Drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash while using a cell phone. (1997 New England Journal of Medicine examination of hospital records and 2005 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study linking crashes to cell phone records).
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There is no difference in the cognitive distraction between hand-held and hands-free devices. (Simulator studies at the U. of Utah.)
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Cell phone use contributes to an estimated 6 percent of all crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. (Harvard Center of Risk Analysis).
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80 percent of crashes are related to driver inattention. There are certain activities that may be more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. However, cell phone use occurs more frequently and for longer durations than other, riskier behaviors. Thus, the #1 source of driver inattention is cell phones. (Virginia Tech 100-car study for NHTSA)
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It is estimated that more than 100 million people use cell phones while driving. (CTIA – The Wireless Association reports 270 million cell phone subscribers. A Nationwide Insurance public opinion poll showed 81 percent of the public admit to talking on a cell phone while driving).
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Brain function associated with driving decreases by 37% while also engaged in listening. (Dr. Marcel Just, Director Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging, Carnegie Mellon University)
$1000 Safe Driving Video Contest
Citrin Law Firm brings the Alive at 25 Safe Driving Program to Alabama Gulf Coast
sponsored by Citrin Law Firm, P.C.
On April 24, 2010, Citrin Law Firm, P.C. will award $1000 to the individual or group which produces the best original 25 second video which describes one of the Safe Driving Defenses to the 7 Deadly Driving Sins (Speeding, Intoxicants, Seat Belts, Crowds, Distractions, Fatigue, and Tailgating). In addition to the $1000 award, the Citrin Law Firm will broadcast the winning video on local TV as part of its Safety Outreach Program.
To qualify, videos must address at least one of the Safe Driving Defenses to the 7 Deadly Driving Sins, must be 25 seconds in length, and must be submitted to the Citrin Law Firm, P.C. at 1703 Main Street, Daphne, AL 36526, or can be emailed to tracey@citrinlaw.com by April 10, 2010. A panel of judges will select 3 finalist based on the following criteria: simplicity, unexpectedness, S.C.O.B.A.M. ( how well the video conveys a Specific, Concrete, Observable, Behavior that can be Ascertained and Measured), credibility, emotion, and story-telling. The three finalists videos will be posted on CitrinLaw.com, CitrinSafetyFoundation.com, and Facebook.
The general public will then select the winner through on-line voting at Citrinlaw.com. The Winner will be announced at our April 24, 2010 event, the video will be played as part of the April 24, 2010 Alive at 25 Event, and the video will played on local TV thereafter.
So get those creative juices flowing and spread the word!
An Obsession with Safety...
Citrin Law Firm has joined forces with the National Safety Council to bring the Alive at 25 young driver intervention program to the Alabama Gulf Coast. This proven program zeros in on drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 – the group most likely to be involved in fatal collisions. Young drivers who graduate from this high impact course are 90% less likely to be killed in an automobile accident.
To bring awareness and training to young drivers and parents, Citrin Law Firm and the National Safety Council are providing the trainers, facilities and training materials free of charge to train up to 300 young drivers. Ten local volunteers have already been trained and certified to administer this course. This safe driving training event and presentation will be held at the Daphne Civic Center on February 27th, from 9:00 until 3:00. Young drivers between the ages of 15 and 24 are invited to participate free of charge.
The morning session will include guest speakers including individuals affected by teen accident tragedies. Following lunch (provided free), students will be divided into groups of no more than 50 for the afternoon training sessions. Alive at 25 teaches young adults: Why they often underestimate risk The affects of inexperience, peer pressure, distractions such as cell phones, texting, MP3 players and crowds. State and local driving laws and regulations Communications skills for assertiveness and being a young leader Responsibility of passengers As a young driver or passenger, you can greatly reduce your risk by taking control of the situation. Committing to learning or changing your driving behavior makes personal, legal and financial sense.
Alive at 25 - Program Overview Since 1995, more than 750,000 young adults have learned life-saving defensive driving skills through the In a recent study by the National Safety Council – South Carolina Chapter, 98 percent of participants said they would change their driving behavior after completing this course. Courts nationwide use the Alive at 25 defensive driving course in their graduated license and violators programs. The U.S. Military has made Alive at 25 training mandatory for servicemen. Since the beginning of the Iraq war, more of our military personnel have been killed in auto and motorcycle accidents than in battle. Insurance discounts are available from some insurance companies for completing the Alive at 25 safe driving course. The highly interactive program encourages young drivers to take responsibility for their driving behavior. Skill practice and on-the-spot defensive driving techniques help change bravado to confidence. Certified instructors use personal example, humor, workbook exercises, interactive media segments, group discussions, role playing, and short lectures to help young drivers develop convictions and strategies that will keep them safer on the road. “The national fatality rate for this age group [15 to 24 years old] is nearly 13 per 20,000. Currently, Alive at 25 graduates in Colorado have a fatality rate of 1.1 per 20,000—over 90% below the national average. In addition, the under age 20 fatal rate in Colorado dropped by 50% in 2005.” (Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation) Research shows the leading cause of young driver accidents involve one or a combination of the following factors: Lack of awareness to the consequences of risk-taking behavior. Inexperience with complexities of driving. Peers in vehicle with the youthful driver. Driving as a social activity. Impaired driving due to road conditions, including driving at night. Speeding. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Alive at 25 program was developed by the National Safety Council to prevent teen car crashes. Listed below are some of the reasons Citrin Law Firm is partnering with the NSC to establish an Alive at 25 training center on the Gulf Coast.
Alive at 25 safe driving course.
