Video

I've always wondered how well the underride protection at the back of heavy commercial trailers would work, but I was never called on to investigate a collision like this. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has produced a video that shows these underride prevention structures provide poor protection when built to US standards and only slightly better protection when built to Canadian standards.

This video was produced for Responsible Young Drivers, a group from Belguim. The group promotes road safety and draws the attention to young drivers asking them to demonstrate responsible driving. It's network of 600 young volunteers in organize more than 250 activities each year in Belgium.

Another great slow motion video from Australia's Transport Accident Commission (TAC). The public education campaign targets two of Victoria's biggest issues in road safety -- motorcycle safety and speed. The campaign, titled "Reconstruction", features a slow motion replay of a crash involving a motorcyclist and a car.

I was impressed with the cycling facilities I saw when I visited Portland, Oregon, and by the number of people that I saw using them. Cycle paths, accomodation for bicycles on light rail and the bus and even traffic signals that applied directly to cyclists. All of these things worked together to promote the use of the bicycle for both commuting and recreation because they increased the safety a cyclist felt.

TAC Victoria's 'Vice Versa' campaign was first launched in 2002 and is aimed at car drivers highlighting the vulnerability of motorcyclists and the need to be more aware and actively look for them on the road. The campaign depicts a rider in everyday traffic conditions and a car driver who is attempting to change lanes.

Grant Aune of Advantage Fleet Services explains the difference between "doing what you're told" and "doing what you have to". In this case he is using the example of load security and explains that the load may only require four tie downs by law, but you may choose to use more because you know that you don't want the load to move, so you are doing it for the right reasons.

No one rides in my vehicle unless they are wearing their seatbelt. I've actually investigated a death in a collision like this one. The forces of the rear seat passenger coming forward were enough to tear the front passenger seat out of the floor of the vehicle in addition to causing or contributing to the death of the woman seated in it.

TED Talks challenge fascinating thinkers and doers to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less. Ramona Pierson was crossing the street when a drunk driver ran a red light and struck her in the crosswalk. She spent 18 months in a coma and then was placed in a senior citizens home to recover.

We all like to think that we are observant and as safe drivers, nothing should get by our eagle eyes. However, there is a feature of how our brain processes what we are seeing called situational blindness. This video from the UK is actually part of a cycling safety campaign and shows how much the scene in our visual field can change without us noticing.

A short video introducing the five pillars of the Global Plan for Road Safety. These pillars are Road Safety Management, Safer Roads and Mobility, Safer Vehicles, Safer Road Users and Post Crash Response.