lrod' s carsafe

Backover Children Injury Prevention

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:12:00 +0000

Vehicle backover injuries and deaths occur when someone, usually a child, is positioned behind a vehicle as the driver is backing out of a driveway or any other parking spot. Combine this situation with a lack of awareness from the driver as to that person's presence, maybe because of a blindspot or simple recklessness, and you have a recipe for disaster. Sadly, more often than not, the driver is often a neighbor or relative of the victim. However, since these accidents are not classified as traffic accidents, it is difficult to get the experts to agree on the statistics. This is of course the first step, to study in depth these occurrences.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report released on November 13, 2006 confirms that there are thousands of injuries and at least 183 deaths each year due to backovers. Since 1994, at least 500 children have died from being backed over, and the safety group Kids and Cars estimates that 50 children are backed over every week and at least two are killed as a result. According to Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Cars, in about 70% of cases, the child is backed over by a parent, grandparent or neighbor.

Like others, I believe the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration needs to set a standard for rear visibility that all passenger vehicles must meet, since the the lack of rearward visibility obviously plays an important part in these tragedies. Larger rear-view mirrors, rear sensors or cameras are some of the options that vehicle manufacturers may study in meeting new, stricter standards regarding rearward visibility.

Safety Tips for Parents

Keeping your children out of harm's way requires ongoing education, supervision, and vigilance: there simply is no single fail-safe solution. However, safety experts advise employing the following strategies to help reduce the risk of a backover tragedy occurring:

• Ensure your children are properly supervised at all times, especially wherever motor vehicles might be present.
• Teach children not to play in, under, or around vehicles -- ever.
• Always assume children could be present and carefully check the street, driveway, and area around your vehicle before backing out.
• Avoid making your driveway a "playground." If you do allow children in this area, make sure that it's only when there are no vehicles present. To further protect children who may be outside playing, separate the driveway from the roadway with a physical barrier to prevent any cars from entering.
• To prevent curious children from ever putting a vehicle in gear, never leave vehicles running, and keep all vehicles, even those in driveways and garages, locked up tight.
• When backing up, always know where all children are and have them stay in your full view and well away from your vehicle.
• Look behind you as you back out S-L-O-W-L-Y with your windows rolled down to listen for children who may have dashed behind your vehicle suddenly -- and be prepared to stop!
• If you're driving an SUV or truck, remember that the blind spot behind your vehicle can be especially large: use extreme care whenever you back up.

Finally, talk with neighborhood parents about backover incidents and ask them to teach their children not to play in or around any vehicle or driveway. By working together to promote awareness and protective home and neighborhood environments, we can help to keep all our children safe.

Cell Phone Distraction

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:27:00 +0000

These days you cannot imagine life without your cell phone by your side. The benefits they provide are many. Although they play an integral role in our society, they can also pose a serious hazard if used while driving.

A survey released in January 2007 by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. showed that 73 percent of drivers operate their vehicles while talking on their cell phones. It has been proven time and again that cell phone use greatly distracts drivers whether it is a hands-free or hand-held cell phone. Engaging in conversation with a passenger is just as distracting, but less dangerous since at least your passenger adds another set of eyes and ears to the road. The person at the other end of the line has no idea whether you are in slow or fast traffic, what maneuvers you are undertaking nor how much of your attention they require.

Researchers at the University of Utah found that drivers using cell phones experience a decrease in the ability to process peripheral vision which slows reaction time by 20%. The study concludes that driving talking on your cell phone (wether hands-free or hand-held) is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Likewise, a study released in April 2006 and conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found that nearly 80 percent of car accidents involved some form of driver inattention (the most common of which is the use of cell phones) within three seconds of the event.

Driving is an activity into itself that requires your full attention. Moreover, driving is the most
dangerous activity you will undertake in your day and is one of the leading causes of death in the world. If the time of day you are most likely to die is while driving your vehicle, shouldn't you be paying attention?

The Good, the Bad...and the Highest Selling

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:06:00 +0000

So what was the safest and highest rated vehicle in the year 2007? Well that honor is shared by the Audi A4, the Acura RL and the SAAB 9-3, according to Forbes. These three vehicles got the highest-possible safety ratings, including by the Department of Transportation. You can view the 2007-2008 Acura RL NHTSA test results here.

For its' frontal crash test (no offset crash tests are performed by this entity), NHTSA crashes vehicles into a fixed barrier at 35 miles per hour. The number of stars awarded corresponds to the probability of serious injuries to the driver and passenger (represented by highly sophisticated crash test dummies), 1 being the poorest and five the most successful. The Acura RL was awarded 5 stars, which means a probability of 10% or less of serious injury occurring under those circumstances.

Watch the Acura RL's frontal crash test;

Now, compare it to the lowest scoring, and hence the most dangerous, 2007 Buick Rendezvous. It was awarded three out of five stars in its' front crash test, equivalent to 21% to 35% chance of serious injury.

Check out the Buick Rendezvous' frontal crash test;

Of course, frontal crash test scores are not everything. Look at the 2007 Buick Rendezvous complete NHTSA test results here. Ford has stated that the Buick Rendezvous will not be coming back for 2008.

Another noteworthy vehicle has to be the highest selling not only for 2007, but for over two decades, the Ford F-150. Watch the Ford F-150's frontal crash test against a fixed barrier at 35 mph;

You can also view the 2007 Ford F-150 NHTSA crash test results here.

Windshield Safety

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:08:00 +0000

While you may think of your vehicle's windshield simply as the front window, it is also as much a vital part of your car's overall restraint system as are the seat belts and air bags. It is intended to keep you and your passengers inside the vehicle in the event of an accident. The glass the windshield is made of sandwiches a layer of "PVB" (polyvinyl butyrate), which among other things prevents the shattering of the glass layers, thus helping avoid intrusion of outside objects, as well as ejection through it by any occupant. This "PVB" layers also helps absorb some of the energy of an occupant colliding against it, helping decrease severity of injury.

The windshield is also an integral part of your vehicle's structure, as it helps supports the roof, adding to the structural integrity of the passenger compartment and against roof crush. Roof crush is when the roof collapses under the weight of the vehicle and crushes the occupants, such as would occur during a rollover. Imagine what would happen to a cardbox cube if you remove one of its' sides, and you get the idea.

In addition to the above, the windshield helps supports the passenger side airbag during deployment in many new models. In these models, the deploying passenger side air bag will contact the windshield fist, before being properly positioned.

These are all important considerations when judging the condition of your vehicle's windshield. Therefore, do not put off replacing it just because that crack is not obstructing your vision.

10 Basic Resources to Search

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 04:58:00 +0000

I have compiled a list of what I consider basic automotive safety related resources. Hopefully you will find it useful to make reference to and compare safety features and performance of motor vehicles, components and equipment by manufacturer and model. I have also included a Quick Reference Guide to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations to which we have made so much reference to in this blog. I will update and add to this list periodically.

1. Search available safety features by manufacturer and model;

2. Search Warranty and Roadside Assistance Coverage by manufacturer;

3. Search vehicle recalls by manufacturer and model;

4. Search recalls by vehicle equipment manufacturers;

5. Search child safety seat recalls;

6. Search tire recalls by manufacturer and model;

7. NHTSA Crash Test results by manufacturer;

8. Search the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests videos by manufacturer and model;

9. Search the vehicles that have fared best and worst in protecting the driver in real world accidents by manufacturer and model;

10. Search a Quick Reference Guide to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and
Regulations.

Basic Airbag Safety

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 04:21:00 +0000

Air bags are very complex systems. By what mechanism do they deploy? In what instances are they designed to deploy? When are they not meant to? These are all questions that will be addressed in later posts. For now however, I will concentrate in what I see as the most immediately relevant to the motoring public.

Airbags are meant to supplement the seat belts in restraining a vehicle occupant in the event of an accident. Their role as a supplementary restraint system (hence SRS) cannot be stressed enough. Seat belts will restrain occupants in events in which the air bag will not offer any protection (and therefore will not deploy), such as rear end collisions, roll overs, and T-Bone collisions (in referring to frontal airbags). Moreover, air bags will only deploy once, while an accident might actually involve multiple collisions. Furthermore, airbags are designed to deploy in crashes of a pre-determined severity level. However, this does not mean that crashes that fall below this deployment criteria will not hurt you... and so you see the importance of seat belts.

Think of a deploying airbag. While in slow motion (as you are likely used to seeing the deployment) it may resemble a slow, soft pillow that gently cradles the driver's (or passenger's) upper torso and face, in reality a deploying airbag is a violent event. It inflates and completely deflates in less time than it takes to blink your eyes, and is quite capable of fracturing your orbital bone, collapsing your lungs and breaking your neck. I have seen multiple cases in which fractures to the forearm bones occur from a deploying airbag. They can cause severe permanent damage. How to best avoid these injuries you ask? By not being out of position at the moment of deployment.

Think of it as the difference between the occupant coming into contact with the deployed airbag, and the deploying airbag coming into contact with the occupant. The best way to avoid a deploying airbag, is to be a properly belted occupant, seated no less than 10-12in. from the SRS module (See Owner's Manual). It's no good to be a properly belted occupant if you are sitting too close. The airbag will still impact you while it is deploying.

It is also important to note that not all impacts occur like the one shown above, without any prior frontal deceleration. In many occasions the driver may attempt to apply the brakes before the collision, throwing the body forward before the collision and subsequent deployment. This will place you in the way of the deploying airbag if not buckled and seated properly, and increase the risk of serious injury.

Carbon Monoxide Hazards

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:14:00 +0000

The engine in your car is a source of carbon monoxide (often referred to as CO). There is no doubt that carbon monoxide is poisonous and can even kill you. Therefore, even though the levels of carbon monoxide produced by motor vehicles have been reduced over the years, it is imperative that we become aware of these risks and how to lessen them.

Carbon monoxide is deadly because, aside from it's toxicity, it is so easy to inhale. This is due to the fact that it has roughly the same density as, and mixes easily with, the air we already breathe. It is also very dificult to detect, as it is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating. If lucky, a person exposed to carbon monoxide may detect an odor from another by-product of the combustion process, but not from carbon monoxide itself. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and even loss of consciousness and death.

When it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning, it is not merely the levels in the air that is important to gauge, but the time of exposure. Damage to the exhaust system may cause an emmision leak which could work itself into the passenger cabin. Therefore, even a leak you may find "minor" could pose a serious danger to you and your passengers. It is important to pay attention to the sound of the exhaust system of your vehicle, and to have it inspected immediately if you hear any change in it. Also, periodic inspections of your exhaust system, like at every oil change, can be a life saver. This is especially true in cold weather when the engine requires more fuel, thereby giving off more carbon monoxide emissions. You can find out more about the dangers of carbon monoxide such as more detailed symptoms, long term effects, treatments and much more here.

In addition to presence of damage to the exhaust system such as from an impact to the undercarriage (pot holes, rocks, etc.), and corrosion, we must also exercise common sense in preventing these emissions from entering the passenger cabin. An obvious example is not running the engine in an enclosed space such as a garage.

A not so obvious example is driving a vehicle equiped with a rear tailgate with the rear window open. If you drive the vehicle with the tailgate open and other windows closed, you run the risk that carbon monoxide from the exhaust emission may be "sucked in"and drawn into the passenger compartment. This would create a dangerous condition for all passengers, especially in a long trip.

Buckle up? Or not?

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:42:00 +0000

We all know that a particular deadly oversight on the part of the driver is the failure to use the seatbelt restraints provided (according to the DOT, seat belt use remains at 81%, virtually unchanged since 2003). Remember, that air bags are meant only as a supplementary restraint system (hence, SRS), not the primary. As anyone who has ever gone through an owner's manual knows, the primary restraint system in your vehicle is the seat belts. It is through the use of the seat belts that you can better reduce severity of injury and increase your chances of surviving a crash. In fact, federal law mandates motor vehicle manufacturers to install seat belt use reminders. Yes, you have all heard them.

Why then, I wonder, do federal transportation officials make the installation of seat belts optional in school buses ?

I don't understand. Are they helpful in limiting injury and death, or not? If they are, and federal regulation mandates that the car itself reminds us to wear them, why then should not the kids that ride in their buses to school have the option of buckling up?

One of the arguments against installing seat belts in school buses is that they are not as necessary in a school bus as they are in a regular non-commercial vehicle, since the kids are seated close together, the seats are well padded and the backs are high. So it is not even that they would not help, but that they would not help as much.

You are thinking that in a frontal accident it is much safer to impact your head against another tall well padded seat back than it is to do it against a dashboard, steering wheel, or windshield. True. But if there were no protection benefits to seat belts in these conditions, why mandate their installation in rear seats for any vehicles? Also, what about side impacts and rollovers the school bus may be involved in? Not all crashes are frontal, you know, we have all seen those in the news.

Finally, not giving the kids even the option to put on their seat belts sends the wrong message and undermines the importance of seat belt use later on. Maybe by making installation of seat belts in school buses, the DOT can save millions later on in buckle up campaigns!

Car Seats

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:11:00 +0000

We all want to make sure that our baby is as safe as possible in the event of an auto accident, but there is so much data on car crashes and car seats that you just do not know where to start. What car seat to use, what position in the vehicle to install it and facing where? There are too many options, so of course it will be confusing.

I think that it is important to understand basic facts first.

The safest spot in the vehicle is almost always the middle rear seat. This is the spot that is most protected from frontal impacts. In the moment of impact, all objects inside the vehicle will travel towards the point of impact. Frontal, or nearly frontal impacts are the most common, since that is the direction the vehicle is traveling in. Any rear seat is safer (in most instances) than any front seat, however the rear window seats can be dangerous in the event of a lateral collision. Therefore, the rear middle seat is the safest in most cases.

An infant or toddler should never be positioned behind a frontal air bag. Air bag deployment, while definitively very helpful in limiting severity and increasing survivability for adults and teenagers, is a violent event, and babies, toddlers and small children are better off being well restrained and away from their reach. Again, the rear middle seat is the furthest away from both frontal and lateral seat belts.

The people over at the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all infants ride in rear-facing car seats (in the back seat of course) until they are both one year old and weigh at least 20 pounds. I recommend you visit their web site, where you will find the best guide I have seen regarding car seat use, including car seat descriptions by manufacturer. You will also find contact information and links to most car seat manufacturers. Make sure you also visit carseat.org, which also provides very useful information, including a comprehensive glossary of technical terms you might encounter difficulties with.

Although with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system an attempt to standardize installation of car seat was made, regrettably there is still confusion due to the variation in motor vehicle and car seat makes. After carefully reviewing both the vehicle's Owner's Manual and the Car Seat manufacturers' instructions, contact a Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician. To find the nearest CPS Technician to you, you can call toll-free at 866/SEATCHECK (866/732-8243). If you are reading this blog, you obviously have access to the web, in which case I recommend you visit www.seatcheck.org. All you do is type in your zip code, and you will be provided with a list of CPS Technicians near to you. It is very easy.

Finally, you really need to research if the car seat your are looking to buy has been involved in a product recall. This information is easy to locate, and there is simply no excuse to not do it. For this information you may call toll-free888/DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236). Again, if you are reading this, I recommend you visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site for this information.

Welcome to the blog!

noreply@blogger.com (LRod) — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:18:00 +0000

Through this space, I intend to discuss and share my opinion on different automotive safety related issues, both current and more remote. My interests range from safety related regulation, to human factors, to design and/or manufacture issues, and how these have an effect on us.

Over the better part of a decade, I have had the opportunity to review and study hundreds of accidents involving most auto manufacturers. I have dealt with assertions related to brake defects, restraints (both seat belts and air bags), roof crush, lack of stability, sudden acceleration, glazing, steering, and on and on... These experiences have shown me that there is great need for educating the consumer and public at large, an education to which I intend to contribute to through this blog.

I welcome all your comments, advice and/or criticism. Keep posted!