A new series of public service advertisements (PSA) were released in the U.S. to target youth reckless driving.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows that, on average, more than 300,000 teens are injured in car crashes each year, nearly 8,000 are involved in fatal crashes and more than 3,500 are killed. Research also shows that teen drivers are involved in more than five times as many fatal crashes as adults. Young drivers are more likely to speed, run red lights, make illegal turns and die in an SUV rollover.

“This PSA campaign has a real opportunity to reach teens around the country,” said Thurbert Baker, Attorney General of Georgia. “By speaking up about reckless driving, young people can save lives, both their own and those of their friends.”

We love Fred Willard and Rob Riggle as much as anyone, but these are absolutely forgetable, sanitized and uninspired videos, but especially when compared with other safety videos from other countries.

These other videos don’t just “speak up” about reckless driving, they graphically display those Black Swan moments when taking risks adds up to a horrific result. They’re graphic. They’re memorable.

From Think! UK:

More videos from Think!:

• Young pedestrian
• Drinking and Driving
• Motorcycle

From “The Faster you go. The bigger the mess.” series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z8Mnf22D30

From cycling-related video from Speed Matters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZwPVKOPLjY

Coincidenly there were two videos posted yesterday about getting bike lanes in our area.

The first video is from the good folks at Scaledown. As we recently noted there’s a big battle brewing in Windsor over extending bike lanes along Riverside Drive. Their video reveals the likely source of resistance to the bike lanes: the landowners have apparently encroached on the Riverside Drive right-of-way.

This second video is from Mike Wendland whose enjoying the bike lanes while vacationing in Florida. Mike asks why we can’t have these in Michigan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3b2cTcHGP8&eurl=http://clydesdalefitness.com/2009/02/why-cant-michigan-have-bicycle-lanes/comment-page-1/&feature=player_embedded

Today’s Free Press has additional coverage of this tragic event, including comments from the victim’s family:

“I’m glad to see there was an arrest. Now we just have to see how justice turns out,” said Heather Weeks, Robinson’s cousin. “You have to wonder because you’d think a normal person would stop even to help an animal.”

The victim’s cousin said the arrest brings a measure of relief but no closure.

“We still have two little kids who are going to have Christmas without their mom,” Weeks said.

Reminder: Donations can be made in the name of Robinson’s mother, Judith Parent, who is caring for the boys. The address is Bank of America, 28746 Woodward, Royal Oak 48067.

ClickonDetroit also has an article on-line along with this older, but well-done video coverage. It’s clear that the victim’s family and Royal Oak Police are supportive of the ghost bike since it memorializes Ms. Robinson and may have helped in the investigation.

The video image of her bike clearly showed a very damaged rear wheel and an undamaged front wheel. This appears to confirm the police report that she was traveling north on Woodward and was struck from behind.

John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press wrote an excellent article about transforming Detroit’s current road infrastructure to the betterment of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Detroit’s main streets make good highways but lousy neighborhoods.

It’s time to change that.

The local development community is abuzz with talk of adding bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, new landscaping and other devices to narrow Detroit’s arterial streets — Woodward, Gratiot, Jefferson and others.

Whether it’ll happen is open to question. But the goal is to recapture Detroit’s cityscape for the people who actually live here.

Gallagher also references last week’s transportation week that we wrote about earlier.

Model D also covered last week’s events with this video featuring Ian Lockwood from Glatting-Jackson.

Bicyclists not being seen by drivers is a major cause of crashes.  That’s especially true this time of year with the shorter days and Daylight Saving Time.

MDOT recently issued a related press release:

“Drivers should always pay close attention and look out for other users of our roadways,” said MDOT Director Kirk T. Steudle. “In addition, pedestrians and bicyclists should wear bright and/or reflective clothing to significantly improve the likelihood of being noticed by motorists.”

Increasing ones visibility doesn’t have to be all that expensive.  Wearing brighter clothes with reflective strips and adding bike lights are a good start.  Those rear red LED blinky lights are almost a necessity.

Momentum Magazine has created a cheesy but fun video about getting more visible.  Note that the video production lighting was powered solely by bike lights.

Click to play

Presented by: VACC, B:C:Clettes and Momentum Magazine
Videography by Gwendal Castellan and Dave Niddrie

Visibility accessories generously donated by:

• Halolux – Halolight Bicycle Helmets and Haloracer Bike Illumination Light
• Monkeylectric – Monkeylectric Monkey Light
• Rock the Bike– Down Low Glow Lights
• Sweetskinz – Reflective Coloured Tires
• Knog – Frog, Gecko and Gator Lights
• Hutchinson – Reflex Reflective Tires
• Lazer -Urbanize Helmets