Stop on Red: Improving Roadway Safety and Awareness
In honor of National Stop on Red Week (August 2-8, 2020), let’s talk about roadway safety.
Every time you get behind the wheel, roadway safety should be at the forefront of your mind. The potential for accidents while driving lurks around every corner, with road intersections proven to be one of the most dangerous places. In fact, more than two people are killed in the U.S. daily and hundreds of thousands more are injured as a result of drivers running red lights. But there’s a catch: every one of these accidents could be prevented if basic roadway safety rules were obeyed.
Why is Roadway Safety Important?
Although completely eliminating road traffic incidents is unlikely, there are steps drivers can take to significantly reduce the number of accidents, particularly in intersections. A survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 85% of drivers believe it is highly dangerous to speed through a red light, yet 31% admitted to doing so within the last 30 days. Roadway safety is taught by both state and federal leaders, but if citizens choose to still ignore the rules, accidents will ensue.
Roadway Safety Awareness
Despite roadway safety being a major concern for drivers, awareness while on the road is an anomaly. When polled, 76% of Americans rated themselves as good drivers, while 93% admitted to engaging in at least one unsafe driving behavior. Whether that be racing a light purposefully or partaking in other contributing factors such as distracted driving, all motorists have room for improvement. Common examples include:
- Texting or calling while driving
- Speeding
- Disobeying traffic lights and signs
- Disregarding the flow of traffic
What is National Stop on Red Week?
Due to the severity of roadway safety incidents, specifically relating to red lights, the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) and many other organizations host National Stop on Red Week annually. National Stop on Red Week first originated in 1995 as a campaign introduced by the Federal Highway Administration to help educate drivers on roadway safety and the risks of running red lights.
This year, the event runs August 2-8, and each day of the week tackles a different safety angle:
- Day 1 | Sunday, August 2 – Introduction
- Day 2 | Monday August 3 – The Numbers
- Day 3 |Tuesday August 4 – The Trends
- Day 4 |Wednesday August 5 – Stop on Red
- Day 5 |Thursday August 6 – Get the Facts
- Day 6 | Friday August 7 – Red Light Cameras Save Lives
- Day 7 | Saturday August 8 – Take the Pledge
For more information and updates, visit the NCSR website.
So what can your company do to improve roadway safety?
Roadway safety is a commitment to protecting yourself and those around you. To lessen roadway incidents, implement annual driver safety courses for your Team Members focused on defensive driving and/or developing good habits and look into incorporating technology to better monitor and coach your team. Many electronic logging software programs can collect data regarding your fleet’s speed over the road and various at-risk behaviors such as hard accelerations, braking, or cornering. And with weekly or monthly inspections, you can see where you should focus your efforts, including the installation of safety devices such as dashboard cameras, lane departure warnings, and assured clear distance systems.
Remember: when you’re behind the wheel, it’s your responsibility to keep yourself and others on the road safe. Encourage your teams to be respectful of other drivers and obey traffic laws.
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