CHP says over 50% of fatal crashes are caused by roadway departure

Diane Sieker Staff Writer

The California Highway Patrol has reminded motorists again this year that one of the most common causes of collisions in the state is a violation of California Vehicle Code 22107. Many drivers violate this section when they allow their vehicle to leave the roadway and travel onto the shoulder.

The code states that, “No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.”

According to the CHP, over 50% of California’s fatal crashes are the result of roadway departure.

For example, if a driver allowed their vehicle to drift to the right onto the dirt shoulder, it could cause the driver to panic and overcorrect, steering violently back onto the roadway. This action may cause the driver to lose control and subsequently cause the vehicle to overturn.

Additionally, drivers typically overcorrect in order to avoid what they believe is a dangerous situation, but they end up putting themselves in more danger by making this error.

To avoid overcorrecting and losing control of your auto, slow down and do not jerk the steering wheel. Don’t slam on the brakes, simply take your foot off the gas pedal and allow your vehicle to decelerate. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel so you can maintain control. Apply the brakes gently when your vehicle is traveling in a straight line in order to avoid overturning. And most of all, remain calm, CHP suggests.

State and federal transportation entities are working together to create safer roads. Rumble strips provide an audible warning and physical vibration to alert drivers that they are leaving the roadway.

The deployment of these devices has shown good results in reducing these types of road crashes. Most rumble strips and rumble stripes are milled into the pavement and are installed along both the center line and shoulder and painted over with reflective striping to increase their visibility.

In 2012, the Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety developed a Roadway Departure Safety Implementation Plan that assessed the entire California state highway system and suggested locations for rumble strips, as well as other safety measures.

Carmakers are building road departure warning systems into their new automobiles. Road Departure Mitigation alerts drivers when lane drift is detected without a turn signal in use and can apply mild steering torque to assist the driver in maintaining proper lane position or even brake pressure to slow the vehicle’s departure from a detected lane.

Honda’s Lane Departure Warning system uses cameras mounted near the rearview mirror to detect lane markings. When the wheels of the vehicle move past the lane marker, a flashing indicator and beeping alert warns the driver to move back into the lane. In some cases, the steering wheel and seat vibrate to ensure that the driver is aware that the vehicle is drifting, so the car can safely move back into the lane. This system doesn’t send an alert if the driver uses the turn signal before crossing the lane marker.

Always do your best to drive in an alert, undistracted manner. Know your surroundings and watch the edge of the road carefully. It is much better to make it safely to your destination rather than becoming another highway statistic.

Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia. com

The open road demands a motorist’s alert attention at all times.