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AAA Commentary
Highway Traveler Satisfaction Increases
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ast year, the Federal Highway Administration conducted surveys asking the American public about travel and transportation on the nation's roads. The resulting report, Moving Ahead: The American Public Speaks on Roadways and Transportation in Communities, shows that 65 percent of highway travelers are satisfied with the major highways they travel most often, up 15 percent since 1995. A 6 percent increase in dissatisfaction is attributed primarily to heavier traffic flow and delays while driving through work zones. According to the survey, travelers want more improvements to traffic flow, continued improvements in pavement conditions, and more effective ways to deal with, or decrease, traffic congestion in work zones. Visitors to national parks and national forests also said they were very satisfied with the access to and within these areas and expressed a desire for improving driving safety, through more roadway signs and pavement markings. Click on www.fhwa.dot.gov/ reports/movingahead.htm. to find the survey results.FAA Requires Airlines to Carry Heart Device
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nder a new Federal Aviation Administration rule, U.S. airlines will be required to carry automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and enhanced emergency medical kits on all domestic and international flights within three years. The rule applies to airplanes that weigh more than 7,500 pounds and have at least one flight attendant.Several airlines already carry defibrillators and enhanced emergency medical kits, but the new rule will ensure that all airline passengers have access to potentially lifesaving devices. An estimated 350,000 Americans are struck by cardiac arrest each year. Chances of survival can be as high as 90 percent if defibrillation (electrical shocks that stimulate the heart to resume normal beating) is provided during the first minutes following collapse.
Halloween Safety
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alloween is a time when ghosts, goblins and witches run through our neighborhoods. At the same time, motorists are often coming home from work or running errands. This combination can lead to an unexpected tragedy.Studies show that the number of deaths among children ages 5 to 14 is four times higher on Halloween than on other evenings throughout the year. Children's everyday outdoor activities normally take place during daylight hours, while Halloween trick-or-treating usually occurs near or after dark. This change in timeframe leads to greater risk. The following are tips for parents and drivers.
During trick-or-treating, parents and children need to choose a route through safe neighborhoods with well-lit streets. Children should always carry lit flashlights, making them more visible to traffic, and a responsible adult or older teen should accompany the children. Remember that young children are less able to quickly cross the street, their visibility (to drivers) is limited by their shorter stature, and they often dart out from between parked cars.
Costumes should be simple, easy to walk in, and made of white or light-colored material. Children should also use makeup since masks can block their vision and make it difficult for them to keep track of approaching motorists. Costumes decorated with retro-reflective material also make children much more visible to drivers at dusk and after dark.
Drivers can contribute to a safer Halloween by turning headlights on before dusk. Headlights greatly increase a vehicle's visibility to approaching trick-or-treaters. Motorists must also slow down in neighborhoods; driving just 5 mph slower can make a great difference.
Remind children to use the following safety precautions:
- Never enter a stranger's house, even if you're invited.
- Always walk-don't run.
- Cross only at corners and never between parked cars or in the middle of the block.
- Always walk facing traffic and as far off the road as possible.
- Never eat treats until they are properly inspected by an adult.
- Discard anything that is unwrapped, in case it has been contaminated.
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