News Release
Media Contact: Steve Cebalt, Bottom Line Public Relations, 416-0222
Following Too Closely is the No. 1 Factor in Local Accidents
Among Allen County drivers, tailgating is the No. 1 cause of car crashes, according to data announced today from local law enforcement agencies and the Coroner’s Office; the data was compiled by the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council.
“We’ve been educating people on keys to safe driving, emphasizing seat belts, sobriety, and distractions,” said Jon E. Brandenberger, MD, leader of the Allen County Drive Alive campaign. “This new data, which was compiled in a new way by the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council, shows that following too closely is the behavior most likely to get you in a crash. Here’s the good news: it’s a cause we can do something about by a simple change in driving behavior. If we can educate Allen County drivers on the hazards of following too closely, we can save lives.”
The new data validates a situation that city police and county sheriff’s officers are all too familiar with, said Police Chief Rusty York. “We see it every day and it’s a shame, because while some accidents simply can’t be avoided, accidents caused by following too closely are nearly 100 percent avoidable.”
That opinion was echoed by Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries, who noted that at high speeds on county roads, following too closely can have devastating consequences. “Even at low speeds rear-end crashes caused by following too closely can cause serious injuries. At higher speeds, people get killed.”
The solution? It’s as simple as giving yourself enough room to maintain control over your vehicle even if the car ahead of you comes to a sudden halt. “You should be able to slow down and stop to avoid a crash or to convert a major deadly crash into a minor mishap,” York said.
This information comes at an especially important time with the winter months recording some of the highest numbers of accidents. Icy roads present extra dangers and people must adjust their driving accordingly, being especially cautious not to follow too closely.
“The efforts of many people went into compiling this information with the hopes of protecting local drivers and reducing future accidents,” said Dan Avery of the Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council.
The data reported today was compiled at the request of the Allen County Drive Alive campaign, which educates parents of teen drivers on the ways to keep their children safer in the car. “But the same factor is true for all drivers – not just teens,” Dr. Brandenberger said. “Across all age groups, following too closely is the single most dangerous behavior resulting in crashes. We’re here to save lives, and while our focus is on teens, we wanted to share this information with all drivers.”
In conjunction with this finding, the Regional Coordinating Council mapped all of the accidents occurring over the county, and a glaring pattern was revealed. Intersections near schools, especially high schools, recorded some of the highest numbers of accidents in the county. Also included in this new data were the times of day that had high frequency of accidents. Parents of teen drivers often dread the late night hours, but it was after-school times, from 2 p.m.-6 p.m., that recorded the highest numbers of accidents.
“During after-school hours many teenagers talk on cell phones or text message while driving, thus distracting their attention from the road,” said Fries. “Distracted driving leads to following too closely, driving at unsafe speeds and swerving, all of which can cause accidents that may have been prevented if the driver had focused on the road ahead.”
Drive Alive and local law enforcement officers will use this data to work with school administrators to reduce accidents and promote greater awareness of road safety. This data shows that following too closely is the main cause of accidents and distracted driving is often to blame too, but other key factors like failure to yield right of way and disregarding signals are noteworthy as well.
“Inattention is not always to fault; sometimes its inexperience on the roadways, especially in the teenage demographic,” said York. “It is imperative for parents to familiarize their teenagers with roadways and traffic standards before they drive on their own. One of the best methods for doing this is leading by example; your teenagers will imitate your driving habits when it is their turn behind the wheel.”
Drive Alive was founded to increase dialog between parents and teens about the dangers of the road and in order to reduce the number of accidents and deaths. Drive Alive has partnered with the Coroner’s Office, local law enforcement and area hospitals to increase awareness of its projects. The campaign is looking for partners to assist with the public education campaign. For information, visit www.AllenCountyDriveAlive.org.
Data provided by Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council.