®

National Safety Council World Leader in Safety Services

Presenter:

Roger MarksPresident, International Safety CouncilDivision/National Safety Council

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Our Mission

The National Safety Council mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, on the roads or wherever emergencies may occur.

The National Safety Council is the only global organization with a focus on preventing injuries and saving lives in all three of these areas of safety.

Our Actions: leadership, research, education and advocacy

Workplace

(EHS)

Defensive

Driving

Emergency

Care

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NSC Defensive Driving HistoryFifty years ago, the National Safety Council was the first organization in the world to develop defensive driving programs.

Today, we train 1.7 million drivers annually through more than 30 different DDC courses. We have trained over 66 million drivers around the globe since 1964.

We have authorized more than 2,200 NSC DDC training centers in over 35 different countries and 50 U.S. states.

More than 8,800 certified instructors train drivers each year.

NSC defensive driving programs were developed on the basis that most vehicle collisions are preventable.

We offer more than 30 different programs customized for different types of drivers including:

• Traffic Violators - Young Drivers• Mature Drivers - Corporate Fleets• Trucking - Problem Drivers• Off Road (e.g. desert, mountains or snow) – Motorcyclists• Bus Drivers - Hydrocarbon Vehicle Drivers

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NSC research and data show that more than 80% of motor vehicle collisions (fatalities and injuries) are caused by human error.

The main perpetrator of motor vehicle injuries are motorcars, followed by pedestrians and then heavy vehicles.

Worldwide, nearly 1.3 million people die in traffic crashes every year.

The World Health Organization forecasts that this number will double by 2020 unless governments take action to improve safety.

In 2007 in the United States alone, the cost for motor vehicle injuries exceeded $257 billion and these injuries result in wage and productivity losses of over $200 billion annually.

Increasingly, businesses are realizing that attention to driver improvement positively benefits the workforce as well as the corporate bottom line. Businesses must take action to protect their investment in their employees — in the US, for example, 35% of workforce fatalities are caused by motor vehicle crashes.

Fatal or near-fatal traffic crashes cost an estimated $518 billion globally in material damage, health and other associated costs.

Every 6 seconds, someone is killed or injured on the world’s roads.

Worldwide Research & Statistics

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What is Defensive Driving?

ANSWER: Defensive driving is driving that follows certain rules, procedures and guidelines in order to save lives, time and money in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others. A defensive driver can drive safely regardless of the conditions in which he or she is driving and regardless of the behavior of other road users.

NSC driving programs focus on having drivers think about their attitudes and behaviors and the potential action of other drivers which may lead them to be involved in collisions.

Developing defensive driving habits means:

Making safe and legal driving decisions.Creating a safe, stress-free personal driving space in and around your vehicle.Driving to your destination safely—without a ticket or a crash, and without affecting other drivers’ safety.Practicing common sense, courtesy, and cooperation.Recognizing the risks of hazardous driving behaviors and conditions

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What is Defensive Driving?

A defensive driver does everything reasonable to avoid a collision or ticket. If that means slowing down in bad weather, the defensive driver slows down. The facts show that the majority of collisions are preventable. What’s even more important is that violations are the cause of most collisions.

NSC defensive driving programs focus on getting drivers to think about their attitudes and behaviors which may lead them to be involved in collisions.

Defensive driving requires drivers to link their actions to the potential consequences and to think about the consequences to themselves, their family and friends and relating to their work and finances.

Research shows that drivers who take defensive driver training programs have a much lower accident rate

NSC defensive driving programs can be delivered in different formats that last 4 to 8 hours. It is a classroom-based program.

In other words …..

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Ten Habits of Defensive Driving

1) Always wear your safety belt in any vehicles.

2) Evaluate driving conditions —• you (your physical, mental and emotional condition), • your vehicle, • conditions around you.

3) Avoid impaired driving (e.g., alcohol or drugs)

4) Recognize hazards using the “What If?” strategy.

For example, what if the car in front of you, which is moving at a slower speed than you, appears to be weaving and you want to get into the next lane; could you likely have a collision with that car). The What If strategy anticipates actions of others or road conditions or other factors that could result in an accident and makes you think about your potential driving actions and whether they could result in an accident.

5) Avoid distracted driving (texting, cell phone use, eating while driving, putting on makeup while driving, etc.)

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Ten Habits of Defensive Driving

6) Always maintain emotional control —Reflect, Reframe, Refocus• Reflect: Ask yourself, “Why am I getting angry? Is there really anything I can

safety do to change the situation?”

• Reframe: Think about the situation. “What can I do that will help me maintain control?”

• Refocus: Think about something else, not the situation(s) causing you stress.

7) Avoid fatigued driving.

8) Maintain the proper following distance.

9) Always have a plan. Use the DDC Collision Prevention Formula:• Recognize the hazard.

• Understand the defense or strategy you would take to avoid the hazard

• Act correctly, in time to avoid the hazard

10) Consider other drivers —communicate, be courteous and have patience.

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The Distracted Driving Problem

Motor vehicle crashes are the number 1 cause of death in the United States for 1- to 34-year-olds. Crashes are among the top three causes of death throughout a person’s lifetime. They also are the number 1 cause of work-related death.

Each year since 1994, between 39,000 and 46,000 people in the U.S. have been killed in motor vehicle crashes.

There are activities people tend to think are riskier than driving such as flying in an airplane, but consider this: The lives lost on U.S. roadways each year are equivalent to the lives that would be lost from a 100-passenger jet crashing every day of the year.

In addition to thousands of fatalities, many more people suffer serious life-changing injuries in motor vehicle crashes. More than 2.2 million injuries in the U.S. resulted from vehicle crashes in 2008.

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The Distracted Driving Problem

Driver distractions have joined alcohol and speeding as leading factors in fatal and serious injury crashes.

The National Safety Council estimates 25 percent of all crashes in 2008 involved talking on cell phones – accounting for 1.4 million crashes and 645,000 injuries in the U.S. that year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that at any point during a day, 11% of drivers are talking on cell phones.

Although texting is clearly a serious distraction, NSC data shows drivers talking on cell phones are involved in more crashes. More people are talking on cell phones while driving more often, and for greater lengths of time, than they are texting. Thus, in 2008, an estimated 200,000 crashes involved texting or emailing, versus 1.4 million crashes involving talking on cell phones.

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What is the Risk?

Cell phone drivers have slower reaction times and are more likely to get in a crash than drunk drivers (at the .08 blood alcohol content level)

More than 100,000,000 drivers in the U.S. engage in the concurrent use of a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle

Currently, there are 270 million cell phone subscribers in the U.S.

Today, 4 billion people use cell phones around the globe.

80% admit to phone use while driving

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What is the Risk?

Cell phone users are 4x more likely to be in a crash.

The principal distraction is cognitive: conversations cause “inattention blindness” – looking but not seeing.

One study reports people engaged in phone conversations see up to ½ less than other drivers.

Attention is withdrawn from the processing of information in the driving environment necessary for safe operation of the vehicle.

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Hand-Held vs. Hands-Free

“Inattention blindness” is the principal issue. It’s not where your hands are, it’s where your head is.

Multiple studies report no difference in cognitive distraction of a conversation between hands-free and hand-held phones.

Dialing slightly increases crash risk, but conversations endure much longer, leading to greater crash involvement.

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Cell Phone vs. Passenger Conversations

Passengers share awareness of the driving situation, which is a safety benefit.

A front seat passenger reduces the risk of a crash to 38% of that of a cell phone conversation.

Adults with passengers have lower crash rates than adults without passengers.

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Cell Phones vs. Other Distractions

Cell Phone conversations are MUCH higher risk distractions than listening to radio or music, eating, drinking and talking to passengers.

Certain distractions have higher crash risks (reading, turning around in the seat), but are engaged in less frequently.

TALKING ON CELL PHONES MAY NOT BE THE RISKIEST THING WE DO IN OUR CARS, BUT IT IS INVOLVED IN THE MOST CRASHES.

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Injuries to employees; lost time on the job

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause

of work-related fatalities

Average cost per crash in the U.S. (without injury) is $16,500

Average cost per crash in the U.S. (with an injury) is $74,000

Implications for Employers

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The Biggest Safety Issue in the Workplace

Road vehicles are essential to virtually every organization. There are very few businesses or public or voluntary sector organizations that can function with them—for example, to transport people or to carry goods and services to customers.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, in the United Kingdom:

Car and van drivers who cover 25,000 miles a year as part of their job are likely to be at almost the same risk of being killed at work as those working in mining and quarrying;Out of a total of around 3,500 road accident fatalities every year, it has been estimated that between 800 and 1,000 occur in accidents which involve people who are at work at the time;This compares with about 350 other recorded fatal accidents per year connected with work, making work-related road accidents the biggest single safety issue for most UK businesses.

Work-Related Road Accidents

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Research has shown that benefits from managing work-related road safety and reducing crashes include:

Fewer days lost due to injury

Reduced risk of work-related ill health

Reduced stress and improved morale

Less need for investigation and paperwork

Less lost time due to work rescheduling

Fewer vehicles off the road for repair

Reduced costs such as wear and tear and fuel, insurance premiums and legal fees and claims from employees and third parties

Fewer missed orders and business opportunities so there is a reduced risk of losing the goodwill of customers

Reduced probability of key employees being banned from driving if their license is suspended

Benefits of Managing Work-Related Road Safety

Promoting safe driving practices and a positive safety culture at work will likely spill over into private driving, which should reduce the chances of staff being injured in a crash outside of work.

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Ensure that Leadership reflects the safety values & goals of the organization

Establish Motor Vehicle Policies that set expectations

Provide motor vehicle safety Training & Education that improves skills

Monitor, evaluate, and counsel employee Performance to improve behavior

Provide your employees with the knowledge and tools to use both ON and OFF the job.

Strategies for Employers

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Defensive Driving Courses

Program Development & Modification

Designed by curriculum specialistsResearched and reviewed by top authorities in the field Continually updated based on new research and technology

Tested by focus groups prior to delivery to determine effectiveness

Curriculum and instructors updated with the latest information to ensure consistent quality

Bi-monthly publicationsWebcasts/conferences

Alternative delivery methodsOnlineVideo-based self-study

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Defensive Driving Course (DDC) - 8/6

DDC 8/6: The Original Defensive Driving Course

Comprehensive driver improvement program with a basic six hour curriculum that can be expanded to eight hours.

Interactive course designed to give drivers practical knowledge and techniques to avoid collisions and violations and to choose safe, responsible, and lawful driving behaviors.

Sample topics include:

The physical forces of a collision

How drugs, alcohol, physical conditions & emotions affect your driving

Avoiding collisions by choosing safe, legal behaviors

Dealing with driver distractions and fatigue

The importance of occupant safety devices and how to use them correctly

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Defensive Driving Course - Professional Truck Driver

DDC Professional Truck Driver recognizes that even experienced drivers face driving risks.

Sample topics include:The most common causes of truck-related collisions and how to avoid themThe DDC Collision Prevention FormulaSetting safety standards and protecting motoristsThe unique challenges of driving large vehiclesManaging lanes safelyDealing with uncontrollable driving conditions and hazardsCode of Ethics“Drive for 5” protecting motorists and truck driversPersonal safetyMirror adjustment stationsFollowing distanceSituation analysis of collisions and incidents

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Dynamics of Fleet Safety

The Dynamics of Fleet Safety Course is designed for safety supervisors and managers of all type of fleets - - trucks, buses and motor coaches, cars, vans, motorcycles, fork lifts - - from a wide range of industries. The course demonstrates best practices in motor vehicle safety, collision prevention and asset use. Whether you are a new fleet safety manager or a seasoned veteran, the four-hour Dynamics of Fleet Safety Program will help you run an effective and efficient fleet safety operation.

Sample topics include:

Essential elements of a fleet safety programUsing the essential elements to begin a fleet safety program, featuring real life case studyManagement commitment, recognition and return on investmentSummary, action planning and direction

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Alive at 25 is a highly interactive program encourages young drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 to take responsibility for their driving behavior.

Long-term Goal: To reduce the number of violations, injuries and fatalities incurred by young drivers between the ages of 16 and 24.

Focus: To persuade young drivers to take responsibility for their behaviors and to adopt safer driving habits.

The course is highly interactive and incorporates language more appealing to a younger audience to enhance retention.

The course tries to change bravado ( a false sense of courage) into confidence and explain why young drivers underestimate risks.

The course highlights the effects of inexperience, peer pressures and distractions like cell phones and texting.

Alive at 25

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DDC Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving specifically targets problem drivers. This highly effective program shows drivers the direct connection between their attitude and their driving behaviors. It helps them recognize that their reckless driving and its consequences result from their own choices, and guides them towards accepting responsibility for their actions.

DDC Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving

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DDC Impact

More states and courts have embraced our DDC curriculum than any other driver improvement or defensive driving program for insurance premium discounts, ticket dismissal, corporate training, and driver retraining. All told, NSC has made a significant difference in safety on our nation’s streets and highways.

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DDC Effectiveness

This difference is evidenced by a variety of evaluations and effectiveness that has been completed on DDC programs from NSC which prove the value of DDC.

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College of Lake County, Illinois

Research shows that over a 10-year period after an incident, drivers who do not participate in DDC 8/6 are:

Eight times more likely to be involved in a traffic collision than drivers who took the training.Ten times more likely to be arrested for a moving violation than training participants.Drivers under age 21 were twice as likely to be cited for a moving violation and almost six times as likely to be involved in one or more collisions and one or more moving violations.

Methodology: The College of Lake County used the DDC 8/6 course for its Driver Safety Program (DSP) for more than 10 years. In order to evaluate the program’s effectiveness, 3000 drivers involved in crashes or moving violations were randomly selected for a study.

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NSC - South Carolina Chapter

In research involving the Alive at 25 program, findings showed:

35% decrease in fatalities statewide involving young adult drivers ages (16-24) in 2007 compared to 2006 in South Carolina. 98% of participants in South Carolina said they would change their driving behaviors after taking the course. As of December 2008, of the more than 10,000 young adults aged 15-24 who have taken the DDC program, not one has been involved in a fatal collision in South Carolina.

Methodology: The South Carolina Chapter of the National Safety Council began a DDC course, Alive at 25, for young drivers in February 2007.

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State of Massachusetts

Research evaluating the impact of the DDC Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving program from NSC shows:

Males ages 65 and younger had significantly fewer violations in the six months after taking the course than in the six months before.Reductions in “at fault” accidents and motor vehicle violations over a 6 month period after taking the course ranged from a 56% decrease in major and minor traffic violations by males to a 71% decrease in accidents or motor vehicle violations by females (compared to “at fault” accident or motor vehicle violations in a 6 month period before taking the course). Male participants ages 65 and older exhibited the greatest changes in “at fault” accidents or motor vehicle violations with an 82% reduction in each.

Methodology: Since 1994, Massachusetts began using DDC Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving for the retraining of repeat traffic offenders, and more than 350,000 drivers have now completed the course. Periodic studies are conducted to measure and document the effectiveness of the program.

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State of Nebraska

Results from a study regarding the DDC 8/6 and DDC 4 programs concluded that:

One year after the driver’s initial citation, drivers participating in DDC were almost two times less likely to have another violation.Three years after the driver’s initial citation, drivers participating in DDC experienced “significant decreases in recidivism” compared to drivers who did not participate.  

Source: The University of Nebraska at Omaha completed a study to determine the impact of the program on recidivism among nearly 2,000 drivers – half of whom participated in the DDC program and half who did not. In Nebraska, NSC delivers multiple DDC programs (DDC 8/6 and DDC 4) in several counties of the state where drivers have been charged with motor vehicle violations in traffic court.

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State of Colorado

Results from research in the State of Colorado shows that:

Teen driving fatalities have decreased by approximately 50% over a 10 year period.

Since 2002, the fatality rate in Colorado for students between 16 and 24 who went through the Alive at 25 course is only 1.25 per 20,000 drivers compared to the U.S. national fatality rate of people in the same age range where the fatality rate has been 12.74 per 20,000 drivers.  

Source: The State Patrol of Colorado has been using the Alive at 25 program for

more than 10 years.

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Contact Information

National Safety Council

International Division

1121 Spring Lake Drive

Itasca, Illinois 60143 USA

Phone: +1(630)775-2051

E-mail: international@nsc.org

Website: www.nsc.org/international

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National Safety Council

Thank You