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Driving
Safety Re-Education 101
by
the Social Diary Safety Educator Columnist Monica Zech
Column #7, February 15th, 2006
In
driving, to be a safer driver, you must be 100-percent alert behind
the wheel. Be prepared for the unexpected by making sure
you and your passengers are correctly buckled up for the ride.
And make sure you have very good "un-insured" motorist
protection in your insurance coverage. Why? A growing problem
is the number of uninsured motorists sharing the roadways with
the rest of us. More reasons to be concerned are listed below
thanks to research provided by the AAA Foundation.
Unlicensed Drivers in the United States
Did you know?
o Drivers who operate a motor vehicle without a driver's license
are believed to be the most dangerous drivers on the road.
o About 20% of fatal crashes involve at least one unlicensed driver
.
o According to one AAA study, nearly one death an hour from 1993-1999
can be attributed to unlicensed drivers. - Check this out
o One study found that 30 to 70 percent of drivers whose licenses
have been suspended or revoked continue to drive.
o Some unlicensed drivers are actually more careful because getting
stopped may have severe consequences.
o Many unlicensed drivers are also uninsured.
o In contrast to insured drivers, if you are in a collision with
an uninsured driver, even if it's their fault, you may not be
reimbursed for damages.
Major findings from AAA Foundation Reports:
The Problem
o One in five fatal crashes involved at least one driver who did
not have a license.
o The proportion of invalidly licensed drivers varied widely by
state, from 6% in Maine to 23% in New Mexico. Other high-risk
jurisdictions included the District of Columbia, Arizona, California,
and Hawaii.
o Not only were their licenses invalid, 28 percent of them had
received three or more license suspensions or revocations in the
three years before their crashes.
o Drunk driving is associated with unlicensed driving.
Note: Also know that a very large number of uninsured motorists
are apprehended at D.U.I. checkpoints. Another reason not to be
upset if you're delayed at a checkpoint. Just another way our
Law Enforcement Officers are making roadways safer!
Please be safe! - Monica Zech
For additional
fire safety information visit El
Cajon Fire.com
or for a safety lecture contact me at (619) 441-1615.
*
Monica Zech is the Public Information
Officer and Safety Educator for the City of El Cajon and for El
Cajon Police and Fire Departments. For safety tips please
visit El Cajon
Fire.com In community work, Zech is the Vice
President on the board for the Trauma Research Education Foundation-TREF
and a board member with Communities Against Substance Abuse-CASA.
In March, Monica received the County's 2005 Individual Health
Champion Award for her safety lectures in the community and throughout
the county.Email mzech@ci.el-cajon.ca.us
and visit Zech's
Web Site
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