To my dearest daughter, and her friends :

Congratulations! Much like other milestones achieved in your life, you now have your driver’s license. Cool. You will love not having to ask me or your dad for rides. But with that privilege comes responsibility. Here are just a few things to keep in mind:

1. Look around your classroom. See 10 people? One of you will be involved in a crash. 20 people? That makes 2 of you.

2. The State of Minnesota has recently passed a law saying you can’t have more than one passenger your age in the car with you for a while. (like 6 months). Do you know why?
Your risk of DYING in the car goes up with each passenger. Get this: If you are 16 and have 1 passenger in the car, your risk of dying is 39% higher than if you were alone. It’s 86% higher if you have 2 passengers and 282% higher with three passengers. DEAD IS DEAD. It’s not worth it.
One of the driving instructors, Mr. Mead, had a great idea. Have ALL the passengers act as alert drivers, pointing out activity on the road. You all work together to get to your destination safely. Leave your ego at home.

3. Seat belts are important. In 4 short years in Minnesota (1999-2003), 305 kids aged 15-28 DIED in traffic crashes. 74 % did not have a seat belt on. You have to wear it. ALL the time (and keep reminding me).

4. I may tell you that you can’t drive after 9 p.m. for the first few months after you get your license. O.K. I know the new state law says midnight. I don’t care. Research shows that night crashes peak NOT when the bars close after midnight, but between 9 p.m. and 12. It’s not forever, but for a short time, till you get more experience.

5. And NO cell phones while driving. EVER. Distracted driving = crash. End of story.
I may sound like the nastiest, most restrictive mother in the world, but anyone driving past a fatal crash scene slows down and looks at it. “Is it someone I know” they think. I don’t want it to be you, or your friends, or anyone in our community.
I will harass you. Remember that. But it’s because I love you.

Your mom,
Joy Westerdahl M.D.
Chairman Safe Communities of Wright County

P.S. It’s still cool (and always will be) to ride your bike. Its great exercise and good for the environment.

Dear Editor,

Most people know emergency rooms can be kept busy with those drivers who choose to drink alcohol and get behind the wheel, but they may be surprised to learn that drowsy drivers can be just as dangerous and can keep our emergency rooms busy as well. Sleepiness slows your reaction time, decreases awareness, and impairs your judgment, just like drugs and alcohol. There are two times a day that your body is in most danger of falling asleep--at night between midnight and 6 a.m. and in the “afternoon lull” between 1 and 4 p.m. Of course, any time you are sleep deprived, you put yourself and others on the road at risk.


Most people think they are a good driver and can control their sleepiness, but the fact is, someone can fall asleep and never know it. When you are driving, falling asleep for even a few seconds can be dangerous and deadly. Danger signs for drowsy drivers include:

· Your eyes close or go out of focus by themselves.

· You can’t stop yawning.

· You don’t remember driving the past few miles.

· You drift out of your lane or miss road signs.

If you have even one of these symptoms, you could be sleepier (and more dangerous) than you think. Pull off the road and take a break!



The solution to drowsy driving is simple - prevention. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. If you are feeling drowsy while you are driving get out of the vehicle to stretch, go for a walk, get a drink or something to eat, but don’t stay on the road. If drowsy driving is a persistent problem, consider seeing a doctor for a sleep disorder. Remember – safe drivers are alert drivers!



Shelley Simkins

Buffalo Hospital Emergency Room Director &

Safe Communities of Wright County

Board Member

To the Editor,

In many areas it is difficult to get through a day without hearing sirens or seeing emergency vehicles speeding down the roadway with lights flashing. Such occurrences have become commonplace as law enforcement, ambulance and fire personnel respond to a great variety of emergency calls. Yet, operation of an emergency vehicle can be a hazardous but necessary task. There is a risk to the driver and occupants of the emergency vehicle as well as other motorist and pedestrians. If we all work together and follow the laws related to emergency vehicles we can help minimize this risk.

Minnesota state law requires that drivers yield the right-of-way upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle operating with emergency lights or siren, and pull over to the right hand side of the road and stop. Drivers must remain stopped until after the emergency vehicle has passed. It is always a good idea to check closely for additional emergency vehicles that may be operating in the area as well before driving back into the driving lane.

Each year a number of officers, other emergency personnel, and citizens are injured when inattentive drivers crash into emergency vehicles parked of the side of the road. In an effort to reduce the number of these unfortunate incidents the Ted Foss, or Move Over law was enacted. This law requires any driver, when approaching an emergency vehicle, with lights flashing, parked, or otherwise stopped, on or next to the street or highway to move over. If the roadway is equipped with two lanes going in the same direction drivers shall safely move to the lane farthest away from the emergency vehicle if it is possible to do so. If the roadway is equipped with more than two lanes in the same direction drivers must move over as to leave at least one full lane between the drive and any lane in which an emergency vehicle is completely or partially parked, or otherwise stopped if possible to do so.

In short please move over when it is safe to do so in order to leave a safe distance between vehicle traffic and stopped emergency vehicles on or adjacent the roadway. If you are unable to move over reduce your speed and allow as much room as possible.


Lt. Bob Harri
Buffalo Police Department
Board Member Safe Communities of Wright County

During the recent legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature strengthened the state’s laws for newly licensed teen drivers. These laws are meant to help teens improve their driving skills during the first year of licensure by reducing exposure to two high-risk situations: carrying teen passengers and driving at night.

Minnesota teen drivers are overrepresented in fatal traffic crashes each year — due to driver inexperience, distractions, nighttime driving, speeding and lack of seat belt.

A nighttime driving limitation during the first six months of licensure prohibits teens from driving from midnight to 5 a.m. — unless the teen is driving when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Other exceptions include driving between home and place of employment; driving to/from home and a school event for which the school has not provided transportation; or driving for employment purposes.

The nighttime limitation is lifted after the first six months of licensure.

There are also new teen passenger limitations. For the first six months of licensure only one passenger under the age of 20 is permitted, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. During the second six months of licensure, no more than three passengers under the age of 20 are permitted, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Passengers under age 20 who are members of the immediate family are permitted for both periods.

These two provisions go into effect August 1, 2008, but also apply to teens licensed before August 1. As a result, a teen licensed on July 1 has five months and a subsequent six months of limitation requirements, rather than starting the limitation time periods anew on August 1. Violating these laws is a misdemeanor.

Although these laws are a step in the right direction, Safe Communities of Wright County urges parents to consider if these restrictions are enough for their teen drivers. While limiting nighttime driving from midnight to 5 a.m. is a start, parents should know that the peak of night time driving crashes for teens is from 9 p.m. to midnight. Well before the restriction goes into place. Safe Communities of Wright County recommends a 9 p.m. driving curfew for the first few months until driving skills are more fully developed.

Likewise with the teen passenger limitation, the law is a start, but Safe Communities of Wright County would recommend stronger parental restrictions. According to a John Hopkins Study, the addition of just one passenger along with a teen driver increases crash risk by 39%. The addition of 3 passengers increases crash risk increases by nearly 200%. Parents of teen drivers are encouraged to totally restrict any passengers for the first few months of driving until their driving skills can be more fully developed. Then, slowly add passengers as teens gain experience behind the wheel.

For more information on teen driving, including a downloadable Parent-Teen Driving Contract, visit www.safecommunitiesofwrightcounty.org.


# # # # #

April 2008

 

Here is my story. Tuesday evening at the Delano Tiger Baseball game in St. Boni I was on cloud nine. I went three for three, two doubles and two RBI's, pitched four innings, no earned runs and six strike outs! WOW! It felt great!

Then Wednesday I found out that I had achieved my goal of reaching Varsity status and would be practicing with varsity that very afternoon. Practice was amazing (ok ... now you know for sure that my mom is helping me write this) ... practice was practice. Coach Paulson had me pitching before all of the other Sophmore pitchers so my hopes were high that possibly I would be playing in Thursday nights game. After practice I was heading home to pick up my sisters for religion class. My energy was high and I was extremely anxious with all that had transpired over the past two days. I was taking my normal detour home down Nelson Road due to the construction that continues to bind most all of Delano's residents. I was approaching tickle hill at Kutz Crossing going a little too fast. The road had recently been re-graveled so I should have been going a little slower. I went over the hill and the front end of my car began to slide to the right I knew there was nothing I could do when I saw the tree in front of me. BAM! I hit the tree! I remember sliding but I don't remember the impact. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT! The impact into the tree was so great that it caused the backend of the car to come up and over wedging the car between the tree and a telehone pole. I was stuck! I don't believe that I ever lost conciusness because the next thing I remember was realizing I could not get out of the car. My legs were trapped between the floor board and the seat. I looked down and saw my legs locked really twisted and mangled but could not get out. I could not reach my phone! I tried not to panic but was scared. I began to scream in hopes that someone would hear me. The next thing I knew there was a man (an angel my mom says) that was right by my side helping me through the pain and my fears. He somehow pried the door open and was able to unbuckle me but I was still stuck. Him and his wife stayed with me the entire time until the rescue workers were able to pry me from the vehicle. It took the rescure workers about ten minutes to free me from the wreckage using the Jaws Of Life. I was then airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center. I had emergency surgery on my left leg that night at 9:30. I had compound fractures and it was broken in several places. They put pins in my leg to assist with the healing and someday I will have to have them removed. My right leg fared better then initially expected with only several sprains and a slight fracture on the outter ride side of my foot. I am grateful to everyone that was there that day to assist me during one of the most scary and painful times in my life. And Thanks to all the friends and family that waited at the hospital that evening to make sure that I was o.k., especially Coach Paulson and Coach Van Cura -- what a wonderful surprise to wake up and see you standing there. The doctors tell me that I should be able to make a full recovery and I fully intend to do just that!

                                                                                                               Nick Kelzer

 

Safe Communities of Wright County is pleased to announce that Buffalo High School has been selected as the winner for the 2008 Wright County High School Seat Belt Challenge. This school is chosen based on having the highest percent of buckled students at the end of a 4-week county-wide Challenge. Buffalo High school recorded 94.4% of their drivers and front seat passengers wearing a seat belt on the unannounced final seat belt check. The school worked hard for 4 weeks to promote seat belt use and safe driving through a variety of educational and motivational efforts. “We’re thrilled that our program motivated teens to buckle up,” says Pat Hackman, Safe Communities of Wright County. “Hopefully our efforts will help to further spread the message that seat belts save lives.” Crash data shows high school students are the group of drivers that are most likely to be involved in a crash, yet least likely to be wearing their seat belt.

To collect the data while participating in the Seat Belt Challenge, Buffalo students would stand in the parking lot and do observational surveys to see how many students and front-seat passengers were buckled. Annandale High School won “Most Improved” school by increasing the number of buckled students by 14.5% during the challenge. The average rate of seat belt use for all drivers in the state of Minnesota is 88%. Eight schools within Wright County participated in the 2008 Challenge. The Seat Belt Challenge is sponsored by Safe Communities of Wright County and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

 As Prom and graduation approach, teenagers are celebrating these joyous events! Unfortunately, during this time, thousands of young people are unnecessarily killed or seriously injured when teenagers celebrate their success by drinking and driving. Safe Communities of Wright County encourages you to take some time to talk with your teenagers about the dangers of drinking, driving, and reckless behavior.

Discussions should include clear guidelines about your expectations. You need to know your teenager’s location, curfew, friends, and plans for the evening. Also, your teenager should know that he or she should never get into a vehicle when the driver has been drinking. Remember, it is unlawful for any person to drive or operate a motor vehicle after having consumed any amount of alcohol (statute 169.1218).

Celebrate this joyous time with your teenager, but take the time to emphasize safety. Spring can be a wonderful time of year. Do your part to ensure that it is wonderful!


Patty Johnson
Assistant Principal
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Safe Communities of Wright County
Board Member

Although the State of Minnesota will not release the official count for 2007 crash fatalities for a few weeks, the Fatal Review Committee of Safe Communities of Wright County has reviewed all the 2007 fatal crashes that happened within the County’s boundaries.

The Fatal Review Committee is made up of professionals from law enforcement, emergency response, engineering and education. Participants include the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, MN State Patrol, Allina Medical Transportation, Wright County Highway Department, and Wright County Public Health. The goal of this group is to review fatal crashes that happen in Wright County and identify commonalities, patterns, and trends that could be addressed to prevent future crashes.

In 2007, there were 19 crashes in Wright County that resulted in 20 fatalities. Of these crashes, 15 of them involved cars/pick ups/SUV’s and 4 of them involved motorcycles. This is a significant increase compared to recent years where 2006 saw 11 crash fatalities and 2005 saw 16 fatals.

Although there is no one single reason why there was an increase in the number of fatalities for 2007, we do know there are some common factors in the crashes that occurred. Driver impairment was the major contributing factor in 40% of these fatalities. That is slightly higher than the state average of 34% (in previous years). Improper lane usage also ranked high with 37% of the crashes resulting from this. Inattentive driving, which has ranked high in previous years, was only a factor in 2 of the crashes.

Many drivers associate poor weather and road conditions with crashes, however the month that had the most fatalities in 2007 was July (followed by October). None of the 19 crashes that happened in Wright County identified weather as a contributing factor.

Wearing your seat belt is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in the event of a crash – any kind of crash. Last year, 45% of the County’s crash fatality victims were not wearing their seat belt. Three out of four of the motorcycle victims were not wearing a helmet.

Driver’s who follow four simple actions can increase their safety when they are behind the wheel: Always wear a seat belt, Drive at safe speeds, Drive sober, and Pay attention. Safe Communities of Wright County is a non-profit organization whose mission is to decrease traffic crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities through prevention and education.

Dear Editor,

For many folks in Wright County, St. Patrick’s Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large volume of impaired drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.

That’s why Safe Communities of Wright County reminds all those who plan on celebrating during the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to drink responsibly. Whether meeting a few friends at the local pub after work or attending a party, if you plan on drinking alcohol, please don’t drive.

Designating a sober driver before the local celebration begins and making sure friends don’t drive drunk are just two of several, simple steps to help avoid a crash or an arrest for impaired driving:

 

• If you’re impaired, call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get home safely;

• Use your community’s or drinking establishment’s Sober Ride program;

• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;

Impaired driving can be a costly mistake. The St. Patrick drink specials won’t seem like such a bargain if you’re charged with driving under the influence. The estimated cost of a first DUI is more than $20,000 in Minnesota. Driving impaired can also be deadly. Last year 40% of the fatal crashes in Wright County involved impairment.

Wright County is the 7th deadliest county in the State of Minnesota when it comes to alcohol-related fatalities. Because of that, law enforcement agencies in Wright County qualify for special federal funding for enhanced impaired driving enforcement. Last year there were more than 800 DUI arrests in Wright County.

Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is simply not worth the risk. The consequences can be at best expensive and at worst deadly. Don’t depend on dumb luck this St. Patrick’s Day. Designate your sober driver before the party begins.

Kevin Zachman
St. Michael
Safe Communities of Wright County
Board Member

Letter to the Editor:

We are reminding parents and caregivers in our community that all children should be placed in child safety seats, booster seats or seat belts-every time they ride in a car or truck.
Great progress has been made in increasing the use of child safety seats and booster seats, which has decreased deaths among children in car and truck crashes. But much more remains to be done.

Safety experts have identified proper booster seat use for children in the age four-to-eight range and weighing 40-80 pounds as one of the nation's most important child passenger safety priorities. However, the majority of America's 20 million children who should be riding in booster seats are not, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).

Just 21 percent of children aged 4-8 are "at least on occasion" riding in a booster seat while traveling in a vehicle. Your child should stay in a car safety seat with a full harness until the seat is outgrown, usually at about 40 pounds. When a child's shoulders are above the top set of strap slots, it is time for a booster. A belt positioning booster seat boosts child up providing a higher sitting height, which allows the adult lap and shoulder belt to fit properly

Children who have outgrown their child safety seat should ride in a booster seat until they are at least eight years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Children placed in poorly fitting adult safety belts can suffer serious life-threatening injuries, or risk being ejected from a vehicle altogether in the event of a crash.

Child car seat checks and information is available at (763)682-7701


Jon Young
Wright County Safe Communities Member
1004 Commercial Drive
Buffalo, MN 55313