09 Feb Roadway Safety, Black Ice, New Intro Video
Welcome to the Newsletter
Rana Law Group Newsletter
In this issue:
- DOT – Improving Roadway Safety
- Black Ice
- New Website Intro Video
DOT – Improving Roadway Safety
The Department of Transportation recently announced a new National Roadway Safety Strategy to address the terrifying increase in roadway fatalities in recent years. You have probably heard “you are more likely to be killed in a car accident than in an airplane,” but even I was surprised to learn the true numbers. In the past 10 years, 94.2% of the 370,000 transportation related deaths occurred on roads. Air, water and railroad deaths combined accounted for the remaining 5.8%. Also surprising is nationally, fatalities on rural roads and highways are two times higher than in urban areas. The report also makes it clear that it has become more dangerous to be a pedestrian or cyclist.
Unfortunately, Missouri and Illinois have mirrored the national trend with fatalities increasing for the past 3 years.
The ultimate objective for the National Department of Transportation happens to be the same as our local MoDOT and IDOT goal, which is zero fatalities. That may sound overly ambitious but the DOT comes armed with data and strategies that could help save lives in the future. The report offers solutions for better safety by encouraging people to be more responsible behind the wheel, enforcing safe speeds, redesigning roadways, enacting higher safety standards in vehicles and improving the emergency medical response to victims. The 32-page strategy lays out many actions federal and state authorities can do to reduce deaths going forward. I sincerely hope even a few of these measures are implemented which will lead to saving more lives on our roadways.
Black Ice
In keeping with the theme of roadway safety, I wanted to remind my clients of important steps to avoiding a crash during winter weather. I ventured out this weekend and ran into a few patches of “black ice” that formed under overpasses. Luckily, I was driving in daylight and most of it was visible. “Black ice” can be seen as a smooth sheen on the roadway under the right conditions so it allows for a few moments to prepare before driving over it. If you do not see the ice or are driving at night, you will likely feel your tires begin to glide. It is important to drive cautiously and remain alert if you have to venture out in these less than ideal conditions.
Tips to remember when you hit “black ice”:
- Remain calm;
- DO NOT BRAKE;
- Keep the steering wheel straight;
- Ease your foot off the accelerator completely.
These actions should help you glide over the ice in a straight line until the patch ends and your tires regain traction. Most patches of “black ice” are less than 20 feet. If you hit the patch at a high speed and the wheels are sliding out, stay calm and always steer in the direction you want your vehicle to go, avoid the urge to overcorrect in any direction. MoDOT has some more detailed winter driving tips that are worth checking out.
New Website Intro Video
All the videos sent to a client throughout their case and posted on our website are written, directed and staring yours truly. While I like to think I impart valuable information in all these videos, when it was time to reshoot the introductory video for the website, my staff convinced me to bring in the professionals. Evidently, my trusty static tripod was not good enough anymore and they said the new video needed to be “live action”. I am happy with the video even though it was shot on a particularly cold and windy December day. I have a new appreciation for actors that have to put on a brave face in less than ideal weather conditions to “get the shot”. If you have a few seconds, please watch the video below and leave us a thumbs up. At the very least, there are some nice shots of Forest Park behind me.
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