RES 780 Draft 01 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

SCHEDULE A HPD AGGRESSIVE DRIVING PROGRAM MISSIONlGOAL The goal of the project is to reduce fatal crashes on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, Hawaii Belt Road Route 190 and Route 11 in the Kona, South Kohala and Ka'u Districts by 10% from 10 in 2007 to~ 9 in FFY 2009. HPD ~ will also increase the amount of aggressive driving citations in these areas} and properly record the number of citations given for future reference. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION Aggressive driving has become a serious problem on our roadways. NHTSA, after discussions with law enforcement and the judiciary, defines aggressive driving as occurring when "an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to 'endanger other persons or property." Unfortunately, statistics are only now being developed and kept in our County in regards to aggressive driving. The following is known: • Speed is a consistent factor as one of the combination of moving traffic offenses involved in aggressive driving. • Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors in motor vehicle crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists speeding as the third leading contributing factor in traffic fatalities. In 2006, speed was a contributing factor in 31 percent of traffic fatalities nationally and is estimated to cost $40.4 billion each year. • The perception of risk, i.e. whether the driver perceives that he/she will be caught speeding, is a factor in how well a posted speed limit is followed. Excessive vehicle speed (speed above that for which the roadway was designed, exceeding posted limits or speed too fast for conditions) has severe and often times disastrous effects in a crash, because speed: ^ Reduces a driver's ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway ^ Extends the distance necessary for a vehicle to stop ~ ~ ~~ ^ Increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard ^ Compromises the integrity of the vehicle structure ^ Decreases the effectiveness of vehicle design features such as airbags and restraint systems ^ Decrease the ability of roadway hardware such as guardrails, barriers and impact attenuators to protect occupants ^ Increases tread wear on tires and wear on braking systems ^ Increases the risk of crashes because other vehicles and pedestrians may not be able to judge distance accurately (GHSA, Survey of States Speeding Report).