Safety Topics

Factors ranging from the driver and vehicle to weather and enforcement all affect traffic safety. Learning about these topics can encourage driver awareness and influence their decisions.

Driver Issues

You and all other drivers on the road play a key role in traffic safety. Understanding driver related risks and how you can proactively address these issues can impact the safety of our roadways. Some drivers issues include the following:

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Enforcement

Alabama has a number of ongoing selective enforcement campaigns. Many of these campaigns are targeting the primary causes of accidents in the state - alcohol and drugs. More recent selective enforcement campaigns have targeted aggressive driving around commercial vehicles in the Alabama Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) program and safety restraints in campaigns such as Click it or Ticket.

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Pedestrians

Walking is the most basic form of transportation, the one available to most of us regardless of age, the size of our bank accounts, or access to other options. Everyone is a pedestrian.

NHTSA works to raise awareness about the dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists, and to provide leadership, expertise, and resources to communities across America to combat these crashes.

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Medical Considerations

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a system of coordinated response and emergency medical care, involving multiple agencies and modes of transport. Once activated by an incident of serious illness or injury, the focus of EMS is emergency medical care of the patient(s).The incident itself or the EMS response may have effects on traffic flow and safety.

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Environmental

Drivers encounter variables out of their control including weather, animals, and objects. Severe weather can have economic, transportation, and civil impacts on communities. Studies on all these unforeseen hazards can can influence driver and community precautions that can be implemented to avoid traffic safety issues.

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Education & Training

Safe Home Alabama and NHTSA are dedicated to training and education the traffic safety community and the general public. Focus areas include:

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CAPS Special Studies

The Center for Advanced Public Safety conducts special studies regarding traffic safety, utilizing data from its analytics programs, and publishes them for the public.

Restraints

Proper use of restraints is the most effective countermeasure for injury reduction in traffic vehicle collisions and their effectiveness has been confirmed by countless studies over the past two decades. Vehicle restraints include both child safety seats and safety belts.

The proper use of child safety seats helps keep children safe. The type of seat your child needs depends on several factors including a child's size and the type of vehicle in use.

Vehicle safety belt devices have been designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop. It reduces the likelihood of death or serious injury in a traffic collision by reducing the force of secondary impacts with interior strike hazards, keeping occupants positioned correctly for maximum effectiveness of the airbag (if equipped), and preventing occupants being ejected from the vehicle in a crash or if the vehicle rolls over.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual “Click It or Ticket" campaign, is targeted to all drivers, but especially the hard to reach males ages 18-34 who research shows are far less likely to wear seat belts. This law enforcement effort brings together the power of 10,000 agencies across the nation to crack down on seat belt use laws.

Vehicles

Defects & Recalls

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act gives NHTSA the authority to issue vehicle safety standards and to require manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or do not meet Federal safety standards. If a safety defect is discovered, the manufacturer must notify NHTSA, as well as vehicle or equipment owners, dealers, and distributors. The manufacturer is then required to remedy the problem at no charge to the owner. Read More

Automated Vehicles

The continuing evolution of automotive technology aims to deliver even greater safety benefits and Automated Driving Systems (ADS) that one day can handle the whole task of driving when we don’t want to or can’t do it ourselves. Fully automated vehicles, or self driving vehicles, have the potential to reduce—and potentially eliminate—motor vehicle-related deaths on America’s roads. Read More

Bicycles

An increasing number of Americans are using bicycles for commuting, exercise, and recreation. Bicycles on the roadway are legally considered vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities on as motorized vehicles. NHTSA’s bicycle safety initiatives focus on encouraging safer choices on the part of bicyclists and drivers to help reduce deaths and injuries on our roads. Read More

Motorcycles

A motorcycle can be a two-wheeled or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcyclists are encouraged to make themselves visible, use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets, and always ride sober. NHTSA encourages all motorist to share the road and remain alert for the safety of all individuals on the road. Read More

Three-Wheeled Autocycles

Three-wheeled autocycles refers to a motorcycle like vehicle with either two rear wheels and a single front wheel or two front wheels and a single rear wheel. Examples include the Reliant Robin and Polaris Slingshot. Read More

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

ATVs are off-road recreational vehicles that may or may not be permitted for use on public roadways depending on a wide range of State regulations. An ATV generally has three or more low-pressure tires, a straddle seat, a handlebar for steering, and hand controls for braking and acceleration. Read More

15 Passenger Vans

Fifteen (15 passenger vans are in high demand and most commonly used to drive children to daycare, older people to senior citizens event, athletic teams to sporting events, employees in work carpools, congregants to and from their house of worship, and teenagers to youth programs. These popular vehicles can pose a safety risk due to inexperienced van drivers and other road users. Read More

School Buses

School buses are the safest vehicles on the road, and one of the safest modes of transportation overall. They use a unique technology called compartmentalization—a passive occupant protection system. Students are protected within the seating compartment much like eggs in a carton. Read More

Railroad Trains

A train is a form of transport consisting of a series of connected vehicles that generally runs along a rail track to transport cargo or passengers. While they are extremely efficient means of transportation, they also pose risks to vehicles and pedestrians. Operation Lifesaver is committed to raising awareness and improving public safety on and around highway-rail grade crossings and tracks through public awareness and education. Read More

Large Trucks & CMV's

Large Trucks and Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs) have operating limitations such as large blind spots, long stopping distances, and limited maneuverability that make it essential for other vehicles to put extra focus on safety. Read More

Micromobility

Micromobility refers to small-powered, lightweight transportation devices that typically operate at speeds below 15 mph. Examples include bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards, shared bicycles, and electric pedal-assisted bicycles. Read More