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Motorsafe
United Spinal Association’s Motorsafe program is a nationwide public awareness campaign promoting safe motoring and spinal cord injury prevention. Education on the proper use of all motorized vehicles will help prevent “risky” behavior. While focused on younger drivers, the program targets all people who operate automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorboats, personal watercraft (PWC), and snowmobiles. United Spinal’s goal is to share information and knowledge of specific hazards involved in operating these types of equipment and to highlight good practices that will prevent serious injury or even death.
Studies have shown that even at slow speeds (i.e., 5 mph), motor vehicle accidents can cause neck injuries. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the typical driver will narrowly avoid a motor vehicle accident one to two times per month and all drivers will be in a collision of some type on average of every 6 years.
Every 13 minutes, there is a death caused by a motor vehicle accident. There are approximately 3 million car-related injuries per year, 2 million permanent injuries, and 40,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. U.S. Department of Transportation statistics indicate that accidents are generally related to irresponsible driving behavior. Currently, automobile accidents are the number one killer of people ages 1 to 37. About 1 in 30 young drivers will be injured in an accident each year. Young drivers are four times more likely to die in car accidents and are much more prone to speed, drive recklessly or intoxicated, and not wear their seat belts, than middle-aged drivers. There were 17,419 alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities in 2002. Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Driving while intoxicated • Inexperienced and irresponsible drivers • Inattentiveness to the road and other vehicles (i.e., tuning the radio, talking on a cell phone, or chatting with passengers, etc.) Ways to Protect Yourself
• Properly maintain your vehicle with routine tune-ups. • Be aware of road conditions. • Avoid driving if your intoxicated, tired, or on medication. • Take defensive driving classes. • Obey traffic laws and speed limits. Motor Vehicle Safety Tips (PDF)
Motorcycles offer very little protection to the rider and accidents, especially at high rates of speed, can easily cause spinal cord injury or death. In the past 5 years, motorcycle fatalities have been steadily increasing. A recent report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that 3,661 motorcyclists died in 2003, a 12% increase from 2002 and a 74% jump from 1997. An additional 67,000 were injured, 4% more than those injured in 2002. About half of all motorcycles involved in a fatal crash collided with another vehicle. A little over one-third of cyclists that died were speeding, approximately twice the rate for drivers of passenger vehicles or light trucks. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement. One out of four motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes had an invalid license. Helmets saved approximately 1,158 lives in 2003; another 640 lives could have saved if helmets were worn. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s motorcycle accident statistics, a motorcyclist is 16 times more likely to die in an accident than a motor vehicle occupant. Motorcyclists are also three times more likely to be injured than people in cars. Causes of Motorcycle Accidents:
• Failure to appreciate the machine’s inherent operating characteristics • Failure to appreciate the limitations of the motorcycle • Failure to use special precautions while riding • Failure to use defensive driving techniques • Lack of specific braking and cornering skills • Failure to follow speed limit
• Read your owner’s manual thoroughly. • Attend a motorcycle rider-training course. • Wear the right shoes, gloves, and clothing. • Buy the power you need, but only as much as you can handle safely. • Consider the primary use of your bike. Don’t buy a “trail” bike for highway use. Similarly, don’t buy a “highway” bike if most of your riding will be off road. • Follow the “rules of the road” and drive defensively.
In recent years, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have become extremely popular and as sales of these vehicles have increased, so has the production of bigger and more powerful ATVs. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), between 2002 and 2003, the number of four-wheel ATVs in use increased by 700,000 units (13%). Serious injuries requiring emergency room treatment increased 10% from 113,900 in 2002 to 125,500 in 2003. In 2003, ATVs killed at least 111 children younger than 16 years of age, accounting for 27% of all fatalities. Children under 16 suffered 38,600 serious injuries in 2003 which was 31% of all ATV-related injuries. This age group received more serious injuries than any other group. Between 1985 and 2003, children under 16 accounted for 37% of all injuries; the decrease in 2003 is partially due to efforts by the ATV industry and organizations such as Concerned Families for ATV Safety to promote higher safety standards and better education on proper vehicle usage. Recent studies also show that ATV operators under 16 years are nearly four times more likely than ATV operators over 16 years to experience an injury requiring emergency department treatment.
• Never ride on public roadways, only on designated trails. • Never ride if your intoxicated, tired, or on medication. • Never carry a passenger on a single-rider vehicle. • Be sure the ATV has the right specifications for your age. • Riders younger than 16 should always be supervised. • Ride at safe speeds. • Take an ATV educational course.
United States Coast Guard statistics show that in 2004, there were 676 fatalities, 3,363 injuries, and 4,904 accidents involving recreational boats. Approximately 70% of all fatal boating accident victims drowned (484 out of 676) and 90% of the victims who drowned were not wearing a personal flotation device or a lifejacket. Approximately 431 lives could have been saved if boaters had worn their lifejackets. A majority of boating accidents involve 2 vessels, but capsizing and falls overboard account for 57% of reported fatal accidents. Approximately 70% of all reported fatalities occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction. Alcohol was involved in approximately one-third of all boating fatalities in 2004.
• Operator inattention • Operator inexperience • Excessive speed • Hazardous waters • Alcohol Ways to Protect Yourself
• Do not operate a boat if you’re intoxicated, tired, or on medication. • Wear Coast Guard-approved lifejackets. • Always check weather forecasts. • Operate your boat at safe speeds. • Do not overload your boat. • Equip your boat with a fully charged fire extinguisher. • Obey the rules of the water. • Be aware of other boats and watercraft around you. • Be aware of low water areas or submerged objects. • Enroll in a boating educational course.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 110 people die annually from snowmobile-related injuries. Forty percent of the reported deaths were due to collisions with trees, wires, bridges, and other vehicles. A majority of snowmobile deaths and injuries involve the head and neck. Although most states do not have mandatory helmet laws, equipping yourself with head protection may help reduce serious injuries. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, from 1999 to 2003, 14,008 snowmobile-related injuries were sustained by youth under 17 years with an annual average of 2,800 injuries. Lower extremities (23%), head/neck/face (20%), and upper extremities (20%) are the most commonly injured body parts. Ways to Protect Yourself
• Always wear insulated boots and protective clothing including a helmet, gloves, and eye protection. • Never ride alone. • Avoid crossing frozen bodies of water, if possible. • Never operate in a single file when crossing frozen bodies of water. • Always stay alert to driving conditions and obstacles, such as depressions in the snow. • Never operate on a street or highway. • Keep headlights and tail lights on at all times. • Always check the weather conditions before you depart. • Always operate your snowmobile at a safe speed. • Never operate your snowmobile if you’re intoxicated, tired, or on medication.
In 2004, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that personal watercraft (PWC) such as jet skis were involved in 25% of all boating accidents. Research shows that jet ski accidents statistically cause a greater amount of severe injuries than any other watercraft accidents. Surgical treatment for personal watercraft accidents also greatly exceeds that of other watercraft. The University of Florida reports that injuries unique to personal watercraft include closed-head trauma, spinal cord injuries, and trauma to chest and abdomen.These injuries are usually caused by roll-overs, side-swipe collisions, or head-on collisions. Most PWC injuries involve young people, especially teens. In 2002, 17- and 18-year-olds accounted for the highest rates of personal watercraft injuries. A review of literature and statistics completed by The Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft Safety shows that 50% of all PWC injuries involving children are moderate to severe. Ways to Protect Yourself
• Know your state’s laws regarding personal watercraft usage. • Wear safety equipment, including a lifejacket, eye protection, a wet suit, gloves, proper shoes, and a helmet. Make sure everything fits properly. • Always operate your personal watercraft with the safety lanyard attached to you. • Never operate your personal watercraft if you are intoxicated or taking medication. • Be aware of other watercraft in your vicinity and be cautious of the terrain around you. • Never operate your personal watercraft at night. • Never stand up or maneuver it through another watercraft’s wake. Also, avoid sudden sharp turns and excessively high rates of speed. • Learn how to swim. • If you are a passenger, always hold on tight and alert the driver if you are in danger. • Never operate your personal watercraft in water less than 2 feet deep. Personal Watercraft Safety Tips (PDF)
The University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center: The Travis Roy Foundation: www.travisroyfoundation.org National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Motorcycle Safety Foundation: www.msf-usa.org/ U.S. Department of Transportation: www.dot.gov/ ATV Safety Institute: www.atvsafety.org Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov/ Off Road.Com: www.offroad.com Concerned Families for ATV Safety: www.atvsafetynet.org Children’s Safety Network: www.childrenssafetynetwork.org The Coalition of Parents and Families for Personal Watercraft Safety: www.pwcwatch.org/powerpoint_files/frame.htm
United Spinal Association Targets Safer Holiday Driving
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