Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) Reminds Teens of Driving Restrictions

Curfew (for driving by teens) is midnight to six a.m. – no exceptions!

Parents and teens should be mindful of Georgia’s teenage driving restrictions especially as holiday activities ramp up. Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) lists all the restrictions on their website www.dds.ga.gov. Restrictions for teens holding a “Class D” license (sixteen to eighteen years of age) include:

1. No driving between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. No exceptions.
2. Passenger restrictions:

For the initial six-month period immediately following the issuance of a Class D license, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when any other passenger in the vehicle is not a member of the driver's immediate family. During the second six-month period immediately following issuance of a Class D license, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when more than one other passenger in the vehicle (who is not a member of the driver's immediate family) is less than 21 years of age. After the second six-month period, any Class D license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads, streets or highways of this state when more than three other passengers in the vehicle (who are not members of the driver’s immediate family) are less than 21 years of age.

“Buckling up is the first safety step, but please be mindful of teen passenger restrictions and the limited driving hours,” said DDS Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier. “These laws are mechanisms which support safe teen driving, and they do make a difference with lowering crashes and fatalities when observed,” he added.

Most recently, the Georgia Legislature passed new teen cell phone legislation which forbids any teen operating a motor vehicle from any cell phone use – including texting.

For more information including access to many Internet Services, please visit www.dds.ga.gov.
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Mayor Kasim Reed and the City of Atlanta Announce Partnership with Nissan North America to Advance Zero-Emission Mobility in Atlanta

Atlanta Prepares for Nissan LEAF 100% Electric Vehicle

Today, Mayor Kasim Reed announced the city’s efforts in readying for electric vehicles and joined Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) to celebrate Atlanta as one of the first cities in the Southeast to launch the Nissan LEAF Electric Vehicle. NNA announced that it is entering into an agreement with Clean Cities-Atlanta (CC-A) to advance zero-emission mobility by promoting the development of electric vehicles and an electric-charging network. The announcement was part of the City of Atlanta’s Sustainability Week, a series of events to raise awareness throughout Atlanta about issues such as energy and water conservation, the creation of green jobs, locally produced food and fuel efficiency.

The Nissan LEAF, the country’s first all-electric vehicle designed for the mass market, makes its global debut in December in certain states and will be rolled out throughout the United States in 2011.

Earlier this week, Mayor Reed unveiled Power to Change, a plan that will guide the City of Atlanta’s sustainability efforts for the next several years. As part of the plan, Mayor Reed has set the aggressive goal of making Atlanta a top 10 city for sustainability.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a critical component of making Atlanta a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. “We appreciate Nissan for choosing Atlanta to be one of the first cities in the southeast to launch the Nissan LEAF. This public endorsement affirms our commitment to alternative fuels and supports our drive to be a top-ten sustainable city.”

As part of the agreement, NNA and CC-A will collaborate on plans to promote a charging infrastructure for EVs, as well as the deployment, operation and maintenance of a charging network. CC-A is a coalition of government agencies, utilities, public interest groups, and public and private fleets that advance the use of alternatives to gasoline, and diesel fuels in cars, trucks and buses. The partners in the agreement also will work to coordinate the establishment of policies and help streamline the deployment of an EV infrastructure.

“The Renault-Nissan Alliance is committed to becoming a global leader in zero-emission vehicles, and Clean Cities-Atlanta has shown similar leadership through their progressive policies and focus on clean energy,” said Eric Noziere, vice president, Corporate Planning and Program Management Office. “This agreement further demonstrates the commitment by Atlanta to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to bringing the zero-emission Nissan LEAF to the roads of metropolitan Atlanta.”

The agreement adds Atlanta to a growing network of zero-emission vehicle initiatives across the United States and around the world. Nissan, along with its alliance partner Renault, has formed partnerships with more than 80 governments, cities and other organizations to advance the deployment of electric vehicles. It is the only automaker committed to making affordable, all-electric vehicles available to the mass market globally. The Nissan LEAF will roll out to the state of Georgia in 2011.

Consumers and other interested drivers have their first opportunity to test-drive a Nissan LEAF in select markets through the “Drive Electric Tour.” The tour provides information about the car, its technology, and its features, along with the first public test-drives. Interested drivers can learn more about the tour, including specific locations, and register to drive the Nissan LEAF at www.drivenissanleaf.com.

The Nissan LEAF is a five-passenger compact electric car that uses no gas, creates no emissions and has no tailpipe. It has a top speed of 90 mph and is powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries, which provide the car with a range of 100 miles on a single charge as tested on the LA4 test cycle, enough to satisfy the daily driving needs of more than 90 percent of Americans.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010 and has been recognized as a 2010 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.
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Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announces partnership with US Department of Transportation to combat distracted driving by workers

/PRNewswire/ -- Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of worker fatalities, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation to combat distracted driving.

"It is imperative that employers eliminate financial and other incentives that encourage workers to text while driving," said Secretary Solis. "It is well recognized that texting while driving dramatically increases the risk of a motor vehicle injury or fatality."

Prohibiting texting while driving is the subject of an executive order signed by President Barack Obama last year for federal employees and the subject of rulemaking by the Department of Transportation.

OSHA is launching a multi-pronged initiative that includes:

* An education campaign for employers, to be launched during "Drive Safely Work Week" in early October, will call on employers to prevent occupationally related distracted driving, with a special focus on prohibiting texting while driving.
* An open letter to employers to be posted on OSHA's website, http://www.osha.gov during "Drive Safely Work Week." The website also will showcase model employer policies and encourage employer and labor associations to communicate OSHA's message.
* Alliances with the National Safety Council and other key organizations as outreach to employers, especially small employers, aimed at combating distracted driving and prohibit texting while driving.
* Special emphasis on reaching younger workers by coordinating with other Labor Department agencies as well as alliance partners and stakeholders.
* Investigating issue citations and penalties where necessary to end the practice when OSHA receives a credible complaint that an employer requires texting while driving.


"We call upon all employers to prohibit any work policy or practice that requires or encourages workers to text while driving," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "The Occupational Safety and Health Act is clear; employers must provide a workplace free of recognized hazards."

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Fifty Propane Autogas Vehicles Hit the Roads in Florida, Georgia as Part of Department of Energy Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Program

/PRNewswire/ -- West Palm Beach, Florida-based Peninsula Propane and Pendergrass, Georgia-based Force 911 converted 50 vehicles from gasoline to clean propane Autogas last month as part of the groundbreaking Southeast Propane Autogas Development Program. The $8.6 million Recovery Act-funded Program will put nearly 1,200 propane Autogas vehicles on the road in nine Southeast states and Washington D.C., implement at least 20 refueling stations, and create dozens of American jobs.

"Thanks to our dedicated partners, we are making tremendous progress on the deployment of this extensive Program," says Chelsea Jenkins, the director of Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University, which is managing the Program. "With the DOE funding and the Program participants who are leading the way in adopting alternative fuels, we are advancing the use of green fuels and technologies in the Southeast."

Peninsula Propane is an affiliate of a paratransit, shuttle and taxi company with more than 1,200 transport vehicles in South Florida. John Obeid, a Peninsula Propane managing partner, says the company became a certified propane Autogas vehicle conversion center more than a year ago because they're dedicated to reducing the area's vehicle emissions.

"Propane Autogas vehicles are cleaner than gasoline vehicles, and they have a history of lasting longer and saving fleets money," says Obeid. "Many of our vehicles chart 75,000 to 100,000 miles per year, so if we convert our vehicles to propane Autogas, and convert other Florida fleet vehicles, the displaced emissions and gasoline will add up quickly." Peninsula Propane converted 6 vehicles in August and is scheduled to convert a total of 250 of their vehicles.

Force 911 is a full-service law enforcement vehicle outfitter and a certified conversion center for the Program. The center works with government agencies to provide customized vehicles based on their specified needs, such as K9 transport systems, prisoner transport units, and bi-fuel propane Autogas vehicle conversions. Force 911 has already converted 44 vehicles from gasoline to propane Autogas for Carroll and Cobb County fleets in Georgia and is scheduled to perform more than 200 vehicle conversions under the Program.

Force 911 President Wayne Abbs says: "We are proud to be a part of this project and provide Georgia law enforcement agencies with low-emissions propane Autogas vehicles. Vehicle performance is paramount for officers, and propane Autogas vehicles provide virtually the same power as gasoline vehicles while reducing emissions and using a domestic fuel source."

Peninsula Propane and Force 911 were trained and certified by Alliance AutoGas, a national network that provides shovel-ready propane Autogas vehicle solutions to public and private fleets. Alliance AutoGas - with founding partners Blossman Gas (the largest independent propane supply company in the nation) and American Alternative Fuel (alternative fuel vehicle systems specialists) - is training technicians to perform the vehicle conversions for the Program, installing the refueling stations and supplying the propane Autogas fuel.

"Propane Autogas is a clean, domestic and cost-effective fuel that's available now, and this Program, along with the other ARRA-funded projects, are contributing more than 250 propane Autogas refueling stations to an already-strong national refueling network," says Stuart Weidie, Alliance AutoGas president and Autogas for America founder. "This project is making it easier for fleets to fuel up with Autogas, but it's also a major step toward bringing Autogas into the national alternative fuels discussion."

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CDC Study Finds Annual Cost of Motor Vehicle Crashes Exceeds $99 Billion

/PRNewswire/ -- In a one-year period, the cost of medical care and productivity losses associated with injuries from motor vehicle crashes exceeded $99 billion - with the cost of direct medical care accounting for $17 billion, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total annual cost amounts to nearly $500 for each licensed driver in the United States, said the study in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.

The one-year costs of fatal and non-fatal crash-related injuries totaled $70 billion (71 percent of total costs) for people riding in motor vehicles, such as cars and light trucks, $12 billion for motorcyclists, $10 billion for pedestrians, and $5 billion for bicyclists, the study said.

CDC researchers used 2005 data because, at the study time, it provided the most current source of national fatal and non-fatal injury and cost data from multiple sources.

"Every 10 seconds, someone in the United States is treated in an emergency department for crash-related injuries, and nearly 40,000 people die from these injuries each year. This study highlights the magnitude of the problem of crash-related injuries from a cost perspective, and the numbers are staggering," said Dr. Grant Baldwin, director of CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

The study also found:

-- Costs related to fatal motor vehicle-related injuries totaled $58
billion. The cost of non-fatal injuries resulting in hospitalization
amounted to $28 billion, and the cost of injuries to people treated in
emergency departments and released was $14 billion. More men were
killed (70 percent) and injured (52 percent) in motor vehicle crashes
than women. Injuries and deaths among men represented 74 percent ($74
billion) of all costs. Teens and young adults made up 28 percent of
all fatal and nonfatal motor vehicle injuries and 31 percent of the
costs ($31 billion). These young people represented only 14 percent of
the U.S. population.
-- Motorcyclists made up 6 percent of all fatalities and injuries but 12
percent of the costs, likely due to the severity of their injuries.
Pedestrians, who have no protection when they are hit by vehicles and
are also often severely injured, made up 5 percent of all injuries but
10 percent of total costs.


Motor vehicle crash injuries and deaths and the associated costs are preventable. CDC's Injury Center supports proven, effective strategies for prevention such as:

-- Graduated driver licensing (GDL) policies: these laws allow new teen
drivers to get experience on the road in lower-risk situations as they
gain experience over time and are proven to reduce teen crashes.
Strong GDL laws have been associated with up to 40 percent decreases
in crashes among 16-year-old drivers.
-- Child safety seat distribution and education programs: increased use
of correctly installed and fitted child safety seats could help reduce
the $3.6 billion annual bill for injuries to children, the cost number
found in this study.
-- Primary seat belt laws: these laws allow motorists to be stopped and
cited for not wearing seat belts. Seat belts reduce the risk of death
to those riding in the front seat by about half.
-- Enhanced seat belt enforcement programs: Enhanced enforcement programs
in which law enforcement officers focus on getting people to buckle up
(e.g.: Click It or Ticket), are effective at increasing safety belt
use and reducing deaths and injuries.
-- Motorcycle and bicycle helmet laws: helmets can reduce the risk of
death in a motorcycle crash by more than one-third and reduce the risk
of brain injury by 69 percent.
-- Sobriety checkpoints: these checkpoints, where drivers are stopped to
assess their level of alcohol impairment, can reduce alcohol-related
crash deaths by more than 20 percent.

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Extreme Heat May Increase Vehicle Fire Threat

/PRNewswire/ -- The extreme heat experienced in communities across the U.S. makes conditions ripe for vehicle fires. State Farm reminds car owners to be vigilant and have their autos inspected and properly maintained during severe hot weather.

"Nobody wants to be that person standing by the side of the road watching helplessly as their car is engulfed in flames. And the very hot conditions across the country increase the chance of a vehicle fire--especially in older models," said Tom Hollenstain, research administrator at the State Farm Vehicle Research Facility. "But if you keep your car in good operating condition, you'll do a lot to help avoid that danger."

The National Fire Protection Association® says most highway vehicle fires occur in the months of July and August on Friday afternoons. This report also cited mechanical or electrical failure (leaks, breaks, worn-out parts) as causing approximately 49 percent of U.S. highway vehicle fires.

To lessen the likelihood of a highway vehicle fire, State Farm recommends the following car care tips:

-- Engine Coolant - Maintaining the coolant at the proper level is vital
during hot summer weather. Refer to the vehicle's owner's manual for
additional instruction or consult with an automotive technician. Never
remove the engine's coolant cap if the vehicle has been in operation.
-- Engine Oil Level - Motor oil is the life blood of the engine. It not
only provides lubrication, it also assists in engine cooling.
Maintaining the oil level at the proper range will reduce the chances
of engine damage or failure.
-- Belts & Hoses - During hot weather, additional stress is placed on the
engine's belts and hoses. Gaskets and seals may leak, hoses might
deteriorate, and belts could become brittle causing oil consumption to
increase. A failed hose or broken belt may cause the engine to
overheat. Before turning on the engine, inspect the belts and hoses
for unusual wear and cracks.
-- Keep it Clean -- Have the engine degreased to cut down on the buildup
of oil and grease.
-- Slow and Easy - All vehicles should be driven easier during hot
weather. If there is a heat advisory, motorists should try to avoid
heavy traffic, idling, high speeds and aggressive driving, all of
which contribute to the vehicle's engine overheating.

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