Everything Traffic Safety
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where it would have been helpful to know if someone is impaired by drugs? This drug effects chart can help. Originally conceived in a meeting with local bar and restaurant owners, it was developed to help bartenders servers recognize impairment in customers that used drugs prior to coming into their establishments. Continue reading “Drug Categories and their Common Effects”
Q: What are the laws on driving a motorized or electric assist bike on the road? Do you need to have a license and insurance?
A: There are actually several different answers, depending on the power source (gas or electric) and the size of the motor. The part about electric assist bikes is the easiest to answer, so let’s start there and work our way up to gas powered bikes. Continue reading “Electric vs. Gas Powered Bicycles”
Q: It seems like tailgating is becoming more of a problem. Do the police ever enforce it?
A: Allow me to validate your perception. Last year in northwest Washington (Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties), following too closely was a factor in 880 crashes. We had a total of 6492 reported collisions in the region, putting tailgating (the most common slang term for following too closely) as a contributing action in nearly one in every seven crashes. I’d agree with you that it’s a problem. Continue reading “Tailgating Problems and Solutions”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a new PSA they’ve released as part of distracted driving month. It’s good, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the target audience. I’ll admit that I didn’t get the tagline, which immediately identifies me as not being part of the millennial generation. In case you didn’t get it either, I looked it up. Smh is an acronym for “shaking my head.” If your kid ever texts that to you, it means he is shaking his head in disappointment. Here’s the PSA. Warning: It’s sad.
Q: With all the attention on distracted driving lately, it got me thinking of an employee cell phone policy where I work. I like the idea, but where do I start?
A: I know we just addressed cell phones and driving a couple weeks ago, but employer/employee responsibility is a side of distracted driving that doesn’t get much attention. Plus, April is distracted driving awareness month so I feel justified in doubling down on this topic. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, you’ll benefit from a good distracted driving policy. For those who have not yet thought about distracted driving at work, here are a few reasons why this is so important. Continue reading “Distracted Driving at Work”
Q: I have a few railroad questions: Where do I stop for a railroad crossing? On crossings without gates, once I’ve stopped for the flashing red lights, can I cross if the train is still not too close? Can I stop on railroad tracks while waiting for traffic to clear? Why can’t I walk down the railroad track?
A: For those of you who sometimes wonder if these questions are real; yes, yes they are. Usually I get questions directly but, in this case, they were passed on to me by an employee of BNSF Railway. They are questions he has encountered, and I intend to answer them. Continue reading “Freight Trains and Soda Cans”
Distracted driving emphasis patrols are happening all over Washington right now, so this seems like a good time to release the latest traffic safety PSA from TheWiseDrive. See how a rivalry between racecar drivers turns to tactics of technology and distraction to keep the title of World’s Fastest Racecar Driver.
Q: It seems like some days there are more people texting or talking on their phones while driving than there are paying attention. Is it really so hard to just leave the phone alone and drive?
A: Yes, it seems that it is. Here’s why: Cavemen. In more primitive times, a human’s ability to survive depended on reacting quickly. Every unidentified sound could be a threat or an opportunity. The rustle in the bushes could be a tiger about to pounce or an antelope that could feed a hungry family. Either way, to survive you had to act fast. Our ancestors heavily relied on the part of the brain that reacts without cognitive processing. Continue reading “Evolved Enough to Drive”
Q: Is it illegal for a car to stop in a green bike box and how much is the fine?
A: With bike boxes being a recent addition to our local roads, it’s fair to wonder if there is a specific law prohibiting drivers from stopping in the green box. You won’t find a state law about bike boxes in particular, but that’s because we already have a few laws that apply. RCW 46.61.050 states that “The driver of any vehicle, every bicyclist, and every pedestrian shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device.” Continue reading “Green Boxes and Traffic Tickets”
Last week I mentioned a law designed to protect vulnerable road users. This law is titled, “Negligent driving – Second degree – Vulnerable user victim”. A mouthful, I know. The title of the law also brings up two important questions: What is negligence? And what is a vulnerable user?
Let’s start with negligence. If you act in a way that creates a potential risk, and pretty much every other human recognizes that it’s a risk, but you’re oblivious to the risk, that’s negligence. It is, according to traffic law, a “failure to exercise ordinary care”. When we look at negligent driving in Washington traffic laws there is an additional component. Negligent driving requires that a person “operate a motor vehicle in a manner that is both negligent” (that seems obvious given the topic) “and endangers or is likely to endanger any person.” You’ll find this language in all three variations of the negligent driving laws. Continue reading “Protecting Vulnerable Road Users”