CBS World News Roundup

The CBS World News Roundup is a radio newscast that airs weekday mornings and evenings on the CBS Radio Network.

It first went on-air on March 13, 1938 at 8 p.m. Eastern time as a one-time special in response to growing tensions in Europe -- specifically the Anschluss, during which Adolf Hitler annexed Austria.

The early years

When the show first went on the air it was hosted by veteran radio personality Robert Trout. The first show gave the world the voices of Edward R. Murrow and William L. Shirer. In fact, it was the first time Murrow had ever delivered a news report. During the early years of the war, Murrow's reports from London and Shirer's reports from Berlin were essential listening to anyone trying to keep informed on events unfolding in Europe.

The program was a 35-minute special report from multiple locations around the world as the pre-war crisis mounts. It was the first time that on-the-scene European field correspondents were linked with a central anchor in New York for a national broadcast.

Most broadcast references credit either CBS President William S. Paley or News Director Paul White as coming up with the idea for the show, as a way to trump Max Jordan's NBC coverage of the Anschluss. The previous day, Shirer had fled from Vienna to London at the request of Murrow (the CBS European chief) to give the first uncensored eyewitness account of Germany's takeover of Austria.

Innovative solar car radiant in Glasurit white

The first good thing was HansGo! back in 2003, followed by SolarWorld No. 1 four years later. Now, the Bochum University of Applied Sciences is presenting a new solar car, the BOcruiser. It's no surprise that BASF Coatings, supplier of the paint for the ultra modern vehicle, is pleased to be on board again with its Glasurit brand. After all, the model's predecessor SolarWorld No. 1 captured the design title of "World's most beautiful solar car" - and was also clad in a finish of Glasurit paint from Münster.

After the luminescent yellow used for SolarWorld No. 1, the BOcruiser is dazzling in white, a color that symbolizes sustainability and is increasingly present on the roads. Rainer Lennartz, who lives in the German town of Lünen-Brambauer and is a member of the Lennartz spraypainting team, was responsible for painting both Solarworld No. 1 and the BOcruiser. A team of around 30 engineering students are presenting a brand new concept with the BOcruiser. The most striking change is the fact that this latest solar car drives on four wheels rather than three, as was the case for Solar World No. 1.

For Lennartz, the requirements for the finish were even tougher than last time. For instance, in order to reduce weight, only the bare minimum of paint was to be applied, a demand not unlike those posed for Formula 1 racers, for which every gram counts. For this project, Lennartz chose Glasurit 22 Line HS 2K Topcoat. "No more than one and one-half layers of paint, but nevertheless fulfill the basic functions of the paint finish, like protection, durability and design," Lennartz said. In comparison, a new car is generally finished with four coats of paint (e-coat, primer, basecoat, clearcoat). Lennartz applied the primer to only some parts of the vehicle's exterior before topcoating it with 22 Line, which has a high degree of hiding power, allowing him to dispense with a clearcoat. The sponsors' logos were painted on with a stencil and sealed with clearcoat, and the surface was subsequently sanded and polished. "Bochum University and I agreed on this version of applying the logos, which prevents the edges of the decals from causing air swirl," Lennartz explained. The driving force for the Lennartz team involves fulfilling a dream. "If the BOcruiser wins the title of 'World's most beautiful solar car' the way its predecessor, SolarWorld No. 1, did, it will be a dream come true."



Every aspect of the BOcruiser is a technical masterpiece. The body is streamlined, with energy efficiency the car designers' top development goal. In addition to the car's proven prize-winning technology, such as its battery management system, innovative components were used as well. For instance, the workshops and labs at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences engineered an in-wheel motor that will power both the BOcruiser and other vehicles in the pipeline. This involved solving a whole range of problems, because the new vehicle is propelled by two motors. For weight and efficiency-related reasons, it was not possible to use a mechanical differential transmission. Instead, electronics and software are to determine the variability of the wheels' peripheral speed in curves. As with SolarWorld No. 1, six square meters of solar cells provide electric power. In this area too, the technology used is becoming more viable for everyday use. Silicon has replaced the costly gallium arsenide in the solar generator.

The BOcruiser will have its first real-life test in October at the World Solar Challenge, cruising 3,000 kilometers through the Australian outback. Project manager Prof. Friedbert Pautzke commented, "Our motivation for building this car was not to be first to cross the finish line at the race. The BOcruiser is part of our series of solar vehicles that is consistently taking the next innovative step toward everyday use. It will be proving its ability to take to the roads for the first time in the race Down Under."

For the team of electromobility pioneers from Bochum University, this journey will not be over once the race in Australia has been completed. Its next project is the Sustainable Individual Mobility Car, or SIMCar for short, an electric car for everyday use. Plans for the three-seater version have already been completed. The car is scheduled to be built in 2010.

Legal car cruise event is held

World leading sports car maker Lotus Cars teamed up with Norfolk Police for one of the UK's first legal off the road cruise events on Sunday.

More than 3,000 people have turned up to the event at Great Yarmouth.

Norfolk Police hope to make it an annual event to stop huge numbers of cruisers causing problems on the roads.

Lotus has sponsored the event by providing a Lotus Elise, a sports car that has won over 50 awards around the world and has a top speed of 125 mph.

The meeting at the Caister Road sports stadium in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, aimed to finish at 2000 BST on Sunday.

Government rules out public inquiry into Potters Bar and Grayrigg rail disasters

The Government today ruled out a public inquiry into two separate train disasters which claimed the lives of eight people.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis instead said the public interest was 'best served' by holding two independent inquests into the 2002 Potters Bar and 2007 Grayrigg disasters.The decision will anger relatives of the victims and rail unions who have called for a joint public inquiry into the crashes, which were caused by faulty sets of points.

Lord Adonis said today: 'I have decided that the public interest is best served by the continuation of the two inquests that have begun into the deaths resulting from the rail accidents at Potters Bar and at Grayrigg.'I have therefore decided not to convene a public inquiry into the accidents, either individually or jointly.'

He said he regreted the length of time taken to reach this decision as well as the anxiety it may have caused to relatives.'However, the chronology of events and the issues are complex and I considered it important to ensure that my decision regarding the next steps is the right one, he said.

'Having considered the material before me, I am satisfied that separate inquests will allow for appropriate further independent investigations of the accidents, with the bereaved and injured able to participate and express their views and concerns in a transparent forum open to public scrutiny.'Although the conduct of the inquests is a matter for the coroners, the inquests will be capable of examining the relevant issues raised by the accidents, including those that are common to both.'

But Keith Norman, leader of the train drivers union Aslef said it was astonishing that the Government is not prepared to give the maximum transparency to what happened.The May 2002 Potters Bar accident happened when a West Anglia Great Northern high-speed train travelling from London to King's Lynn in Norfolk was derailed as it went over faulty points just outside Potters Bar station in Hertfordshire.

Six passengers died and an elderly woman pedestrian was killed when debris fell on to the road beneath the track. In addition, 76 people were injured.

That section of track was being maintained by private company Jarvis while overall responsibility for safety of the railways lay with Railtrack, the private rail infrastructure company later replaced by Network Rail (NR).

An accident report by the Health and Safety Executive in May 2003 blamed poor maintenance for the points failure, with earlier inspections not spotting defects in the points.In April 2004, NR and Jarvis formally accepted liability on behalf of the rail industry for all legally justified claims brought by the bereaved and injured in respect of the crash.

In October 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had advised British Transport Police that there was no realistic prospect of conviction for an offence of gross negligence manslaughter against any individual or corporation in respect of the Potters Bar accident.

The February 2007 Grayrigg accident in Cumbria happened on the West Coast Main Line when a Virgin Rail Pendolino high-speed 'tilting' train travelling from London to Glasgow passed over a faulty set of points at 95mph.

Although only one person died, nearly 90 were injured when a number of coaches were derailed.NR immediately accepted blame for the accident and in a report last October, the RAIB listed a catalogue of safety errors.These included the non-carrying out of a planned inspection that 'should have detected' the faulty points.

Lord Adonis said today that as far as Grayrigg was concerned there would be 'a further independent examination of the accident during an inquest, which I am satisfied is capable of addressing any relevant questions that remain unanswered'.

He added that he would 'make funds available to the Coroner for South and East Cumbria, to assist him in carrying out a full investigation, if these are requested'.

The Potters Bar inquest was adjourned after the Grayrigg accident.Lord Adonis said reopening of the Potters Bar inquest would 'provide an opportunity for a further independent examination of the accident.

Writer Nina Bawden, 84, whose husband Austen Kark was killed in the Potters Bar crash, said families have worked hard for a public inquiry and are disappointed one won't be taking place.

'The Government could have had the decency of informing us first about today's news,' she said.Ms Bawden, who was badly injured in the May 2002 accident, added: 'The reopening of the Potters Bar inquest is at least something. I hope everything will come out.

'I want them to come to a sensible conclusion and make the railways as safe as possible.'But Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA rail union dismissed the claim and said it was yet another example of the Government doing the complete opposite of what it claims to be doing.

'Just like alleged transparency over MPs' expenses, these inquests are part of the ongoing cover-up over the Potters Bar tragedy in particular,' he said.'They wait seven years and then announce an inquest which will not report before the next election - just like their alleged inquiry into the Iraq War.'

'If they were really interested in letting the public know what happened at Potters Bar - and the role that private contractors Jarvis played in that accident - they would have ordered a full public inquiry into the tragedy years ago.'

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT rail union, said the inquest announcement was welcome but not an alternative to a full public inquiry.There is a real danger of another Hatfield (the 2000 rail crash in which four people were killed), Potters Bar or Grayrigg and the Government should intervene to reinstate the full renewals programme before we have another disaster on our hands,' he said.

High Speed Train an International Transport Revolution

In Our highways are clogged with traffic. Our airports are choked with increased loads. We are at the mercy of fluctuating oil prices. We pump too many greenhouse gases into the air. What we need is a smart transportation system equal to the needs of the 21st century. A system that reduces travel times and increases mobility. A system that reduces destructive emissions and creates jobs. What we're talking about is a vision for high-speed rail.

Japan

At the entrance to Tokyo Central Station is a plaque which declares the Shinkansen “Product of the wisdom and effort of the Japanese people.” “As an indication of the unity of purpose and of the pride which the Japanese people feel for this achievement, this inscription …. Can hardly be bettered”, writes Rod Smith of Imperial College in his excellent history of the Shinkansen.

Japan’s first railways had been built, to a narrower gauge than ours, by a British engineer in the 1870s. The line from Tokyo to Nagoya and Osaka is the country’s principal 350 mile rail artery, accounting in the 1950s for a quarter of the country’s rail traffic although only three per cent of the rail system by length. It was electrified in 1956, enhancing capacity and reducing the journey time to six and a half hours.

This is where Japanese railway modernization might well have stopped for a generation – as it did, at electrification of principal inter-city lines, in most of Europe at the time. What happens generally seems pre-ordained after the event, and so it is both with Japan’s decision to develop the bullet train and our decision not to. Yet this is quite unhistorical, as Rod Smith explains. On the contrary, the phrase “railway downfall theory” was in vogue in 1950s Japan: the view that rail was an outdated technology which was set to follow horse carriages, canals and sailing ships, to be replaced by faster planes for the longest distances and by the far more flexible and individualistic car and truck for shorter distances.

This view was indeed widely held within Japanese National Railways itself. It was only the vision and leadership of a small group of talented managers and engineers, led by its president and chief engineer, which ordained otherwise. They essentially sidestepped projections about long-term rail decline, concentrating rather on the immediate capacity requirements of the densely populated and economically critical Tokyo to Osaka corridor, convincing the government that a patch-and-mend upgrade to the existing line was too cautious for this key route. This capacity argument, plus the availability of a low interest World Bank loan – jobs and regeneration being a good part of the case for high-speed rail, as for motorways, from the outset – led to the decision to construct a new passenger-only line for this route alone, to the standard international gauge, free from level crossings, with shallow curves and in-cab signalling allowing a consistently high line speed.

Cruising (Driving skills)

Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the perceived freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which characterized by an impulsively random, often aimless course. A popular route (or "strip") is often the focus of cruising. "Cruise nights" are evenings during which cars drive slowly, bumper-to-bumper, through small towns.

Driving is the controlled operation of a land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus. Although direct operation of a bicycle, a mounted animal (not including chariot operation) or a motorcycle (at least in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia) is commonly called riding, such operators are usually legally considered to be drivers and are required to obey the rules of the road which apply to all drivers.Driving in traffic is more than just knowing how to operate the mechanisms which control the vehicle; it requires knowing how to apply the rules of the road (which govern safe and efficient sharing with other users). An effective driver also has an intuitive understanding of the basics of vehicle handling.

Driving as a physical skill :

In terms of the basic physical tasks required, a driver must be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. For motor vehicles, the detailed tasks include . Starting the vehicle's engine with the starting system ,Setting the transmission to the correct gear ,Depressing the pedals with one's feet to accelerate, slow, and stop the vehicle, and if the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission, to modulate the clutch ,Steering the vehicle's direction with the steering wheel ,Operating other important ancillary devices such as the indicators, headlights, and windshield wipers

Electric charge-electromagnetic fields

Electric charge is a fundamental conserved property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interaction. Electrically charged matter is influenced by, and produces, electromagnetic fields. The interaction between a moving charge and an electromagnetic field is the source of the electromagnetic force, which is one of the four fundamental forces.

Electric charge is a characteristic of some subatomic particles. It is quantized: when expressed in units of the so-called elementary charge e, it takes integer or fractional values. Electrons by convention have a charge of −1, while protons have the opposite charge of +1. Quarks have a fractional charge of −1⁄3 or +2⁄3. The antiparticle equivalents of these (positrons, antiprotons, and antiquarks, respectively) have the opposite charge. There are other charged particles. The discrete nature of electric charge was proposed by Michael Faraday in his electrolysis experiments, and then directly demonstrated by Robert Millikan in his oil-drop experiment.

In general, same-sign charged particles repel one another, while different-sign charged particles attract. This is expressed quantitatively in Coulomb's law, which states that the magnitude of the electrostatic repelling force between two particles is proportional to the product of their charges and the inverse square of the distance between them.

The electric charge of a macroscopic object is the sum of the electric charges of its constituent particles. Often, the net electric charge is zero, because it is favorable for the number of electrons in every atom to equal the number of protons (or, more generally, for the number of anions, or negatively charged atoms, in every molecule to equal the number of cations, or positively charged atoms). When the net electric charge is non-zero and motionless, one has the phenomenon known as static electricity. Even when the net charge is zero, it can be distributed non-uniformly (e.g., due to an external electric field, or due to molecular motion), in which case the material is said to be polarized. The charge due to the polarization is known as bound charge, while the excess charge brought from outside is called free charge. The motion of charged particles (e.g., of electrons in metals) in a particular direction is known as electric current.

Breaking Power/Stopping Distances

Average Dry Stopping Distance (Assuming two-thirds of a second reaction time)

Speed	Thinking Distance	Braking Distance	Total Stopping Distance
20 mph	20 feet	20 feet	40 feet
30 mph	30 feet	45 feet	75 feet
40 mph	40 feet	80 feet	120 feet
50 mph	50 feet	125 feet	175 feet
60 mph	60 feet	180 feet	240 feet
70 mph	70 feet	245 feet	315 feet
80 mph	80 feet	320 feet	400 feet

Average Wet Stopping Distance (Assuming two-thirds of a second reaction time)

Speed	Thinking Distance	Braking Distance	Total Stopping Distance
20 mph	20 feet	40 feet	60 feet
30 mph	30 feet	90 feet	120 feet
40 mph	40 feet	160 feet	200 feet
50 mph	50 feet	250 feet	300 feet
60 mph	60 feet	360 feet	420 feet
70 mph	70 feet	490 feet	560 feet
80 mph	80 feet	640 feet	720 feet

Traffic Signals-Universal Color Code

A traffic light, traffic signal or a stop light is a signaling device positioned at a road intersection to indicate when it is safe to wade through. The traffic signal passes on its information using a universal color code .

Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of roads to provide information to road users. With increasing speed of transport, the tendency is for countries to adopt pictorial signs or otherwise simplify and standardize signs, to facilitate international travel where language differences can create barriers and in general to reduce the risks in driving. Such pictorial signs use symbols in place of words and are usually a result of international standards.

Road Rules-set of clues and a mission

Road Rules, MTV's second reality show, debuted on July 19, 1995. The series followed six strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 (five strangers in the first four seasons) after stripping them of their money and putting them on an RV traveling from location to location only guided by a set of clues and a mission to complete at each location. It was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001.

There was also a 1998 mini-series, Road Rules: The Real World All-Stars, in which five former stars from The Real World go on a short Road Rules course managed by infamous former Real World housemate Puck, who, until the very end of the series, was disguising h

is identity with the alias "Mr. Big". However, this is generally considered the first season of Real World/Road Rules Challenge.

Vehicle Safety

Road safety - public health and injury prevention

Road safety aims to reduce the harm (deaths, injuries, and property damage) resulting from crashes of road vehicles. Harm from road traffic crashes is greater than that from all other transportation modes (air, sea, space, off-terrain, etc.) combined.

Road safety deals exclusively with road traffic crashes – how to reduce their number and their consequences. A road traffic crash is an event involving a road vehicle that results in harm. For reasons of clear data collection, only harm involving a road vehicle is included. A person tripping with fatal consequences on a public road is not included as a road-traffic fatality. To be counted a pedestrian fatality, the victim must be struck by a road vehicle.

Road traffic crashes are one of the world’s largest public health and injury prevention problems. The problem is all the more acute because the victims are overwhelmingly healthy prior to their crashes. According to the World Health Organization more than a million people are killed on the world’s roads each year.

Driving skills

Driving in traffic is more than just knowing how to operate the mechanisms which control the vehicle; it requires knowing how to apply the rules of the road (which govern safe and efficient sharing with other users). An effective driver also has an intuitive understanding of the basics of vehicle handling.

In terms of the basic physical tasks required, a driver must be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. For motor vehicles, the detailed tasks include:

* Starting the vehicle's engine with the starting system
* Setting the transmission to the correct gear
* Depressing the pedals with one's feet to accelerate, slow, and stop the vehicle, and if the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission, to modulate the clutch
* Steering the vehicle's direction with the steering wheel
* Operating other important ancillary devices such as the indicators, headlights, and windshield wipers

Cruising (driving)

Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the perceived freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which characterized by an impulsively random, often aimless course. A popular route (or "strip") is often the focus of cruising. "Cruise nights" are evenings during which cars drive slowly, bumper-to-bumper, through small towns.

Perhaps the most famous cruising strip (or main drag) is McHenry Avenue in Modesto, California. The cruising culture of the early 1960s was depicted in the film American Graffiti. The film was set (but not actually filmed) in director George Lucas' home town of Modesto, which also hosts an annual "Graffiti Night" celebration in the film's honor.

Cruising in Detroit took place from the 1950s to the 1970s in the city's northern suburbs along Woodward Avenue, from Ferndale north to Pontiac. Cruising along Woodward reached its peak in the mid 1960s, with muscle car competitions that were covered by journalists from Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and CBS World News Roundup. The cruising culture on Woodward Avenue faded in the 1970s when new car safety standards and higher gas prices altered American automotive design.

The Woodward Dream Cruise occurs on the third Saturday in August along the original cruising strip in Detroit's northern suburbs. The event is a tribute to the classic Woodward cruisers and attracts approximately 1 million people and 40,000 muscle cars, street rods, and custom, collector, and special interest vehicles.

Roundabout - type of road junction

A roundabout is a type of road junction at which traffic enters a one-way stream around a central island. In the United States it is commonly known as a "rotary" or a "traffic circle", but sometimes is technically called a modern roundabout, in order to emphasize the distinction from the older, very much larger type of traffic circle which usually had poor or no visibility across the central island.

In countries where people drive on the right, the traffic flow around the central island of a roundabout is counterclockwise. In countries where people drive on the left, the traffic flow is clockwise.

Overall, roundabouts are statistically safer than both traffic circles and traditional intersections, with the exception that cyclists have a significantly increased crash rate at large roundabout. Roundabouts do not cope as well with the traffic on motorways, highways, or similar fast roads.

Roundabouts are sometimes referred to as "traffic circles" or "rotaries", but a technical distinction was made in some jurisdictions between roundabouts, traffic circles, and rotaries in the mid-1960s. Starting in that decade, research in the United Kingdom found that circular intersections with certain geometric characteristics and traffic control schemes tended to be safer than those without them.

Driving Needs

The number of vehicles that are available to satisfy your driving needs has never been greater. During the last decade, auto manufactures have really jumped on the vehicle bandwagon by offering numerous automobiles, sport-utilities, multipurpose vehicles, minivans, and trucks.

In addition to having multiple divisions within a single manufacturer, the choice of vehicles from which to choose is enough to make the consumer really spin his or her wheels trying to figure out just what vehicle to purchase.

The bottom line is that you deserve the most smiles per mile when you sit behind the wheel.

Although emotions are a part of life, concerning transportation, it is useful to put excessive emotions aside and focus on your day-in and day-out transportation needs.

Driving Van Trailer

A Driving Van Trailer (DVT), sometimes referred to as Driving Luggage Van (DLV), is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to run round to the other end of the train at terminal stations. Unlike many other control cars, DVTs resemble locomotives (specifically, classes 90 and 91) and thus when the train is operating in "push" mode it does not appear to be traveling backwards.

The vehicles have no passenger accommodation due to rules in place at the time of building that prohibited passengers in the leading vehicles of trains that travel at more than 100 mph (161 km/h).On the Inter City 225 (IC225) sets operating on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) the Mark 4 DVTs and locomotives operate in push-pull formation utilizing a Time-Division Multiplexer to send control signals along specially screened cables which run the length of the train.

Driving Conditions

India is the world's largest democratic republic. With the advancement of Transport Systems, countries are identified on the basis of their "Roads". India has difficult road and traffic conditions. In this part of the world, "Roads" are not meant to commute from here to there, but the road themselves run from here to there.
Driving Conditions in India

Conditions of roads across India are not hidden. In the last 50 years, India's automobile population has grown 170 times while the road infrastructure has expanded only nine times. The country's vehicle population is over 5.5 crore and growing at a phenomenal rate of 25 lakh every year. Roads make up 4% of Kolkatta city as compared to 25% in Delhi and 30% in some other cities. Outside the metros, the main roads and other roads are poorly maintained and congested.

Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs (driving while intoxicated, drunk driving, drinking and driving, drink-driving) or other drugs, is the act of operating a motor vehicle (and even a bicycle, boat, airplane or horse in selected jurisdictions) after having consumed alcohol, to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired. It is a criminal offense in most countries around the world.

In most international jurisdictions, anyone who is convicted of injuring or killing someone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be heavily fined, as in France, in addition to being given a lengthy prison sentence. The specific criminal offense may be called, depending on the jurisdiction, driving while intoxicated (DWI), operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI), driving under the influence [of alcohol or other drugs] (DUI), driving under the combined influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, driving under the influence per se or drunk in charge [of a vehicle].

Highway Code

The Highway Code is the official road safety manual for Great Britain.[1] In Northern Ireland the Highway Code for Northern Ireland applies.[2] It contains 307 numbered rules and 9 annexes covering pedestrians, animals, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers. As well as the rules and annexes, there is information on road signs, road markings and vehicle markings. The annexes contain information on vehicle maintenance, license requirements, documentation, penalties and vehicle security.

Certain rules in the Highway Code represent various road traffic laws and must be obeyed. Others are not compulsory, but advisable. The Road Traffic Act 1988 says. The latest edition of the Highway Code was released in September 2007 and contained new advice such as the risk of smoking while driving and information for novice drivers.

Road Traffic Safety

Road traffic safety aims to reduce the harm (deaths, injuries, and property damage) resulting from crashes of road vehicles. Harm from road traffic crashes is greater than that from all other transportation modes (air, sea, space, off-terrain, etc.) combined.

Road traffic safety deals exclusively with road traffic crashes – how to reduce their number and their consequences. A road traffic crash is an event involving a road vehicle that results in harm. For reasons of clear data collection, only harm involving a road vehicle is included. A person tripping with fatal consequences on a public road is not included as a road-traffic fatality. To be counted a pedestrian fatality, the victim must be struck by a road vehicle.

Sleep Deprived Driving

Sleep deprived driving is the operation of a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired by a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and it can impair the human brain as much as alcohol can. According to a 1998 survey, 23% of adults have fallen asleep while driving. According to the United States Department of Transportation, male drivers admit to have fallen asleep while driving twice as much as female drivers.

Numerous studies have found that sleep deprivation can affect driving as much, and sometimes more, than alcohol. British researchers have found that driving after 17 to 18 hours of being awake is as harmful as driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.05%, the legal limit in many European countries. Men under 30 are more likely to be in an accident caused by sleep deprivation.

Graduated driver

Graduated driver licensing systems are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass. They begin by acquiring a learner’s permit, progress to a restricted or probationary license, followed by receipt of a full license.

Acquiring a learner’s permit typically requires a minimum age, passing vision and knowledge tests, and parental or guardian permission if below a specified age. Those who hold a learner’s permit must generally drive under the supervision of a licensed driver, have a limited number of passengers in the vehicle, and be free of moving violations and at-fault accidents or crashes for a minimum period of time before moving to the next stage.

Those who receive an intermediate or probationary license may drive without supervision, although driving at certain times, (typically after midnight until around sunrise), may require supervision. Drivers typically are restricted in the number of passengers they may carry and must remain free of moving violations and at-fault accidents for a specified period of time. In some places, drivers with these licenses must have no alcohol in their blood while they are driving.

Receipt of a full license typically requires a specific minimum age, a minimum time period of driving experience, and the passing of a final road test of driving skills.