www.womenwithwheels.com

National Safety Council and Castrol Survey Drivers

A study released this September shows Americans need to be re-educated about proper car safety standards. The public opinion survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies for the National Safety Council (NSC) and Castrol GTX Start Up reveals that 93 percent of Americans are driving ill-prepared, increasing their chances of incidents by several-fold.

Is this news? Hardly. According to Chuck Hurley, NSC transportation safety group vice president, "for so long, safe driving discussions have centered on safety while driving that Americans have almost forgotten to take the proper safety precautions before starting their cars." Although not every driver’s first thought, following start-up safety precautions before turning the key can make a big difference between safety and disaster.

Two of the leading causes of serious car crashes-seatbelt use and incorrectly inflated or unevenly worn tires-contributed to more than 20,000 serious auto incidents in 2003. These "correct" behaviors conducted before starting the car would help combat these incidents.

This is the first-ever survey on motorists’ pre-start inspections and behaviors to be conducted by NSC and Castrol GTX Start Up. Undertaken to determine if Americans were following proper safety guidelines before starting their vehicles, NSC was surprised to discover that nine out of 10 respondents admitted to not following any guidelines. From these survey results came the idea of creating the Start Up for Safety Campaign, a collaboration between the NSC and Castrol GTX Start Up. This campaign was designed to emphasize the importance of taking proper safety precautions before turning on the car.

The seven pre-start safety precautions the NSC recommends all drivers follow each time a driver gets behind the wheel include:

*Buckle seatbelts, making sure they are properly fastened. In the last 20 years, lan estimated 157,500 lives were saved by drivers and passengers wearing seatbelts.

*Adjust mirrors: Three out of 10 respondents admitted to not adjusting their mirrors before short driving trips (two hours or less), the time during which more crashes happen.

*Positions seat and head restraints: Correctly adjusting the seat and head restraints reduces the occurrence of whiplash by 28.3 percent.

*Don’t talk on the cell phone: In the last five years, 300,000 drivers have been involved in an accident due to cell phone use while driving.

*Be aware of engine warning lights: Three out of four respondents said they do check the warning lights, however, many admitted to checking the light while already driving.

*Check fuel level: Ensure you have enough gasoline to get where you’re going and back. Twenty-five percent of the respondents said they don’t do this before leaving.

The NSC has come up with a slogan to easily remember the pre-driving safety guidelines. The START UP Checklist, says Hurley, will take people about five minutes to recite. Given the alternative, he says, it’s worth it.

Secure loose objects

Turn off cell phone

Always check warning lights

Read fuel/fluid levels

Tire pressure

Use seatbelts

Properly adjust mirrors

According to the Department of Energy, following start-up procedures can save five cents per gallon for each fill-up. Regularly checking your car’s oil and replacing it with the correct grade during an oil change can improve gas mileage as much as two percent, a savings of up to three cents per gallon.

Although 99 percent of the survey respondents rated themselves as safe drivers, nine out of 10 do not conduct the appropriate safety checks before starting their cars. Respondents were also questioned about their overall driving behavior. Some of the surprising findings were as follows:

*Only nine percent of drivers always conduct the NSC-recommended safety checks before taking a two-hour, or longer car trip.

*Men tend to be those who report aggressive driving behavior, including exceeding the speed limit.

*Less than 20 percent of drivers who use a cell phone do not turn them off before driving.

*One out of every three respondents believes it’s acceptable to drive more than five miles over the speed limit on interstate highways.

*Women, although consistently reporting that they are safe drivers, fail to follow the NSC-recommended maintenance procedures.

The NSC Survey consisted of 1,000 drivers, ages 18 and older. Some of the key questions asked were: Do you consider yourself to be a safe driver? Every time before you get into your car and before you turn the key, when going on a short car trip or running an errand in your neighborhood, do you: Make sure your mirrors are properly adjusted? Make sure all occupants are correctly belted? Make sure your seat and head restraints are properly adjusted? Make sure all doors are closed and locked? Secure all loose objects? Make sure your car is secure?

More about the NSC survey can be found at www.nsc.org.