Safe Driving News Post

September 27, 2024, Durham, NC – Automotive technology is evolving more quickly today than ever before. In the 2020s alone, major innovations have been made in automotive connectivity, electrification, and self-driving and driver assistance features to increase convenience and comfort for drivers. In addition, many new automotive technologies show promise for improving driver and passenger safety. Driver assistance features such as lane assist, automatic emergency braking, blind spot alerting, and 360-degree external cameras may be able to help drivers prevent vehicle accidents and increase drivers’ awareness of their surroundings. Young drivers are at high risk for unsafe driving behaviors, such as [...]

July 09, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention professionals, and community members protect themselves and others on the road. Plan My Ride is iRT’s interactive, multimedia, eLearning program developed with and for young drivers to teach safe driving skills to prevent distracted and impaired driving. Unlike other safe driving educational programs, Plan My Ride uses a science-backed and theory-driven approach to change behavior by teaching concrete, practical strategies to avoid impaired and distracted driving, and providing opportunities for young drivers to practice the skills they have learned in 360-degree [...]

April 11, 2024, Durham, NC – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which provides an important opportunity to spread awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and strategies to prevent it. Distractions can come in various forms for drivers, including using a mobile device, eating or drinking, talking to passengers, or fidgeting with a navigation device or radio while driving. Distracted driving can significantly increase the chance of vehicle crashes as well as death or injury for drivers and passengers. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that approximately 3,000 people die in crashes involving distracted driving [...]

February 22, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter presented at SAMHSA’s 20th Prevention Day gathering last month to discuss the problem and prevention of substance use and impaired driving among youth. SAMHSA’s Prevention Day gathering is the largest annual, national event dedicated to advancing substance misuse prevention. Each year, substance use prevention professionals, researchers, and advocates gather to share current developments and discuss future research and innovations in substance misuse prevention. This year’s gathering took place in conjunction with CADCA’s National Leadership Forum in National Harbor, Maryland. Dr. Stelter led a session entitled Sober Lives, Safer Roads: [...]