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JACKSONVILLE, N.C. - Poor driving conditions, according to the Marine Corps Installations East – Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Traffic Safety Office, are defined as limited visibility, poor road conditions such as standing water, debris or potholes, excessive traffic, and road construction.
Reduced visibility and traction reduction are two very common safety issues arising from unsafe road conditions. Driving is a privilege and must be treated as such.
In order to mitigate hazards due to poor driving conditions and bad weather, the Jacksonville Police Department and MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune Traffic Safety Office recommend the following courses of action:
• Consider staying put and off the roadways. Jacksonville Police Department Traffic Supervisor, Lt. Sean Magill advises, “During times of hazardous weather, it is always best to stay off the roads until the hazardous conditions pass.”
• Check the condition of your vehicle to include tires, wipers and brakes. “As driving conditions deteriorate, maintenance defects in a vehicle are amplified.” said Magill.
• Increase your stopping distance. Roadways are sometimes more slippery than they appear. It takes longer to stop in wet weather; therefore, it is always important to increase following distance and watch ahead for brake lights.
• Increase your following distance. Normal following distance should be three seconds between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. At least four to eight seconds are required in adverse weather conditions.
• Watch for distracted driving. Texting while driving is illegal in North Carolina.
• Reduce your speed. North Carolina General Statute 20-141 on speed restrictions states, "No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway or in a public vehicular area at a speed greater that is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing." In other words, if the speed limit is posted at 55 miles per hour, but the conditions warrants a lower speed, then it is the operator’s responsibility to reduce their speed in order to prevent a crash.
To further explain the importance of reducing your speed, the National Safety Council reports that speeding, not just in hazardous conditions, causes more than 13,000 deaths each year. In fact, 27 percent of fatal crashes in work zones were due to driving over the speed limit.
Not only that, but the economic costs are not worth going the extra mile per hour. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association states every minute cut by speeding to a destination costs the country more than $76,000.
On base, traffic citations are not monetary but last the duration of a service member’s career. MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River Base Order 5560.2 states, reckless driving, to include exceeding 20 mph over the posted speed limit, results in six points and driving privileges revoked for up to six months. Speeding is not worth it, nor is the violation to your integrity.
The Provost Marshal’s Office and local law enforcement make it a priority to keep us safe at all times. To take action and keep safety at the forefront, the Jacksonville Police Department suggests:
• Before the bad weather starts, consider maintenance items of your vehicle – specifically wiper blades and tires.
• Replace old or brittle wiper blades – they are inexpensive and simple to change. Many automotive supply retailers will replace them as a part of your purchase.
• Check the tread and inflation of your tires. Properly maintained tires provide needed traction for wet roads.
• Know how to operate your vehicle’s defroster or defogger feature to keep your windows and mirrors clear.
• Listening to local news and weather radio can help you to avoid being on the roadways in severe conditions.
• If you must be on the roads, learn alternative routes to your destination before hazardous weather events in case you have to detour.
Drivers who are new to the area are encouraged to stop by the closest Highway Patrol office to find out where the "bad" roads are located in the area. “Drive at slower than posted speeds until you are comfortable with roadways,” suggests Miles Bowman, Certified Safety and Health Official at the MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune Traffic Safety Office and Welches, Ore., native. “Drive the routes you may need during times when you aren't rushed to be somewhere to become familiar with the conditions.
Local TV and radio stations are a great source to get current updates on driving and weather conditions. Questions or inquiries about road conditions can be made to the NC Department of Transportation by Dialing 411 or 1-877-DOT-4-U to obtain up to date information.
NC DOT’s Traveler Information Management System (TIMS) is an excellent online source to obtain real time information on events that cause severe and unusual congestion along NCDOT maintained roadways in North Carolina: http://www.ncdot.gov/traffictravel/.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2014 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 138374 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSONVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | ROCHESTER HILLS/DETROIT, MI, US |
| Hometown: | WELCHES, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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