America's Roadway Memorial Case Studies | Case Studies For an advanced search based on Empowering Behaviors or by Risk Factors associated with a fatality, please select from the lists below. Any combination of behaviors or factors can be selected as needed. Selecting a main behavior or factor will include all the corresponding sub-behaviors or factors into the search. To select more than one per category - hold down the 'Ctrl' or 'Open Apple' key.
| Empowering Behaviors
| | Age: | 0 to 24 months 3 to 19 years 20 to 25 years 26 to 50 years 51 to 70 years 71 and Over |
Establish Driver-Vehicle Readiness - Driver Fitness - Safety Belts On, Head Restraints, Doors Locked - Headlights On, Windows Up - Securing Vehicle; use of Parking Brake ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keep the Car in Balance - Use of steering, braking, acceleration, shifting - Make smooth and controlled starts, stops, and steering actions - Make best speed selection ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See Path Before Putting the Car in Motion - See that the path you intend to use is clear - Turn head before turning steering wheel - Use transition pegs from brake to acceleration ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Use Reference Points - Use central/fringe vision to see vehicle placement - Know position of car’s sides, front and rear - Use RP to position for searching intersections - Use RP to make precision turns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do the LOS-POT Eye and Brain Dance See an LOS-POT Zone Change - Search to the Target Area - Evaluate Travel Path for LOS-POT restrictions - Detect Closed Zone Check Other Zones - Evaluate an alternate path - Look for related information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Turn Decisions into Zone Controlled Actions Get best Speed, Lane Position, Communication - Solve LOS-POT restrictions 12 -15 seconds away - Re-evaluate LOS-POT while 4-6 seconds away - Know your Stopping Distance and PONR - Keep 4-second line of vision into curves ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABC’s of Zone Control Effectively used ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Search Intersection’s Left, Front, Right Zones - Identify LOS restrictions - Check that left, front and right zones are clear - Red light: time arrival into an open zone - When stopped, search deep (90º) into intersection ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get Rear Zone Control - When foot goes on brake, check rearview mirror - While stopped in traffic, detect fast closing vehicle - Before changing side position, check blind spots ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get Control With a Vehicle in Front - When approaching a vehicle, close in gradually - When traveling at same speed, keep 4 seconds - Stopped behind vehicle, see tires touching road ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Interact Courteously With Others - Empower yourself, reduce stress, be courteous - Send and receive timely communications
| | |
| Risk Factors
| | Age: | 0 to 24 months 3 to 19 years 20 to 25 years 26 to 50 years 51 to 70 years 71 and Over | | Driver: |
Alcohol and other Drugs - attended keg party - consumed alcoholic drinks - designer drugs - drank booze - drinking beer - drunk - ecstasy - happy hour - high on drugs - intoxicated - methamphetamine - on medication ----------------------------------------------------- Distractions - Mental - talking on cell phone - talking to passengers - thinking about work - thinking about conditions at home - thinking about a relative's death - thinking about event en route to - thinking about money problems - thinking about loved one's illness - thinking about the children - thinking about vacation plans - thinking if the iron was left on - thinking of tonight's social event ----------------------------------------------------- Distractions - Inside Vehicle - adjusting radio - answering cell phone call - applying make-up - changing tape cassette - combing hair - coughing, sneezing - disciplining children - drinking beer - drinking coffee - dropped a lit cigarette - frolicking with passengers - lighting a cigarette - listening to radio - opening a window - putting the defroster on - putting wipers on - reading a book - reading a map - spilled hot coffee onto lap - swatting a bee ----------------------------------------------------- Distractions - Outside Vehicle - in unfamiliar area - looking at the scenery - looking for address - not familiar with surroundings - rubbernecking ----------------------------------------------------- Emotions - angry - arguing - competitive behavior - happy - late for an appointment - retaliating - sad - swearing at other driver - teaching others a “lesson” - worried ----------------------------------------------------- Fitness - Other - blurred vision - dozing-off - drowsiness - eye glasses fogged - ill - on medication - sleep depravation - tired ----------------------------------------------------- Perception - failed to see elements of scene - improper intersection search - no communication - not looking to target area - slammed brakes on - took unplanned action ----------------------------------------------------- Space Management - improper lane position - improper passing - swerved over center line - tailgating - took unplanned action ----------------------------------------------------- Vehicle Control - backing out of driveway - didn't use parking brake - excessive speed - foot slipped off brake - no safety belts used - slammed brakes on - speeding 10 mph over the limit - unattended engine left running - wearing bulky mittens - wearing large hooded coat
|
|---|
| Vehicle: | Handling Characteristics - improper loading of vehicle - long wheel base - mix of radial and bias-ply tires - occupants in the back seat - over-sized tires - seat not adjusted properly - short wheelbase ----------------------------------------------------- Malfunctions - air conditioner broken - brake fade - broken fan belt - broken motor mount - broken power steering belt - broken radiator hose - broken steering system - broken suspension system - broken windshield - defroster not working - engine stalls - fire in engine compartment - fire under dashboard - flat tire - fuel leak - headlight inoperative - stuck accelerator - stuck cruise control - tire blowout - water pump leak ----------------------------------------------------- Structural Design - blind spot in mirrors - long wheel base - no air bag - no collapsible steering column - no safety belts - raised body - short wheelbase - motorcycle ----------------------------------------------------- Performance - cold engine - doors not locked - engine idling fast - no headlights on - speed excessive - windows fogged ----------------------------------------------------- Preventative Maintenance - bald tire - brakes improperly adjusted - dirty windshield - hole in exhaust system - hole in radiator - leaking muffler - loose seat anchor - low power steering fluid - low tire pressure - no catalytic converter shield - no washer fluid - pitted windshield - play in steering wheel - signal lights inoperative - smoke film on windshield - worn brake pedal cover - worn shocks - worn steering system - worn tires - worn wiper blades ----------------------------------------------------- Other - vehicle body rot - rusted frame
|
|---|
Roadway
Environment: | Design Features - crossroad intersection - crowned road - downgrade - elderly pedestrian crossing - gas station entrance - hill crest - intersection on left - intersection on right - left curve in road - loose gravel on road - low bridge - railroad crossing - narrow bridge - narrow lane - narrowing of lanes - no highway lighting - no painted lane lines - non-divided highway - right curve in road - school zone - tee intersection - trees on side of road - weave pattern at exit/entrance - obscured traffic sign - no gates at railroad crossing ----------------------------------------------------- Environmental Conditions - bright sun - fog - ice on road - new moon - night time - raining - snowing - early in morning - mid-afternoon ----------------------------------------------------- LOS Restrictions - buildings on side of road - disabled school bus - large truck stopped - parked ice cream vendor - parked truck - school bus stopped for children - vegetation growth ---------------------------------------------------- Roadway Conditions - construction site - dark shadows - debris on road - disabled school bus ----------------------------------------------------- Traffic Controls - inoperative traffic light - stop sign controlled intersection - traffic light changing to red ----------------------------------------------------- Traffic Patterns - car backing out of parking space - commuter traffic - large truck stopped for left turn - stopped traffic - traffic slow down - oncoming traffic ----------------------------------------------------- Users - other motorists - emergency vehicle approaching - vehicle drifts over center line - vehicle enters from left - vehicle enters from right - vehicle going through red light - vehicle in left-rear blind spot - vehicle in right-rear blind spot - vehicle passing on left - vehicle passing on right ----------------------------------------------------- Users - pedestrians, bicyclists - bicyclist - child running into roadway - drunken pedestrian - hitchhiker - jogger - pedestrian - roller blader - skateboarder
|
|---|
| | |
|---|
To Download a copy of all the Risk Factors Click Here. | | To help keep case studies anonymous from the memorial site of any one individual, not all memorial sites have case studies, and not all case studies have memorial sites. |
| Adult male bicyclist killed by drunk driver. [Top] | | A male bicyclist, while riding in an established bike lane on the shoulder of a two-lane rural roadway, was killed as a result of injuries received when a car driven by a drunk driver hit him. The driver left the scene, leaving the bicyclist bleeding and unconscious to be discovered an estimated thirty minutes later by a passing motorist. The bicyclist sustained massive head injuries and was hospitalized with head injuries. He died thirteen days later. | | A few weeks before the crash, the bicyclist had gone into a sporting goods store to purchase a bicycle helmet. In 1981, when this crash took place, it was not a commonly sold item, so the helmet was on order at the time of the crash. | | The driver turned himself into the police the morning after the crash. According to his statement of the amount of alcohol he admitted drinking, his blood alcohol concentration level would have been over.20 -- more than twice the limit for DWI. The driver had several previous drunk driving convictions -- one time he had drifted off the side of the road causing damage to a mailbox -- this time it was a bicyclist. | | The driver was convicted and sentenced to 30-days in jail, one-year suspension of his driver’s license and a $350 fine. In 1981 the laws and the mentality within the court system was tolerant toward drunk drivers. Today we are less tolerant. | | | Driver killed while making a left turn into his driveway. [Top] | | A driver was preparing to make a left turn into his driveway, which was located off of a rural highway. As he was half way into the turn a car in the process of passing him on the left collided into the driver’s side of his car. He was killed by the impact. An investigation found that the left brake light of the car making the left turn was inoperative. When the driver applied the brakes to make his turn only the right brake light illuminated, leading the driver of the following vehicle to assume that a right turn was to take place. The following vehicle swung around to pass him just as the driver made his left turn. | | | Driver didn't see vehicle alongside him on rain slick highway. [Top] | | A driver of a van, traveling on a rain slick highway, attempted to make a lane change and realized too late that another auto was alongside him. He swerved back into his original lane but went out of control. The van shot across the median and collided with a smaller car traveling in the opposite direction. Two people in the van and all five people in the car were killed. | | | Driver of a pick-up truck was killed as the vehicle skidded on a rain-slicked road. [Top] | | The driver of a Chevy S-10 pick-up truck lost control and skidded into an oncoming heavy-duty construction crane while traveling on a two lane rural highway. There was heavy rain during the early afternoon when an oncoming vehicle attempted to pass a slow moving construction crane in a no-passing zone. The passing vehicle, after seeing the oncoming pick-up truck, aborted the pass attempt and returned to the rear of the crane. When the driver of the pick-up truck saw the oncoming vehicle passing the crane she slammed on the brakes which initiated a skid at a 90-degree yaw angle. The pick-up truck slid across the lane into the path of the construction crane. The left-front bumper of the crane made contact with the right-front fender and passenger door of the pick-up truck. The height of the bumper of the crane was higher then the height of the pick-up truck's tire. This caused the crane's bumper to penetrate the passenger compartment of the pick-up truck. The driver of the pick-up truck was thrown into the passenger side of the cab resulting in massive trauma to the head causing her death. The driver of the crane was not injured. | |  Case Studies Empowering Behaviors NIDB Home Page ARM Home Page Copyright ©, National Institute for Driver Behavior. All rights reserved.
|
Case Studies 
