Legal Today, Illegal Tomorrow

September is new legislation month. Several states will be implementing tougher laws for hand-held electronic devices, DUI/DWI, Teen Licensing and insuring teens. This should not come as any surprise to you. We have been posting for several weeks about the attention being drawn to distracted drivers. We have even posted about the teen driver problem and our views of DUI/DWI. Harmony stays up to date on these issues and many others. We pass this on to our site visitors and blog followers to keep you informed and educated. Driving is a hot topic with our current administration and each state has began implementing legislation to deter bad driving habits. Loss of life and property is becoming an all to frequent occurrence, due to bad drivers. Twelve states are upping the severity of fines and consequences for hand-held device use. To get more info on which states these are click here.


DUI/DWI has always been a severe problem on the highways. With an estimated 48% of all traffic fatalities being related to an impaired driver, the laws have got be stricter overall and more severe if the impaired person is underage. Drinking and driving is absolutely an unacceptable practice and violators should be punished severely. Twenty-one states are tightening up in this area. Is your state one? click here.

The next topic the law addresses is the teen driver. Graduated Drivers Licenses (GDL)
have been in place in some states for many years, but recently more have come on board. Seventeen states have made changes to their laws regarding the teen driver and how they are to be licensed and insured. Click here to see which ones. Teen drivers pose a certain risk simply because of their inexperience and "bulletproof" attitude. Teens who chose to drive impaired by either drugs or alcohol, increase their chances of being involved in a fatality collision, by 105%!! Parents are, the ultimate responsible party, in these situations and should do whatever it takes to ensure their young drivers are properly trained to get behind the wheel. Teens dying in auto collisions is a sad and in most cases a preventable event. Proper instruction and parental guidance are key to reducing the risk.

When states implement new laws, they sometimes have, what are known as, enforcement periods. States may give violators 90-120 days before they begin prosecuting the changes to the laws. This does NOT mean, you will NOT be stopped for the violation, but you may only receive a warning citation. After the "grace period", be prepared to explain yourself. Law enforcement usually needs this period also to acclimate themselves to the changes and become more familiar with the new laws. Courts also need this time to update their systems and hold council meetings to decide fine amounts for the new violations. Even Judges appreciate the chance to brush up.

Harmony will continue to keep you informed of the changes in laws. It's our goal to have all drivers aware of the things affecting their everyday commutes. We hope you review the changes for your state and learn the implementation process for them. It would be a simple summary to say that if you are new driver you're affected, a poor decision maker and drive impaired you're affected and if you use a hand-held communicator you are the hot target! So, learn to drive safely, DON'T DRINK and DRIVE and pull over or wait till you ARE NOT in a car to make that phone call or send that message.

Thanks for reading and please use good common sense when driving. You don't want to be the one that triggers a change in the law.

Attracted to the Distraction

Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, was home in Peoria a few weeks ago, when he heard about a 17 year old female who was killed when she drove off the road. Not really shocking news, but it was why she had the misfortune that got his attention. "It turns out she was texting while driving. We have all seen the footage of the bus driver who was talking and texting on two phones while driving.....the horrific commuter train crash last year in California involved an operator who was too busy texting to pay attention to what he should have been doing, as a result 25 people were killed and 135 were injured." And then Lahood let it be known what he would do if given the choice. "If it were up to me, I would ban drivers from texting," he said, "but" he added, "we've learned from our efforts to get people to wear seat belts and to persuade them not to drive drunk, that laws just aren't always enough, often you need to combine education with enforcement to get results."

So, again we are hearing about the distracted driver. Harmony knows this is a "hot button" issue and as laws stiffen and enforcement is stepped up the problem seems to be growing. How does this make you feel while you are driving? Thirty-five percent of auto drivers say they feel less safe than they did five years ago. This according to the second annual 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index released July 28 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "Over the past 25 years, motor vehicle crashes have permanently, violently and tragically ended the lives of 1 million Americans, killing more of our children, teens and young adults than any other single cause." Said AAA foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. "That's one death every 13 minutes."

The following are some key issues from the 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index:

• When asked about perceived threats to their safety:
o 90% rated people driving after drinking alcohol as a very serious threat to their safety.
o 87% rated drivers text messaging or emailing as a very serious threat.
o 79% rated drivers not paying attention as a very serious threat.
o 70% rated aggressive driving as a very serious threat.
o 58% rated drivers talking on cell phones as a very serious threat.
o 56% rated speeding as a very serious threat.

• When asked how acceptable they considered it to be for a driver to engage in various behaviors while driving, large majorities rated the behaviors as unacceptable, even after having already admitted to doing those things themselves. For example:
o 95% of drivers said that text messaging while driving was completely or
somewhat unacceptable; 18% of those same drivers admitted having read or sent a text message or email while driving in the past month.
o 94% rated running red lights as unacceptable; 26% of those same drivers admitted having run a red light when they could have stopped safely.
o 91% rated tailgating as unacceptable; 24% of those same drivers admitted having tailgated another driver when they could have backed off.
o 95% rated driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a residential street as unacceptable; 21% of those same drivers admitted having done this.
o 71% rated talking on a hand held cell phone while driving as unacceptable, yet 30% of those same drivers reported doing this, and another 27% reported using a hands-free phone, which studies have shown is no safer.
o 63% rated driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway as unacceptable; 28% of those same drivers reported having done this.

Texting while driving is currently banned in 14 states and everyday new legislation is being drawn up to combat the issue. Studies show this is far more dangerous than talking on a phone or driving drunk.

Harmony advocates the regulation on the use of hand held technology as well as strict enforcement. Loss of life IS NOT... lol!

Thanks for reading and remember let your hands do the driving and nothing more.

The Real Cost of Efficiency

President Obama wants 1 million plug-in cars on the road by 2015. So how much better are these "preferred" vehicles on our economy and environment? Surprisingly, the results may not be what you expect, unless you are a pessimist. Once thought of as a costly fad, hybrid type vehicles, especially ones that use plug-in technology, are surely the future of cars to come. Nissan, Toyota, GM, Honda, Mitsubishi and Tesla are already putting together their offerings, (Tesla already has one available) and are making changes in existing plants to accommodate the future demand. The real problem is making them worth the switch and keeping them affordable. Ranging from $30,000 upwards to $101,000, for these new tech cars, seems to be very pricey to most consumers for a vehicle that makes you feel like you are in a shoe box. Yet, as styling is a work in progress for the automakers, selling the cost effectiveness is a bigger issue. Let's look at some of the offerings soon to be available.

The plug-in Prius from Toyota (due in 2010) will give you 10 gas free miles before the combustion engine kicks in. Est. 50 MPG.

The entrants from GM and Fisker (also due in 2010) will get you 40 miles before gas is the main power source. Est. 100 MPG.

The Nissian, Mitsubishi and Tesla models have an electric range of 100-125 miles before a recharge and offer no gasoline back up. This comes to an Est. 350 MPG (equivalent) depending on the type of battery and size.

Are you sold now? Want to run right out the door and get your name on the list? I didn't think so. But!, if you are trendy and trying to be socially responsible, then you better get on the list. If you think you are contributing to the improvement of the environment, think again. Another big issue for our current administration is the Cap and Trade. Carbon off-sets being bought and sold to help large manufacturers tread lighter on our atmosphere. Automakers are in this category, as are the coal-fired power plants, that will be providing the electricity for these plug-in autos. This brings us to ask the question, What is the cost benefit of producing these vehicles in correlation to the emissions, reducing carbon-off sets, they will reportedly save? The answer was recently debated in a FORBES editor note(August 24, 2009 issue). Forbes editor, William Baldwin, notes that gas is more expensive than coal(per unit of energy), but spits out not much more than half the carbon, translating to an estimated $20/ton* of avoided CO-2. *Estimate provided by the Electric Power Research Institute.

Exxon's recent shift from fossil fuel petroleum to cleaner burning natural gas, places it in a comfortable position to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and declaring it's approval of the $20/ton pricing. With this shift, Exxon hopes that coal fired power plants will follow suite. Due to the lower capital cost of gas, the greenhouse benefit in this case would be free. So where's the problem? FREE off-sets sound acceptable? Remember we said NATURAL GAS, and IF the power plants switched. Currently, the cost of providing electricity to recharge these plug-ins is far from cost effective and does very little to improve the environment, therefore, subsidizing electric cars is a bad way to reduce atmospheric carbon.

Let's go back and look at the Nissan Leaf plug-in and GM's Volt, both due out in 2010. What do they do for carbon reducing prices? These models are designed to displace a small sedans use of 5,000 gals over an average 150,000 mile life. That much gasoline produces just under 50 tons of carbon dioxide. Keeping fresh in mind that electric vehicles are not "emissions-free", they are recharged by a fossil fuel burning plant. The Leaf and Volt both will cost the taxpayers $200/ton! Wait! these vehicles require home charging units as well as public ones, adding those in and allowing for all the governments "chip-ins" to help buyers off-set cost, now we're up to $250/ton. The latest attempt to remove high emission vehicles from use is called "cash for clunkers". This program will reach carbon reducing cost of $1,700/ton and the use of bio-fuels is even more costly.

Nissan's head executive, Carlos Ghosn, a recent convert to hybrids, says the environmental winds are on his side. Hybrids such as the Leaf and Volt are transitional technology. They help reduce emissions, not eliminate them. "When you have emissions, you have suspicions," he says. Pure electric cars are clean and government policymakers world-wide are clamoring for them. "I am extremely bullish on zero-emission vehicles," he says. Within ten years, he predicts 10% of the worlds cars will be electric. He hopes Nissan will be a leader, not a follower. I hope he has accounted for lasting supply of fossil fuel still required to make his vehicle work. I also hope he has predicted the damage our atmosphere is suffering to power his plug-in dream!

Thanks for reading and hope you got a charge out this.

See and be seen

Vehicle lighting has long been an issue of concern for many drivers. The arguments range from lights on or off in rain, Daytime running lights (DRLs) good or bad, to what is the real purpose of "driving lights?" What ever cause you choose, be ready for a conflict. Drivers these days just simply do not know the proper use of their lighting equipment.
State laws also affect the use of your vehicles lights. States like California do not allow the use of parking lights only at anytime, nor do they allow "driving lights" to be used on-highway. Driving lights are commonly confused with fog lights, but since the reduction in use of the amber (yellow) type lights, the issue has heated. Many plains states require the use of headlights and DOT approved auxiliary lighting when conditions exist that warrant their use. (rain, blowing snow or smoke etc) Harmony is an advocate for the use of headlights during such weather conditions that lighting would improve visibility, not for the driver, but for other drivers to locate nearby vehicles. Truckers often express concerns that other drivers [of trucks and cars] need to use their lights to be seen in wet conditions. The spray from the trucks significantly reduces visibility around them and the use of headlights makes other vehicles visible.

Proper use of your vehicles lights could decrease the chances of you being involved in an incident, that could have been avoided, by simply turning on the lights. As fall approaches, the days become shorter and darkness sets in earlier. I always find it astonishing, how many drivers, forget to turn on their headlights when it begins to get dark. In some metro areas where highway lighting is sufficient, you will occasionally see a motorist driving without their lights on. Assuming these drivers are not impaired in some way, it stands to reason why they do not use their lights. However, the more visible you are the less chance you have for a mishap and lights on at night, is just good common sense.

The next issue on lighting is the proper adjustment of the vehicles lights, both headlights and fog/driving lights. Sure, while just the fact they are on helps others to see you, if they are ill adjusted, then they can hinder other drivers visibility and cause a crash due to the "blinding" of the driver. This has been cited as a cause for 2 of every 15 nighttime auto collisions and for 4 of every 25 single auto crashes. Poor visibility, caused by either no lighting, improper use of lighting or out of adjustment lighting is a gross operator error, contributing to injuries and deaths on our highways. It is the drivers responsibility to ensure proper use, function and adjustment of the vehicles lights of which they operate.

Technology has improved vehicle lighting. Headlights technology is entertaining new intensities, shapes, safety and styling. It is aimed at making the future of headlights brighter and beneficial. The latest addition though is the use of LED (light-emitting diode) and HID (high-intensity discharge). Automakers have divulged their vision to use the recent breakthroughs in vehicle headlights. Further, digital lighting is anticipated to invade the industry in the coming years. Mahendra Dassanayake, staff technical specialist at Ford Motor Co., said, "Instead of talking about a lot of light all over [the road], we want to put smart light out where you need the light." In recent years, autos have incorporated smart lighting, to which the lights "turn" with the vehicle, illuminating the blind areas of cornering.

However we progress in lighting technology, none of it serves us well, if not properly used or turned on! Being seen is just as important as being able to see.

Thanks for reading and keep your motoring future bright.

Construction may lead to destruction

AHHH summer time, no school, vacations, days at the beach, iced tea and plenty of sunshine. It is also the time of year that blaze orange and neon green become more fashionable, but in the form of barrels, cones and safety vest. It's road construction season. With this comes an increased danger to motorist, yes motorist. You ask why not the workers? well as we have posted before (june 21 09) the congestion, slow moving equipment, restricted lane sizes and sometimes confusing directional signs can be cause for an incident.

Work zone safety is a growing concern. In 2007, 835 people were killed in vehicles crashes in work zones, making a 2% accountability for all roadway fatalities, additionally more than 40,000 injuries were reported. The Federal Highway Administration reports that a work zone fatality occurs about every 10 hrs somewhere on our highways, 3 out of 4 of these ARE NOT part of the work crew and about 23% involve large trucks.

Speeding is the major cause of work zone incidents and the leading hazard for workers. Being struck by a vehicle is only one concern, but flying debris from loose gravel can really cause them harm. Speeds in a work zone are usually significantly lower than other controlled areas for this simple reason. A vehicle traveling 60 MPH passes a warning sign indicating a work zone ahead 1500 feet, it will be in that zone in 17 seconds! Drivers need to pay full attention to ALL traffic control devices. In many states fines for infractions in work zones are steep and usually double when workers are present.

Safety in work zones is crucial. We would offer these tips to help make passing through these areas a safer place for vehicles and workers.

-Pay attention to ALL posted signs indicating work zone areas and what you may encounter while passing through, such as flaggers, trucks turning and lane closures.
-Avoid distractions such as eating or drinking, adjusting the radio and cellphone use.
-If a lane closure is indicated, move to the appropriate lane as soon as possible.
-Watch for moving road work such as painting, mowing or top coating. These operations may not be near the initial warnings.
-REDUCE YOUR SPEED. Observe all posted signs until you see one that indicates you have left the work zone.
-Be extra cautious when directed to a detour. These routes can be rough, narrow and even lead through residential ares.

A 2007 fatality analysis report, list the states with the most work zone fatalities involving motor vehicles: Texas 124, Florida 80, California 80, and Georgia with 65 top the list. Some of the states with the least, each having just 1, are Alaska, Delaware, North & South Dakota and Utah.

In the end, the moral is to stay HYPER aware when driving and be prepared for anything. Driving is your personal responsibility when you are behind the wheel.
Highway workers and their families appreciate your cooperation in this matter and other motorist enjoy the smooth transition into and out of work zones, as to reduce the delay time. Harmony offers many courses to help educate all drivers, there's even a course for habitual bumper benders, but we prefer teaching the preventative and preparedness type. Please tell your employers, insurance agents and family about us and encourage them to offer or attend one of our courses.

Thanks for reading and Remember, those orange devices are not worth points for hitting them!