Safety Driving Tips - Car Maintenance Check List

Considering the disruption bad weather can do to driving conditions during winter, you would think drivers would take extra care on the roads, to ensure they don’t have accidents. However, the results of a recent survey conducted by Sainsbury’s Car Insurance shows quite the opposite. According to the survey, more than one in five drivers does not carry out the necessary checks on their cars each month to ensure the vehicle is in a road-worthy condition.

Which Drivers are Neglecting Their Cars?

The results of the survey are shocking. Twenty-one percent of drivers are failing to make regular checks to their vehicles, which accounts for some 7.2 million cars on the road. Women drivers also come out worse in the survey than men, with 26 percent of them neglecting to maintain their cars compared to 16 percent of men.

Age also seems to play a factor in how likely a driver is to check their car for damage. Eighty-five percent of drivers over the age of 65 stated that they inspect their vehicles once a month, compared to 71 percent of motorists between 18 and 24.

Similarly, the results can vary depending on which region of the country you are looking at. Between 83 and 85 percent of drivers from Scotland and the North of England carry out monthly checks on their cars (possibly because these areas are the most likely to be affected by adverse weather conditions) compared to 73 percent of motorists in London.

Which Checks Are Not Being Carried Out and Why?

A staggering 62% of drivers in the survey admitted they do not regularly check the depth of tread on their tires. The tread needs to be a minimum of 1.6mm in depth, although only 38 percent of motorists make sure their tires are road worthy.

Similarly, over half of drivers questioned (56%) fail to check the levels of water coolant in their engines, even though this is vital to ensuring that the engine does not overheat and cause an accident.

Drivers questioned in the survey gave a number of reasons why they don’t carry out the checks, but the largest factor seems to be that drivers simply didn’t think regular maintenance was necessary. Many motorists also confessed to only checking specific aspects of their cars before they embark on a long journey.

What Needs To Be Checked On A Car?

It is vitally important to inspect the key areas of your car at least once a month to ensure you are safe on the road. The following check-list should help you get a grip on this important task;

Engine Oil - Checking the level of oil in your engine is essential to ensuring the car runs smoothly and is well lubricated. Virtually every engine includes a dipstick to check the oil levels. The level should agree with the “full” mark on the dipstick, and the color should be light brown. Never overfill the oil, and change it according to your owner’s manual or when the color darkens.

Coolant - Another important part of the car is the coolant, which prevents the engine from overheating. Like the oil, there needs to be enough coolant in the tank to prevent accidents from occurring. If you notice that your coolant levels are constantly low, you may have a leak in your engine. Engine leaks require immediate attention by a professional mechanic.

Tires - Not only do tires need to have enough grip on them to be safe, they need to have sufficient pressure to remain buoyant and be able to deal with the tough surface of the roads. If you didn’t receive a tire-pressure gauge when you purchased your car, pick one up at your local auto parts store. Almost every gas station or garage has an air compressor that patrons can use to fill their tires to the proper pressure level. Legally, you must change any balding tires to prevent a dangerous accident, so check your tires regularly.

Windshield Wipers – When checking your wipers, the key is to be sure they make smooth contact with the windshield in order to prevent scratches or other damage. You also need to make sure you have a good amount of windshield-washer fluid at all times, as being robbed of the ability to see through your windscreen at the wrong time could be fatal.

Brake Lights – Making sure these lights work will help keep other drivers around you aware of what you are doing on the road. They should also be washed regularly as they can pick up dirt very easily.

The number of drivers that do not perform even the most basic checks on their cars is shocking. Failure to carry out these checks can mean that your car is a huge risk on the road, both to yourself and others. Maintaining the above key functions of your vehicle at least once a month will ensure that your car lasts longer and is safe to drive.

Source: Drive Steady

What Causes Most Car Accidents?

Car accidents are a tragic fact in a society that is too busy to look where they’re going. As foolish as someone looks walking into a door, people who unwittingly drive into one another, and even inanimate objects, seem even more ridiculous, as they spike their auto insurance premiums and cause serious (sometimes life-threatening) damage to others. Find out which behaviors to avoid for safer drives, and which ones cause the most accidents per annum.

click the image below to expand


Source: What Causes The Most Car Accidents?

Fasten Seatbelt Someone Needs You

Oh yes. My wife needs me. My little daughter needs me. My siblings need me. My friends need me. Not only just someone. The list will go on and on. Just to have you do a simple thing. Fasten your seatbelt. Could you do that? :)

Dog-Safe Driving - Safety Belt For Your Pet

Don't ever think that only human need a safety belt in the moving car. Your pet should buckle up too. They could be hazardous for your driving or during a crash. How to buckle them up? Read this article. Really interesting. Compared to other countries, Malaysian still lack on this kind of awareness.

Touching dogs? For leisure - visit here: Melayukini

Sensible drivers buckle in themselves and their children before starting the motor. But what about their dog's safety? Many drivers simply command their pets to jump into the backseat, the pickup's cargo bed or even onto their laps. Lap dogs they should never be. In fact, dogs shouldn't be anywhere near our laps when we're driving, safety experts and pet advocates say. But many drivers ignore the safety risks and allow their dogs to roam freely in cars.

That can be a big mistake, says Dr. Kimberly May, a veterinarian since 1994 and the director of professional and public affairs at the American Veterinary Medical Association in Schaumburg, Illinois.

"Even a low-speed crash can cause injury to unrestrained dogs," she says. "There are all kinds of prominences inside a car, so depending on what structures they hit, dogs can suffer broken ribs, broken legs or eye injuries. They can hit the windshield or be thrown outside of the car.

"A dog riding on a driver's lap can interfere with driving, climbing down into the footwell, or otherwise distracting the driver," May says. "In a crash, the dog could be suffocated or crushed by a deployed airbag or thrown into the windshield."

Harness and Seatbelt Are Best
May says that the best restraint for dogs is a good harness and a seatbelt. A properly secured crate is a close second — but crates can have drawbacks, too.

"If the crate is too big for a dog, the dog can still be hurt slamming against the sides of the crate, even in a low-speed crash," she says. The best choice seems to be an individual restraint, such as a good-quality, properly fitted harness.

"Crates are all right," agrees Dr. Thomas Scherer, a Fountain Valley, California, veterinarian who has been in practice for 40 years. "But are you going to secure the crate well enough? With the forces that happen in car accidents, will the crate hold?"

A harness and seatbelt are a better solution, he says. "Do the same for dogs that you would do for people."

Dangerous for Drivers
Of course, injuries to dogs aren't the only reason to properly restrain four-legged automobile passengers. They can put humans at risk, too.

In an August 2010 survey by AAA and pet-travel products company Kurgo, nearly a third of 1,000 dog-owning drivers admitted they'd been distracted by their dogs and 21 percent allowed their dogs to sit in their lap. Five percent played with their pets as they drove. These and other behaviors can distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that looking away from the road for only 2 seconds doubles crash risk.

The exact number of accidents caused every year by such dogs is unknown, but Paws to Click, which seeks to educate drivers about riding with unrestrained dogs, puts the number at about 30,000 accidents annually. There are very few laws against an animal riding in a driver's lap. Oregon is considering a ban. And in 2008, California legislators vetoed a ban against lap-riding pets.

The danger posed to humans by an unrestrained pet can be big even if the pet isn't. In a USA Today story about drivers distracted by unrestrained dogs, an AAA official said a 10-pound dog would strike at 50 times its weight in a crash at 50 mph. And that's not the only danger to humans, since an unrestrained pet can hamper a rescue, cause another accident or hurt rescue personnel.

Outside Dangers
And don't even think about letting dogs ride with their heads out the window, even if they're restrained. May says that if the restraint allows a dog to hang its head out the window, it's probably an indication that it would not sufficiently protect the dog from injury if a collision occurs.

Also, she says, "Dogs with their heads hanging out of the window are at risk of injury to their eyes, nose, ears, mouth and face from airborne debris."

As dangerous as riding unrestrained inside a vehicle can be for dogs, doing so in the bed of a pickup can be even worse because animals can jump or be thrown at high speed. An AVMA paper puts it this way: "Dogs transported in open truck beds are at risk of severe injury." They can suffer critical, multiple fractures and abrasions.

Several states bar dogs from being transported in the bed of a pickup unsafely or inhumanely, and still others, including Connecticut, New Hampshire and Oregon, require that dogs carried in pickup beds be restrained.

Heat Risks
Riding unrestrained isn't the only danger to pets in cars, however. Being left unattended in vehicles also can be harmful and even deadly, especially when the weather turns warm.

"Heat prostration can be a lot more serious than it looks because some things don't happen right away," says Scherer, the California vet. "It takes maybe three or four days for organ-function problems to become an issue. But there are things that happen right away that are really bad (such as) seizures and serious central nervous system problems."

Owners should never leave pets in a car unattended, even on a temperate day, May says. "People don't realize that on a 70-degree day, the temperature inside the car could reach 110 degrees or higher. On a 60-degree day, it could get up to 100 or higher. Unless you're taking your pet to the vet or traveling with your pet, just leave him at home.

"I'd love to put people in fur coats and leave them in that car for just five minutes," she says. "My bet is they will feel very uncomfortable, very fast. They won't be able to take it, so why do they think their pet can?"

Normal rectal temperature for a dog is 100-102 degrees, Scherer says. "If a dog's temperature rises to 104 degrees, that's significant." He adds that a temperature of 105 or higher would be very bad for a dog. The problems also depend on the kind of dog you have, he says. Dogs that are short-nosed, old, heavy or have heart problems will have more trouble than other dogs.

Scherer says that a pet's temperature is the best gauge as to whether to take action, such as giving a dog a cold-water bath and ushing a fan to cool it. "However, if there's a serious problem, some issues won't be evident right away," he says. "Even if your dog appears normal, you can't always say that it's OK. So when in doubt, call your vet. There is no negative to doing too much."

To determine if your dog is in heat distress, you can look for heavy panting, he says. If the dog is ill enough, he might sweat through the pads of his paws. Disorientation is another symptom.

"But temperature of the dog is key," he says. "The higher it gets, the more you worry." To be safe, he says, "Just don't leave your dog in the car." For both heat illness and the dangers of unrestrained riding, it boils down to common sense, May says. People love their pets, and so it's a matter of reminding them that their actions can put them in jeopardy.

She says: "Is taking them on a short errand worth risking their life?"

Source: Edmunds

What is Crash Test Dummy?

We heard about the crash test dummy a lot nowadays in the automotive industry but do we really know what is the crash test dummy? Below is the great info-graphic that represents the general information, statistics, history and benefits of crash test dummy to our life. Very useful I would say.

Click to Enlarge :O

Source: Drive Steady

Why Do Freeways Come to a Stop?

It happens to most drivers at least a few times a year. You are sailing along on the highway or expressway or freeway when you are suddenly forced to come to a stop, or at least a crawl. You can't see why things are slowing around the bend. And when you get there, traffic is moving better. Check this out to learn why and what is the term for that occasion.

Click to Enlarge :O

So what do u think of the "shockwave" and the funnel effect? New terms huh? Please don't feel bad because you are not the only one who not know about this :)

Ways to Become A Safer Driver

Becoming a better driver may not be the highest thing on your priority list, but what if you knew that becoming a better driver would help to decrease yearly car insurance costs? Considering the recession, saving money on car insurance can really help people to be able to pay their bills.

It’s no surprise that people who get into fewer accidents and who avoid getting speeding tickets will get lower insurance rates than those don’t take those precautions. If you want to improve your driving skills in order to get a better car insurance rate, then you should implement some of the methods below:

1) Take a Drivers Education Course

By taking a driver’s education course one time in your life, you can save money on your car insurance rates and quickly improve driving skills. Taking the course is a relatively short term commitment, and is fairly inexpensive. It is sometimes free in local communities.

Surprisingly enough, there are even online driver’s education courses that you can take from the comfort of your own home. You can’t beat the convenience of an online driver’s education program, since most of us are on our computer every day!

2) Play Computer and Video Games

How many times have you been told that playing video games will help to improve a skill? Depending on which games you play, they can exercise your mind and maybe help lower car insurance rates. The most relevant games are the ones that teach driving skills, since they help you to become a better driver. These types of games will improve your hand-eye coordination and reaction times, which will help you to avoid obstacles on the road.

There is an interesting article on Street Directory discussing this phenomenon. The article illustrates that playing specific video games may improve your driving skill.

3) Use Specific Car Gadgets That Monitor Speed and Police Radar Guns

How many times have you been pulled over because you never saw the police officer, or were not presently aware how fast you were driving? According to Traffic Ticket Secrets, over 100,000 people per day receive a speeding ticket in this country, which equals over 36,500,000 tickets issued per year. It is frustrating to everyone on the receiving end of these speeding tickets, because many of them tickets can be prevented with simple gadgets that monitor speeds, and detect police officer radar guns.

When you use these tools to help you stay aware of your current speed and surroundings, the chances of getting tickets will decrease. Having these special tools will enable you to drive safer and to avoid costly speeding tickets (though, buyers should be aware: they are illegal in most states, and sometimes inaccurate).

4) No Pain No Gain

Becoming a better driver may not be exciting to you, but one thing is sure: being a safer driver can get you a lower rate on your car insurance. Without the proper skills to help you become a safer driver, you will continue to pay higher rates on your insurance, due to tickets and fender benders.

Sometimes you must do certain things that you don’t want to do, such as take a drivers education course in order to save money on your car insurance. And in this economy, saving money is definitely a good thing to focus on!

Source: Drive Steady

100 Reasons Why Women are Bad Drivers

We all know that it took women a while to be accepted on the roads. In fact, in many male circles, grunting can still be heard when the words “women” and “driving” are brought up in the same sentence. Unfortunately, some women uphold the bad reputation by committing crazy acts while behind the wheel. They help contribute to the 100 reasons why women are horrible drivers. (I don't want to be a gender bias, but please look at the facts. Peace. Source of the article is at the bottom)
1. Putting on makeup in the rear-view mirror is their favorite pastime.
2. They’re too busy yelling at the back seat to drive carefully.
3. A Johns Hopkins study says women crash more than men.
4. While the wind-blown convertible look creates a nonexistent view, it offers great sex appeal.
5. Trying to ignore the hot guy in the next car also results in ignoring the light that just turned red.
6. They know their husbands will fix whatever they break.
7. Women know the “Ohhh! THAT’s drive and THAT’s reverse!” line will work every time.
8. They don’t realize how dangerous (and annoying) talking excessively while driving really is.
9. The gas and brakes are interchangeable.
10. The necessary Starbucks fix and texting-while-driving combo are so necessary.
11. That jagged fingernail seems to always need filing down when behind the wheel.
12. More and more tiny women are getting behind the wheels of monster SUVs.
13. Women freaked out by the mouse in the road will swerve into another car every time.
14. When driving past a mirror-glass building, they’re looking at how good they look in the car–and not the road.
15. They don’t like turning on their brights because it scares the deer.
16. Horrible driving starts early.
17. Women will stop dead in traffic to call the radio station and meet the guy looking for his next love.
18. Dishing out the honey-do list while driving requires their eyes to be fixed on the hubby’s.
19. They think yelling at other cars is better than improving their own skills.
20. Texting Cindy about the dress Amber is wearing this weekend is an immediate requirement.
21. When driving in the rain, they wildly dodge mud to avoid getting the tires dirty.
22. 80% of American women keep right on driving when they reach the age of 66, according to the NHTSA.
23. There’s no ticket they can’t get out of with the right outfit on.
24. Taking a quick traffic school class or two isn’t so bad.
25. Changing wiper blades when they’re dull is too much work.
26. They don’t like that getting gas is no longer a full service affair.
27. Speeding is a secret passion.
28. Women love to drive with their knees and elbows when putting cream in their coffee.
29. They think swerving the wheel left and right makes for great aerobics.
30. Pumping the gas and brake pedals interchangeably makes for great aerobics too.
31. Side and rearview mirrors are for makeup checks only.
32. They know the mechanic will lower their labor charges with the pouty face look.
33. Saying they can drive is better than actually being able to drive.
34. Women just hate using those ice scrapers.
35. The first thing they do after an emotional upset is jump in the car and speed off wildly.
36. They try cool stunts to show they can do it just like guys.
37. Switching radio stations requires their full attention.
38. Squeaky brakes are annoying, but not mechanic worthy.
39. They think it’s okay for Billy’s birthday balloons to block the back windshield.
40. The curb and street appear to be the same height when parking.
41. They love knowing that the auto insurance claim will take care of everything.
42. When someone moves toward their lane, they swerve toward them as an intimidator.
43. They hate guys to think they can’t drive, so they drive faster to prove them wrong.
44. The “Do Not Enter” sign is for everyone but them.
45. Changing for the club in the car is sometimes a necessity.
46. They don’t see the necessity in getting regular oil changes.
47. Keeping “Tyler’s Soccer Team Rocks ’10″ in big letters across the windshield while driving makes them such cool moms.
48. They are just horrible drivers.
49. Little things like changing headlights and turn signals aren’t that big a deal.
50. Sticking their head through the sunroof while driving is a great alternative to the hair dryer.
51. Writing “Screw You” in their ex’s lawns with their cars is the best revenge possible.
52. They think driving the wrong way over a tire spike strip will work if they just do it slowly.
53. Real women don’t slow down for cops.
54. They can’t stop reading juicy chapter just because their behind the wheel.
55. They believe that when something drops on the floor, it’s important to pick it up while en route.
56. Brushing their teeth shouldn’t stop just because their driving.
57. If someone in the car is smelly, the windows must go down, even in a blizzard.
58. They strive to be the next Danica Patrick, even if they lack her impressive skills.
59. They think a clutch is a storage space for their small purse.
60. They found out blowing a tire attracts the hot guy every time.
61. Nothing says “I hate you” like trying to hit someone with a moving vehicle.
62. They can’t hit the turn signals with a fresh manicure.
63. If they’re tired from dealing with the kids, they may need a quick stop-light nap.
64. Sometimes a missed turn requires shooting across 5 lanes to catch the next light.
65. It makes total sense to paint their toes while chugging along in rush hour.
66. A “Check Engine” light means nothing to them. Where in the heck is the engine anyway?
67. Parallel parking isn’t their cup of tea.
68. Women think speed bumps mean speeding up to make the car go bump.
69. If someone else on the road has their super unique car, it’s a must to gently rub it with their car to show who’s boss.
70. Singing their favorite song requires closing their eyes on the good parts.
71. Sometimes it’s pertinent that they change their shoes on the highway.
72. They think parking by a hydrant will make the fireman save their car first.
73. They don’t see a need to stop at a stop sign if no one’s there to stop for.
74. Figuring out all of the car’s gadgets while driving is exciting.
75. Combing Sarah’s hair on the way to school is a necessary multi-tasking effort.
76. After the final “Don’t make me come back there!” threat, they finally do it–while driving.
77. If their husbands think they’re bad drivers, they’re not going to let them down.
78. They’re mortal enemies with parking lots.
79. They think turning on cruise control means it’s time to take a quick snoozer.
80. Occasionally, they like to see if “E” really means empty.
81. Swooping their hair over their left eye is just too cute to move when driving.
82. They like to prop themselves up on telephone books to see over the dash.
83. If wearing earplugs to tune out the kids also tunes out traffic, so be it.
84. As guys put it, they don’t learn from their mistakes.
85. They want to watch the DVDs the kids are watching on the way to Disneyland.
86. Pulling out of parking spaces is too difficult.
87. Women think blind spots are spots where blind people stand.
88. Finding Mr. Right sometimes means cutting him off in traffic to get his attention.
89. There’s only room for one woman in the car so that aggravating GPS lady has to go.
90. They found out that bad driving makes them good and helpless to their future suitor.
91. Women love to decorate the dashboard with accessories.
92. There’s nothing wrong with telling the kid brother to stir the wheel while they apply their lipstick.
93. They don’t know how to judge the awning height at the ATM drive through (guys make this mistake too).
94. It’s not uncommon to tailgate the car in front to check out the cool new hairdo the driver has.
95. They read that women aren’t assertive enough behind the wheel, so now they lay on the horn constantly.
96. In order to be on time, they must go at least 20-30 mph over the speed limit.
97. They think the speed limit max is actually the minimum.
98. Hopping buildings isn’t just for criminals on foot anymore.
99. The blinding glare of the sun is such a great tanner that they don’t want to block it.
100. Their moms teach them how to drive.

Source: Car Insurance Comparison

How Far Can You Drive While Holding Your Breath?

1. This is a question for you: How far can you drive while holding your breath? I know it is crazy and you will think who the heck will do this anyway. But trust me that there are idiots out there who love to do stupid things like that. So no wonder the road accidents are increasing because the road has been used by all kinds of people ranging from students, youngsters, elders to professionals like engineers, laywers and doctors.

2. I have a story to tell about doctors. They drive like a drunk person. Why? They have on-calls job and not slept for more than 36 hours. Many of them are involving in road accidents. They could be the causation of the accidents. Sigh - who knows right?

3. One more thing, have you met a car which is not moving at the green traffic light during the broad day? I have and the driver is sleeping like a baby! Still thinking I'm just rambling? Read this story...

FOUR teenagers who tried to hold their breath for the time it took their car to travel about half a kilometre were hurt when the driver fainted. Police say three 19-year-olds and a 16-year-old were driving together through a rural Rochester late at night when they decided to try to hold their breath while riding through a rural Rochester-area hamlet.

The driver, 19-year-old Bryan Parslow, fainted and the car hit a boulder. He was ticketed for failing to stay in his lane. Mr Parslow is a paraplegic for whom the car was specially equipped to drive. All four teens were treated at a hospital and released.

Source: Daily Telegraph AU

Do Not Talk While He Drives [Indian Ads]

Please do not talk while he drives. Love him by not forcing him do something that will jeopardy his life. Thanks honey, mother, sister and friends... :)

Source: Informasi Malaysia Kini

How is Your Driving Awareness? Test it Here

How many passes does the team in white make? Test your awareness and Do the Test! This is one of TFL cycling safetly advert! Count the number of passes the White team makes.

What are the Causes of Road Accidents?

1. Some people might wondering, "what are the causes of road accidents?". To answer this, we must distinguish the definition between high profile accidents (involving death (s)), and just regular road accident (slight injury or none at all). Based on statistics, almost 80% accidents reported are not involving any death. This number could be thousands cases in a year, depending size of countries and the population.

2. Why people reporting regular road accident even they do not get any injuries? Yes, the answer is insurance claiming. While I'm not trying to scare you, but there are "trolls" out there who really want to create accidents case (they don't care whether you will be alive or not) so that they can make income from other misfortune (towing truck, etc...). How they do it? See infographic below and then you will get some ideas. I personally know that this is happening at Jalan Kuching. So be careful.

Click to Enlarge :O

Source: Auto Insurance

Truckers Says Texting while Driving is Safe

1. Texting while halting is safe. Not while driving. Everything is dangerous while driving, even seducing your spouse. Especially truckers, in many cases, they are not the ones who died horribly in the occurace of road traffic accident. For example, in the head-on collision event between truck and car, most casualties are coming from the smaller vehicle.

2. Texting while driving? I just hate that regardless you are truckers or regular drivers. Period.

Research shows that a driver can be as much as 23 times more likely to get into an accident if he or she is texting while driving. New legislation in Washington aims to ban texting while driving by forcing states to adopt the federal mandate or risk losing federal highway greenbacks. One group is fighting the legislation, and it's not teen drivers or multimedia addicts, it's our nation's truck drivers. Truckers, the guys who drive around in 18 wheelers which take 2-3 times as much road to stop when compared to the typical car, often have touch screen computers on the dashboard and keyboards on their laps. They use the multimedia tech to map routes and converse with dispatch, saving minutes (and money) in the hyper-competitive shipping business.

Drivers told The New York Times that they're all but forced to communicate with such computers, as pulling off the road to send a message can cost their companies $1.50 per minute, and the driver risks having his or her pay docked. Clayton Boyce, spokesman for the American Trucking Associations, called the bill "overkill," going so far as to say that banning such devices "won't improve safety." But safety advocates counter that the measure would effectively be underkill, and they have some stats to back up their argument: Heavy trucking deaths in the U.S. have steadily climbed over the past decade, as big rigs now account for 12% of all highway fatalities (4,808 deaths in 2007) versus 11% (4,777) in 1997 – in spite of the fact that passenger cars and trucks are now far safer than they have ever been.

Americans like low prices, and fast, efficient shipping helps keep costs in check. And at the same time, we like to be safe and sound as well, and truckers looking down at a keyboard while driving a 40-ton truck 60 mph just a few feet from strikes us as hazardous to our nation's health. Should truckers be able to text and use computers while driving? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section after the jump.

Source: Autoblog

Do Speed Really Kill?

1. I have been thinking for quite some time now whether does speed really can kill? From what I have learned so far at Birmingham Automotive Safety Centre (BASC), even it is a bit sensitive, SPEED DON'T KILL in the road accident. The real killer is THE SUDDEN STOP. Human cannot tolerate such huge negative G-force during the accident and thus, be a cause of injury and death for many cases.

2. Below is the infographic that show how with increasing speed, the number of accident is decreasing...for now only in the United States...

Click to Enlarge :O

Source: Auto Insurance

Women Getting Nastier on the Road

1. Women oh women..not only when driving, but also when sitting at the front passenger seat..hehehehe...

GEORGE TOWN: Women drivers are getting more aggressive than their male counterparts, according to an analyst. Based on the number of traffic summonses issued and court cases against women, a trend of aggressive driving has emerged among the fairer sex, said Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim.

“Based on what we can see, the attitude of male drivers has improved but women are getting more aggressive. Hence, the number of women involved in accidents is on the rise,” he said.

He, however, did not state statistics. Noting that the attitude of drivers was the main cause of road accidents, Kamal said it was crucial for road users to practise defensive driving.

“Drivers who are aggressive, emotional and distracted while driving are dangerous. Most people will, at one time or another, feel like strangling their fellow drivers but it becomes a criminal act when you follow up on that intention with an aggressive act (such as chasing after a vehicle),” he said at the Rakan Trafik@USM road safety campaign at Universiti Sains Malaysia here yesterday.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) director-general Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said Malaysians generally felt that they were “Superman” and would never end up as an accident casualty.

“It’s their attitudes that cause accidents. The think they are invincible, not even wanting to wear safety belts. Perhaps it’s ego. They just want to be faster and better than the next driver,” said Dr Ahmad.

He said it was easier for people to change their attitudes than for enforcement bodies to step in. He added that Miros was working with several insurance companies to reward “good drivers” but the plan would have to get the approval of Bank Negara.

Source: Thestar Online

Creative Air Cones For Road Safety

1. Road Cones can be a pain sometimes, for the driver a safety hazard and for the guy who has to place them on the road, a back breaking job. Not many must have thought of redesigning this thing, but innovation is really called for. Interim let’s look at the Air Cone Concept; it’s this flattened balloon strip that you lay on the road. Inflating it causes Air Cones to pop up, but care has been taken to ensure a sturdy design. Only hope that crazy kids with pins in hand don’t got popping it just for fun. :)

2. In my opinion, beside being helpful on the traffic management on the highways, these creative air cones are also suitable to be used in the city. For example, special lane that only opened during morning peak hours from Grand Saga Cheras to Kuala Lumpur. Those who are frequently using that stretch will know what I mean.

Designers: Hoyoung Lee, Youngwoo Park & Junkyo Lee

Credit: Yanko Design

Global Killer No.1 - Road Accident

The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 was announced this week by the UN General Assembly and supported by WHO. The WHO global status report on road safety makes for shocking reading. Over 3000 people die on the world's roads every day. Tens of millions of people are injured or disabled every year. Nearly 1.3 million people are killed each year. If trends continue unabated deaths will rise to an estimated 2.4 million a year by 2030.

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Around the world, approximately 1.3 million people die each year on the roads and between 20 and 30 million sustain non-fatal injuries according to the Global status report on road safety. The report is the first broad assessment of the road safety situation in 178 countries, using data drawn from a standardized survey. Over 90 percent of the deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have only 48 percent of the world's registered vehicles.

It's predicted that by 2030, the amount of people who are killed in road traffic accidents will rise to fifth in the leading causes of death around the world. Currently it is in ninth place. Through the Decade, Member States with the support of the international community, commit to actions such as developing and enforcing legislation on key risk factors including limiting speed, reducing drink-driving and increasing the use of seatbelts, child restraints and motorcycle helmets.

Efforts will also be undertaken to improve emergency trauma care, upgrade road and vehicle safety standards, promote road safety education and enhance road safety management in general. The Global status report on road safety results clearly show that significantly more action is needed to make the world's roads safer and hopefully this decade of action will go a long way help change things.

Resource: WHO via NGHealthCare Europe

Wear Your Seat Belt - New Ads by Embrace Life

1. The video started with a happy guy playing like a kid with steering wheel with his family. Then, all of sudden, the face of the man changed and this encourage the family members come and secure him. This is really great analogy and creative video on seatbelt wearing made by Embrace Life.

2. This also the quality of advertisement that we need in Malaysia. 1.5 millions views on Youtube is not something ordinary. The most important thing is please wear your seatbelt!

Killer Water Ponding on the Road

1. Malaysia is located a few degrees north of the Equator and is one of the South East Asia nations. The climate is of equatorial type in which the temperature is quite uniform throughout the year with frequent downpour occurrence. However, during the heavy downpour season, the roads are wet and water pounding can be found everywhere ranging from the expressway to the state road.

2. It is recommended to be more careful during the rainy season which usually occurs from June to December. While many of Malaysians are being careful with the roads during the season, a bizarre incident was happening somewhere far from the country. Pretty funny occurrence but laughing to other misfortune is not what has been taught in Islam. Let us take the lesson and be careful driving on such road.

Images Resource: Putihtih

Slow Down, Wear Your Seatbelt..Or Else...

1. Or else...your daughter will come out from the car and hit your car...and maybe you too.

2. So please remember to (1) wear your seatbelt, (2) ask the occupants of the car to wear the seatbelt, (3) do not speeding, (4) give signals, (5) follow the road laws, and lastly (5) focus and focus...

Image Credit: Imgur