BUilding a saFetY cUltUre on todaY’s roadwaYs

We’re all familiar with the imagery: a silent cross and shuddering bundle of flowers left along the road marking where a life was lost. In 2007, 41,059 people died on our nation’s roadways. Traffic fatalities are the number-one killer of people ages two to 34 and have claimed more than one million lives in the past 25 years. But even more disturbing is that this loss is preventable. As motorists, we can greatly reduce the likelihood of being in a fatal crash by adopting commonsense behaviors. Buckle up every time you are in a vehicle; turn the keys over to someone else if you have been drinking; keep your eyes on the road and your mind on driving. Put down the cell phone or sandwich; obey the speed limit and be courteous. There are many ways car manufacturers, road authorities and elected officials can implement solutions that have been tested in the real world and shown to reduce traffic fatalities. Revitalizing traffic safety laws and expediting vehicle and roadway improvements would go a long way toward reducing our highway death toll.