10/29/07 Safety Tidbits

Tidbits – 10/29/07
Your Success depends on you!
No one but you determines your success in life. Making the right choices paves your way.

Did You Know …
-About 125 people die each year in school bus related crashes. 67% of those killed were occupants of other vehicles and 6% were pedestrians.
-Speed is a factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes, killing an average of 1,000 Americans every month.
-In states where speed limits were raised to 65 mph in 1987, the higher limits are causing about 15-20 percent more deaths on rural interstates each year than otherwise would be expected.
-In a recent poll, 26% of drivers said they run red lights "daily." How about you?
-In the last century, the average life span has increased by over 30 years.-Trepanning, or drilling a hole in the skull, is the oldest known operation.
-FYI - 85% of bottled water sold is actually municipal water.
-Floods cause more death and destruction in the U.S. than any other natural disaster.

The Power of Observation
“I'm not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.” --Bernard Mannes Baruch

Talk to the Kids about Driving Safely
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year olds. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 3,620 drivers in this group died in car crashes in 2004, accounting for 14 percent of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes and 18 percent of all the drivers involved in police-reported crashes. Twenty-four percent of the teen drivers killed were intoxicated. In 2002 (latest data available) the estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 years old was $40.8 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Teenage deaths due to motor vehicle accidents occur on weekends 53% of the time. Teen drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents had a youth passenger in automobile 45% of the time.
Most Americans (61 percent) think that 16-year-olds are too young to drive, according to a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll. The poll, conducted in December 2004, also found that 53 percent thought that licenses should not be issued until the age of 18.

Quote of the Week:
“You can’t win by sitting on the side lines. You can make a difference, but only if you get in the game.” –Kirby Alan Walters