You’ll know when you need to apply USB driver updates, because you might notice that specific devices or peripherals connected to USBs aren’t working right. Let’s say you’ve got a keyboard that isn’t responsive. You unplug the keyboard from the USB port, and then plug it into a new USB port. The keyboard’s strokes are now registered on your computer. So, you’re aware that the USB port is broken. But, how do you fix this?

Check Your OS with Windows Update

One way to repair this problem is to utilize Windows Update. Many people online advocate this as a method for solving pretty much any problem on your computer. Sadly, it’s not a panacea for all of your tech issues. It can be worth a shot, however. You can find updates by visiting Microsoft’s website, or you can look for Windows Update through the Control Panel. Here’s how:

1. Click “Start.”
2. Click “Control Panel.”
3. Click “System and Security.”
4. Click “Windows Update.”

Windows will then display all the updates that you still need to apply. You can choose to download and install these updates instantaneously. Try this method to see if it fixes your USB port problem.

Going Online to Find Drivers

There’s also the option of looking for drivers manually. You’ll have to visit a manufacturer’s website to find the drivers. The majority of manufacturers do offer available drivers in the “Support” or “Downloads” section of their sites. This method applies for every device’s drivers.

So, let’s say you’ve got a NVIDIA graphics card, and you need to download new graphics card drivers. You would visit NVIDIA’s website, identify the make and model of your graphics card, input your OS specs, and search for drivers.

Once you find the drivers that match all of the necessary criteria, you could then download and install them. This is a good method for replacing drivers, but you need to pay extremely close attention to detail. You definitely want to avoid downloading the wrong ones.

Of course, if you’re dealing with a USB port, then it’s likely that you need to visit your computer’s manufacturer’s website. However, since a wide variety of peripherals plug into USB ports, you might need to check the peripheral manufacturer’s website as well.

Simple Programs That Update Your USB Drivers

The most efficient way to update drivers is to simply use driver update software. Driver update software will actually scan your entire computer for out-of-date, damaged, and missing drivers. It won’t matter whether your keyboard’s drivers are outdated, your speakers drivers aren’t working, or your graphics card’s drivers need replacement, because driver update software will fix all of these problems at one time.

Driver update software works automatically, and it can pinpoint and isolate problems with specific drivers. The software works quickly, as well, so once the software scans your machine for outdated drivers, it’ll display them in an easily understandable list.

Then, it’ll ask you if you want to replace the drivers. Just follow the software’s instructions, and you can update your drivers in no time. This software might not be free, but it’s cheaper than what your local computer tech charges for an hour of their time!

Driver update software is also wonderful because it prevents future problems from occurring. If you run driver update software on a regular basis, you can keep all of your devices working like new. Go with driver update software for all of your necessary USB driver updates, along with other device driver updates.

As a home owner or builder you probably rely on screws quite often. They work well for building, and they allow you to disassemble the object again at a later date. This is particularly useful in fences and decks, where you will likely be replacing boards and making improvements later on as things begin to wear out. Many people that build with screws rely on drills to accomplish the task, but impact drivers are much more efficient, especially when they are cordless.

What is an Impact Driver?

An impact driver looks and operates similarly to a drill, but it works a bit different. It’s essentially a powered drill that actually hammers the screw into position as it becomes difficult to spin. If you’ve ever been driving a screw into a hard wood and the tool began to bog down and slow, this is the type of situation that an impact driver works well in.

How Does it Work?

An impact driver relies on two different mechanisms to drive a screw or other fasteners into place. The first is standard rotation just like a drill. The second is a hammering blow that’s accomplished in the head of the tool. A small metal mechanism actually slams the fastener into place as it gets close to being locked down all the way. This will help you install larger and more difficult fasteners, and makes all the difference compared to a standard drill.

Why Use an Impact Driver?

If you’ve ever dealt with a difficult fastener while using a traditional drill, you know how much of a pain it can be. The tool will twist your wrist, the fastener could become stripped, and even when you have enough power it’s possible to actually snap the fastener from all the force on it.

An impact driver helps resolve all of these problems. That’s because the tool actually smooths out the driving process. Even difficult fasteners become easy to put into place. You’ll begin driving it home, and you’ll quickly notice that once things would normally become difficult, you hear a small clicking noise and the driver finishes going into place easily. That’s because the hammering mechanism in the tool offers two to three times the torque of a standard drill. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to build with screws after you have this product.

Cordless or Corded

Just a decade ago I would have recommended that you go with a corded impact driver for the maximum level of power. That’s because cordless models simply didn’t have the torque to take on difficult tasks, or their batteries would die to quickly. That’s not the case any longer. There are excellent quality tools available today, that deliver more than enough torque to get the job done properly. These tools come with highly capable batteries that charge quickly and handle dozens of fasteners without needing another charge. Cordless is much more convenient, making it the option of choice for most builders today, including myself.

You’ve seen them – pickup trucks or cars driving in front of a tractor trailer pulling a very wide load. These are called pilot cars, and the people who drive them are professionals who specialize in that form of driving. You may have thought that those cars and trucks were part of a team, but in fact the pilot car driver is usually someone contracted to get the load through a particular state. So what does it take to be a pilot driver? Read on and find out.

There is a certain amount of equipment your vehicle will require. For instance, you will need a fire extinguisher, a CB radio, flags, and an oversize load sign. It goes without saying that you need a highly reliable vehicle capable of handling long drives. Equipment requirements can vary from state to state, so it is important to have the equipment required by the states in which you work.

Gathering together the equipment you need is the easy part. The hard part is living the lifestyle necessary to be successful in the industry. The life of a pilot car is very similar to a truck driver in that it requires many hours of driving with limited interruptions. Just like truck drivers, they are paid by the mile. So the more miles you can drive in a day, the more you can earn.

There is one area where these drivers are at a disadvantage relative to their companion truck drivers – the pilot car driver has nowhere to sleep! When the day is done, a pilot car driver must find a hotel. This adds to his time on the road and is an additional expense to consider.

There is also a certain level of danger associated with driving a pilot car. There may be times when quick lane changes or other repositioning is required to accommodate the needs of the wide load vehicle. Sometimes aggressive driving is required, so timidity is not a trait that will lead to success in this field.

This type of driving is not something that you should just decide to do with no training. Your best bet to get into the field is to find an experienced driver who will allow you to ride along, and later maybe even drive the vehicle yourself. The wider the load, and the more difficult the situation, the higher the level of training that will be required to drive safely and effectively.

Pilot car driving is not an easy life, and it definitely requires a high level of concentration and determination. But if driving is what you love, and you are willing to live a lifestyle similar to a trucker, then it is a profession that you might find very satisfying.

A driving license allows you to legally drive or operate a motor vehicle. The rules and stipulations for obtaining one differ for each State and there are multiple classifications of drivers licenses that restrict how they can be used.

To be a professional driver, a commercial drivers license along with endorsements that require additional training is needed. The training and test requirements for the Commercial Drivers License are regulated at the Federal Government level.

The driving license is recognized interstate wide, meaning a license obtained in one state allows you to drive a vehicle in any other state in the country.

There is also an international drivers license, which allows you drive in other regions, however, in order to obtain one, you must have a valid driving license from your home country.

Obtaining a drivers license is an uncomplicated process in most jurisdictions, however, to the issuers and holders, the driver license is perhaps the most important document that can be possessed.

In most states in order to obtain a driving license, you may be required to first have learners permit. The learners permit allows to driver to a limited time while practicing or undertaking drivers education. The minimum age required varies from 14 years in some states to as high as 17 years old in other states and there may also be graduated license laws that restrict certain driving privileges. There are certain documents, such as birth certificates and social security numbers that are required along with photo identification.

In some areas, the drivers license test is comprised of both a written and practical or a behind-the-wheel driving test. It is now possible to practice or actually take the test online as many states now publish a drivers manual which list all the necessary qualifications required.

To take the test, is a simple procedure as booking an appointment at the local Department of Motor Vehicle office. In many situations, a written as well as a vision test is required when applying for an original driving license or when upgrading to a different classification. The drivers license usually expires five years after issue and renewal notices are sent to addresses of record approximately two months before the expiry date.

The license can be suspended and driving privileges lost for a number of reasons which can include conviction for driving under the influence (DUI). It is against the law to drive or operate a motor vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) over 0.08% or 0.04% for commercial vehicles. In some states, you can be sentenced to serve up to 6 months in prison and monetary fines between $400 and $1000 plus 3 times the assessed fine in penalty fees for a first time conviction.

There has been considerable debate on whether revocation of driving privileges is constitutional or whether it is a successful deterrent to reduce the occurrences of DWI.

The drivers license is now considered the most important document that it must be in your possession at all times even when you are not driving. It is often used as the primary form of identification as there are other forms of personal information that is attached to it and from which they can be retrieved.

A true test of one’s marriage takes place when one partner decides to become a truck driver. The many days of separation can truly feel unbearable and hard to endure for even the strongest marriages. Most truck drivers, especially those that take long-haul routes, are continuously away from their homes. This can mean many weeks or even months hauling freight, which may also include missed significant family occasions and birthdays. Those with families can find this very frustrating as you stand the possibility of missing some of the most unique moments of life, such as watching your kids grow up.

If you are a bona fide trucker, there are several things you can do to help your spouse adjust to your new life away from home. This can help cut down the amount of divorces that result out of the emotional drainage that comes from trying to satisfy both your career and family life.

It takes two strong individuals to truly make this work. While there are plenty of things you can do to feel some of the comforts of home during your trip, such as the use of sleeper cabs and microwave ovens, your spouse will have to do a little more “soul-searching” to do the same. It’s important to present the following tips below to your spouse as soon as you can, as they can learn to feel a strong emotional bond with you even while you’re away on the road.

Tips To Help Your Spouse Adjust To Your Trucking Lifestyle

First off, it’s easy for the spouse to feel left out and that’s why it’s very important that they develop strong hobbies and interests to fill in the gap. Some spouses feel that they have to put their lives on hold while their trucker husband is away, this is not a good solution. It’ll only make them feel dull and clingy. Instead it is important to use this time to develop a new talent that the spouse has always wanted to develop and put in energy into becoming strong and independent. This will greatly impress the husband when he returns home, since a powerful, independent woman is a great turn-on!

It is also very important for the spouse to stay as busy as possible, to avoid negative thoughts from entering the head. Time passes by much faster when one is busy. For example, you can take this time to learn about the trucking lifestyle, or get a road map to study the exact routes your husband will be taking. By becoming a part of his lifestyle, the spouse will gain better respect for what he is doing, leading to a stronger marriage in the end.

Finally, always organize something special that you can both do together upon your return, such as a special meal or movie out. This will allow both of you to have something special to look forward to.

When they first came out years ago, impact drivers were very popular in Japan but it took a while for Americans to realize what a terrific advantage impact drivers have over an electric drill when it comes to driving long screws into wood, especially decking. American companies like Porter Cable caught on to the idea and started competing with impact drivers offered by overseas companies. The idea for impact drivers was born long ago with the inventions of (1) the impact wrench, used in every automotive garage, and (2) the hammer drill used to power masonry bits into concrete and other extremely hard materials.

The technology that allows them to do this is sometimes referred to as “hammer and anvil” meaning that, unlike the simple twisting action of an electric drill, the impact driver literally “pounds” the screwdriver bit around as if being repeatedly being hit by a hammer. This action gives these woodworking tools tremendous power that simply would not be possible if the same screwdriver bit were chucked up in an electric drill with the same size motor and battery. An additional advantage is that there are hex shank drill bits available so that your impact driver can double as a quick-change cordless drill thus becoming one of your most versatile woodworking tools.

The first time I picked up an impact driver, a 12-volt Makita, I thought it looked, to me, like a toy. I then tried it out by driving a 3-inch deck screw into a 4″ x 4″ piece of fir. I was amazed as I watched (and felt) the tiny machine effortlessly drive the screw home, sinking the head below the surface of the wood. I had to remember to keep a lot of hand pressure against the tool so that the screw driver bit did not pop out of the screw head and strip it. From that moment forward, I have never been without one of these amazing machines at my side.

Over the years, these drivers have been improved to the point of near perfection and this includes the batteries that power them. Battery size has grown from 9.6 volts to 18 volts and more. More than that, battery life has been greatly extended from what it was with the advent of Lithium Ion technology and subsequent improvements on that. In fact, a significant part of the cost of any impact driver, whether it comes from Makita Tools, Bosch or DeWalt is the battery or batteries that come with it.

You may have noticed that most manufacturers of cordless woodworking tools have started selling so-called “bare tool bodies” meaning that they come with no battery or charger included and a greatly reduced price tag. The reason for this is that most manufacturers (but not all) have discovered that if they make all their tools run on the same 18-volt Lithium Ion battery, they can sell more bare tool bodies while locking in their customers to their brand. End users love this because they do not have to keep laying out hard-earned money for shelves full of different batteries and chargers but, rather can just buy the bare woodworking tools that share the same battery.

Several manufacturers like Makita Tools have included two or more speed ranges in their impact drivers. Sometimes, too much power is not always a good thing. You can destroy small screw heads and break screw shafts. The more power used, the less battery life. Just because you have a 400 HP motor under the hood of your car does not mean that you drive around town with the accelerator pedal to the floor.

While a 12 or 14.4 volt impact driver will suffice for most jobs, an 18 volt model is well worth the small increase in price.

The Tiger Woods golf stance driver setup, ball position, foot width and weight distribution have help win him 14 major championships as of the publish date of this article. It must be the driver golf stance that we all should use then, correct?

Well, not so fast! The answer for you is maybe and maybe not. But why wouldn’t Tiger Woods golf stance be the proper stance for everyone?

Well, the first reason is that a golf stance does not sit independent of the type of swing technique you are attempting to perform. If you have a different swing style than another golfer, your stance technique is likely to be different.

A second reason why your stance may be different than Tiger’s golf stance is because your body type may be completely different. Tiger Woods would even agree with this statement 100%. On page 87 of his book, How I Play Golf, Tiger states that “in choosing a particular player to model your swing after, take into consideration the player’s height and build.” “If you’re tall and thin, you don’t want to copy the swing of a player who is short and stocky.”

As a third reason, I would expand on Tiger Woods’ statement by adding that you should take into account a player’s strength, flexibility, and coordination.

You have to look no further than the changes to Tiger Woods golf swing technique and changes in Tiger’s build to see how a different golf stance can be required for different people. The old golf swing of a young skinny Tiger Woods used a driver setup with a square to slightly closed foot position (and a strong grip for that matter). This stance and grip helped him square the clubface at impact. A stronger Tiger in his early thirties plays a stance with a square to slightly open foot position (and a neutral grip for that matter) to protect against squaring the club face too quickly. This change in foot position for Tiger was also a result of a change in his swing technique philosophy. Tiger’s old swing was for playing a draw as a youngster and his newer swing was designed for playing a power fade in his mid thirties.

So, to answer the question of whether the driver Tiger Woods golf stance is right for you more directly, let’s first outline the exact components of his stance. Tiger has a slightly open, greater than shoulder width and upright stance. Further, Tiger turns his right and left foot outward slightly.

The open and upright stance allows Tiger to swing the club on a steeper plane than a square or closed foot position and less upright stance would allow. That is because the latter requires the ball to be a further distance away from your body. The further the ball is away from your body at address, the flatter your swing will be.

Further, the way he flares his feet is designed to allow him to fully rotate his shoulder on the backswing and follow through while limiting his hip turn. Finally, the foot width he uses is the ideal distance for balance and stability to control his 135 mph driver swing speed.

You will need to experiment with the Tiger Woods golf stance fundamentals while keeping in mind your swing style and your physical makeup to determine if his stance is proper for you. For instance, women who have lower centers of gravity and slower swing speeds may not need to have a driver stance of greater than shoulder width. Additionally, those trying to play a flatter swing plane or trying to play a draw may find that a square or closed stance is better for them. Finally, those with different flexibilities may need to rotate their feet differently to get the proper hip and shoulder rotation on the backswing and follow-through motions.

So, you see the answer really is maybe or maybe not. Nonetheless, I will tell you one thing for sure. If you are ready to learn how to swing the golf club like Tiger, you will need to be ready to incorporate a flexibility and strength training routine into your game. His hip and shoulder flexibility, as well as, his lower and upper body strength can not be bought over the counter. And they are required to pull off his portrait like swing.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for US teens. Sixty-one percent of teen passengers are killed while riding with a teen driver. In response to those two statements, most US states and territories have adopted GDL laws. G.D.L. is the acronym for Graduated Driver Licensing. While G.D.L. is no guarantee your teen will avoid being cited or injured in a crash, there are ways that help evaluate the teen driver’s maturity and experience that may increase his or her safety.

If you have a teen itching to learn to drive, familiarizing yourself with the G.D.L. in your area will be one of the most important laws to understand. However thinking beyond the G.D.L. requirements and restrictions is essential for increasing teen driver safety. Parents are the key to teen driver safety when they know which ‘knowledge lock’ to open.

As an injury prevention educator for a local hospital, I teach youth and parent how to utilize G.D.L. components effectively. In an effort to reach more parents with this important information, I am sharing much of what I teach through a series of articles.

Most G.D.L. law components include: Supervised Driving minimum requirement; Sibling and Family Transport; Peer Transport; Curfew; Driving Log. These five components generally focus on minimum legal requirements but do not explain how to utilize the components effectively to include safety considerations.

The first article of this series explained how the role of Pre-frontal Cortex brain maturation is intricately involved in teen driving development and focused on how to help a teen develop well-practiced driving skills to prepare the teen for licensure.

Thinking Outside the G.D.L. Box for Passenger Restriction and Curfew

Passenger Restriction

While G.D.L. laws about passenger transport vary from state to state regarding sibling and family member vs. peer transport, it is important to note:

1. Younger siblings are the second hardest passengers to control; drunk passengers are the hardest to control;

2. Older siblings are often critical and upset the new driver;

3. Most G.D.L. laws allow the immediate transport of up to three peer passengers in the second 6-months of licensure;

4. The potential for a fatal crash nearly doubles when transporting three peer passengers;

5. Sixty-one percent of teens killed in car crashes are the passenger of a teen driver.

NOTE: Even as veteran drivers, parents have a difficult time controlling child passengers and drunks. Why would we think newly licensed teen drivers capable? Jeopardizing the teen driver and his passengers for convenience is dangerous. Protecting the teen driver and his passengers is risk management well within the control of parents.

Sibling and Peer Passenger Transport Strategies to Consider

Allow teen drivers to transport siblings after the first year of solo driving

Parents help Teens select peer passengers based on reliable behavior of teens under consideration

Once peer passenger transport is legal, allow teen drivers to only transport one peer passenger at a time during the first year of licensure

Allow two peer passenger transport in the second year of licensure

Postpone three peer passenger transport until the teen has driven without any citations or crashes for a minimum of 2.5 years

Parents should always be the driver when teams of teens need transporting and never rely on teen drivers to provide the transportation

Additionally, exposure to legal liability extends to parents as long as children are dependents taken as a tax deduction or parents pay the greater amount of support for youth beyond the age of 18 years old. Keeping in mind that car crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds provides good reason for disallowing vehicle driving for college age youth when away at school until senior year. However, even veteran drivers out from behind the wheel for long periods need time to re-develop driving acuity therefore, driving acuity is also compromised for youth who do not drive for extended periods of time and therefore require a little ‘driving supervision’ before being allowed to drive solo again.

Curfew

Most GDL laws include a Midnight-5:00 AM curfew. However, a large number of crashes involving teens occur right after school between 3:00-6:00 PM and over 40% of teen crashes occur between 9:00 PM-6:00 AM. Speeding and distractions are recognized as major contributors to night-time crashes for teens, but you may not realize that night time driving requires an additional skill set.

Curfew Safety Strategies to Consider

Focus on developing safe, solid and reliable day-time driving skills of the teen.

Periodically ride with the teen to evaluate if good driving habits are eroded by unsafe behaviors.

Practice night driving with the teen over a two-year period before allowing teens to drive at night.

Driving a car in order to get to work or go shopping is one thing, but driving a twenty three foot long hearse for a living is quite something else. No two days are ever the same and variety and variation are major keywords for what the job entails. Join me as I walk you through an average day in the life of a hearse driver of over four years.

Does Driving a Hearse Take a Special Type of Person?

Working for undertakers and being in and around that kind of environment certainly takes a special kind of person, after all they are the unsung heroes of the unthinkable. Coming into action from the moment a person departs from this world. It is the undertakers job to remove a deceased from the very location where they passed away.

From there the deceased will be transported to either a local hospital mortuary for holding or in some cases further investigation by the coroner or taken straight to the undertakers own mortuary pending further arrangements by the family.

A hearse driver not only drives a very important funeral vehicle, but can in most cases be involved in the proceedings right from when the person passes away (depending if he/she is on call at that time).

Once all of the funeral arrangements have been made and it is the day of the funeral the hearse driver will begin the day by preparing the hearse. This requires cleaning it from top to bottom; right down to painting the tyres so that the black stands out giving them a nice shiny effect.

In most cases the flowers are sent to the undertakers so he/she will co-ordinate as to where and how they are placed on and around the hearse once the coffin has been placed on-board and secured. Flowers at the house will either be placed in the hearse or if no room the boots of the limousines until reaching the venue.

A hearse driver has to have a fairly good local and extensive knowledge of the surrounding streets and towns so he/she is able to create an easy, simple, and fairly hazard free route from the family’s house, which is generally where the funeral starts from.

The funeral could also require anything from one to several limousines as the entourage. It is the hearse driver’s job and responsibility to ensure that when driving to the crematorium or cemetery that this entourage is not broken by other vehicles coming between any of the limousines.

For this continuity he/she has to treat and drive the hearse with following vehicles as though it was one long train, this can also include some of the mourners own vehicles as not everyone goes in limousines.

Some of the problem areas include things like traffic lights, when a hearse driver is approaching traffic lights from a distance he/she should be trying to judge them so he/she reaches them as they are turning red. This will give the hearse the best chance to get across once they go green as well as maintain that all the following vehicles do so as well.

Roundabouts, again as the hearse driver approaches from a distance he/she will be slowing the train down so that once they reach the roundabout they are virtually at a crawling pace. Obviously in some cases they have to stop completely for other traffic already on the roundabout. Once clear the hearse will go round the roundabout at a snail’s pace so that all the following vehicles can follow onto the roundabout at close proximity, which stops other vehicles getting between the entourage.

This is the exact same procedure that is used by the hearse when approaching a “T” junction (intersection).

Maintaining a smooth steady speed throughout the entire journey is critical for showing respect and majestic grace while ensuring the timetable is being followed for a punctual arrival.

There are a multitude of obstacles and trials that can challenge a hearse driver on a daily basis and he/she has to be 100% alert at all times as it is their job to ensure that the next of kin in the limousines and following mourners arrive at the designated venue together, unstressed, and above all else, on time.

Once the destination has been reached the hearse will be right at the front outside the doors of the chapel or as close as can be to graveside, this at times can include some tricky negotiation that a hearse driver has to manoeuvre the hearse through, again with seeming ease and grace.

As soon as the hearse has come to a standstill the driver will join the rest of the pallbearers at the rear of the vehicle and carry the coffin to its final destination. Once the coffin has been placed he/she and the other bearers will return to the hearse and remove any flowers and place them at the allotted location so that once the family and mourners come out from the service they can view all the flowers that have been sent in respect of the deceased.

Death is never an easy time for those left behind and the position of the hearse driver is to do whatever he/she can in order to make the final journey for all concerned as smooth and trouble-free as is possible. Above all else though a hearse driver is just another cog in the funeral businesses wheel, which ensures safe and ease of passage from a person’s death to their final place of rest…

Introduction

Studies have shown that using a cell phone while driving does increase the risk of a crash, but the amount of increased risk is still difficult to be known. It is agreed, however, that talking on a cell phone while operating a vehicle is a distraction that may impair driving ability, especially teenagers who are sometime easily occupied by other things. The aim of this paper is to present available data concerning the impact that cell phone use has on driving ability and increasing crash risk. In November 1, 2001, the State of New York enacted a law banning all drivers regardless of age from talking on a handheld cell phone while driving the vehicles. The move was later followed by the state of North Carolina, who on December 1, 2006, although the programs were not relatively same in term of who they were trying to reach, began prohibiting use of any cell phone communication device by drivers younger than 18 years old.

These studies were done to reduce risks to teenagers drivers and people of all ages by reducing highway deaths and injuries, reducing higher crash risk for teenagers due to their greater difficulty handling distractions and their high use rates of cell phone and other communication devices and to add restriction on graduated driver’s license along with the expectation that it would be viewed, accepted and enforced in the same way as is the case for the other protective elements of the graduated licensing system. In the North Carolina’s teenager drivers’ cell phone restriction, there were two or more exceptions for teenagers drivers to use cell phones while on public roads. These exceptions include talking to a teenager’s parent or legal guardian or talking to emergency response operator, hospital, physician’s office or health clinic, a private or privately owned ambulance company or service, fire department or law enforcement agency regarding an emergency situation. In New York, the exceptions were limited only to placing an emergency phone call to 911, calling or using a hands-free device, manual dialing or using a handheld phone when the vehicle is stopped.

Goals of the studies

The goal of the studies is to see whether the ban on cell phones use in two states, New York and North Carolina has led to reduction in car related deaths and injuries on public roads.

Aim and Objectives

The aim of these studies is to undertake an evaluation of the longer term effects of New York State’s law on drivers’ handheld cell phone use and the short term effects of a teenage drivers cell phone restriction in the state of North Carolina to determine the impact on all stakeholders and assess the effects on any issues relating to the quality and effectiveness of the cell phones use. The objectives of these studies are to:

• Determine whether cell phone users see the ways in which the states operate as useful, appropriate and effective way to reduce highway related deaths and injuries.

• Determine whether substantial short term declines in drivers’ use of cell phones and other communication devices after a ban, were sustained one or more years later

• Assess the implementation of the program and the extent to which they meet their goals

• Assess the impact of the cell phones use on the cell phone users/ other key stakeholders

• Assess planning and monitoring mechanisms used by each state at its local level

Methodology/Design

To ensure a comprehensive evaluation design, the qualitative arm of the studies included focus groups, observation surveys to measure the extent to which the new restriction affected teenagers’ cell phone use while driving, telephone interviews by professional telephone interview organizations with the focus to sampled randomly households using a list of households in North Carolina believed to have one or more teenagers ages 16 or 17. Pilot testing with the focus on observing drivers in the morning and pre-law observation which was conducted five months after the law went into effect were also used. In North Carolina observers attempted to gather information on how a cell phone was used, for example, held to ear, visual evidence of dialing, text messaging or game playing or evidence of hands free use. Information on type of phone use was not recorded in New York State. In New York, daytime observations of drivers were conducted at controlled intersections on geographically dispersed, heavily traveled roads in four small to medium sized upstate communities such as Albany, Binghamton, Kingston and the village of Spring Valley. Observations were conducted on Thursday and Friday in seven observation period throughout the day. Approaching vehicles in the closest two lanes were observed by a person positioned at the roadside at or near the intersection. Excluded in the observations process in the New York State were emergency vehicles, tractor-trailer trucks and buses. In state of North Carolina, no particular groups were excluded in the observations process.

The pre-law interviews were conducted on November 2006 in North Carolina with 400 groups of parents and teenagers and post-law interviews on April 2007 with relatively same groups of parents (401). Interview completion rates, those who complete interview with both parents and teenager from the same household, were 72% and 67% in the pre-law and post-law surveys while in New York State (based on December 2001 pre-law and march 2002 post-law surveys combined) use rates by driver characteristics were calculated and differences were judged only if the 95% confidence intervals of the estimated use rates did no overlap. In North Carolina cell phone use rates were similar for males and females while cell phone use rates were higher for drivers younger than 25 than for drivers ages 26-60 in New York. However, the differences were not significant. Five counties were identified in North Carolina for study (Buncombe, Guilford, Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake County). The counties selected represented the most populous areas in the state and ranged in population from 120,000 to 825,000 each according to U.S. Census Department’s 2007 North Carolina statistics. Within each county, schools were selected for observation based on the sufficiently large number of teenager drivers (approximately 100 or more and the approach roadways and parking configurations at schools that allowed for observation of most teenage drivers when departing. Separate focus groups in both states involving parents, school staff and external stakeholders were held in each state. A total of 27 focus groups were conducted across the North Carolina. All regional line managers of Telephone Interview, a professional organization contracted by state’s mobile phone health program were also involved in individual interviews.

Studies examining the effects of age on crash rates among drivers with limited experience also were not considered. Although these studies have found clear age effects, they failed to address the effects of experience. Similarly excluded were studies examining the effects of experience on crash among drivers of a limited age ranges. These studies demonstrated that 16 and 17 years old beginners had high crash risk because of driving inexperience but did not address the effects of age. Finally, the review excluded three studies of the effects of age and experience on motorcycle crashes because it was not clear the findings could be generalized to other crash types. Motorcycle travel is inherently more hazardous than travel by other types of vehicles, and crash-involved motorcyclists differ from other crash-involved drivers in important respects.

Measurement issues

In terms of variables, the studies were using pre-law observations, drivers’ handheld cell use rate, drivers characteristics, phone us/ nonuse, driver gender, belt use, number and gender of passenger such as all male, all female or mixed and vehicle type, for example, car, SUV, pickup truck or ban. In the state of New York, the measurement was on cell phone use rates by driver gender, age and which type of vehicle. Use rates by driver characteristics were calculated for the pre-law survey (December 2001, March 2002 and March 2003 surveys combined). Differences were judged significant if 95% interval of the estimated use rates did not change. For all survey in New York and North Carolina, cell phone rates were similar for males and females regardless of age. Use rate were higher for drivers younger than 25 than for drivers ages 25 to 59 in New York, but the differences were not significant. Use among drivers ages 60 and older was negligible across all surveys in New York. With regard to which vehicle type, drivers of cars had the lowest use rate, but only the difference between drivers of cars and drivers of SUV was significant in all New York surveys, but remain unknown in the North Carolina surveys.

Data to develop different measures, for example, crash and exposure measures sometimes were collected at different times and or pertained to different time periods. Injury crash rates for drivers licensed 12 months versus 1+ years computed by age and gender. Multiple regression models were also developed. Some relative risks calculations provided for experience effects among younger drivers. Overall positive age effects for males were similar but weaker effect for females. Among novice males, crash rates similar for ages 16 and 17, and 18 but much lower at age 17; among novice females, rates higher at 16 than 17 to 19. Crash risk lower among male or female novice versus experienced drivers for ages 16 to 25. No marked experience effects among older females or males. Since none of these studies has talk about it, in the future we might need to look into the annual miles driven, miles driven during previous year, and miles driven during previous week by drivers regardless of ages to come up with outcomes.

Outcomes

• More drivers, both teenagers in North Carolina and all drivers in New York, stops driving while talking on handheld cell phones due to threat of ticket.

• More cell phone use while driving has resulted in citations being issued to increase public perception that state government is serious about the cell phones use while driving on public roads.

• Increases in hand-free device technologies due to pressure from the state government

• Reduction in number of deaths and injuries sustained by drivers driving while on handheld cell phone in New York and North Carolina

To achieve these outcomes the followings have to happens based on the studies’ conclusions

• Threat of imprisonment- which the two states have not yet adopted

• Parental involvement- which north Carolina state has already adopted

• Parental supervision- none of the states is in position to adopt the strategy

• Law enforcement agencies taking tough stands against those who disobey the laws

Statistical Analysis

Estimates were derived of the proportion of drivers in qualifying vehicles who were using handheld cell phones in New York and of teenagers’ drivers who were talking on handheld cell phones while driving in North Carolina. Ironically, changes in phone use rates between the post-law and pre-law surveys in each state were examined, with 95% confidence interval for relative rates obtained in North Carolina. In New York, rates were compared between the pre-law and post-law and short term post-law surveys with associated 95% confidence intervals. Assuming that patterns cell phone use among teenagers’ drivers in North Carolina would have followed situations observed among drivers in New York, absent North Carolina’s restriction on teenagers’ drivers cell phones use, logic regression analysis made a direct statistical comparison between the changes observed in cell phone use rates in New York relative to the observed change in a teenagers’ drivers cell phones use in North Carolina. The estimated percentage change in use rates in New York relative to those percentage changes in North Carolina based on the ratio of “after” and “before” odds ratios, car type, driver gender and passenger presence were a functions of the model coefficient for the interaction variable. Differences in survey responses between teenagers and their parents were tested for statistical significance using chi-square tests of independence while cell phones use were observed using drivers characteristics observed during the 10 minute observations of passing traffic and applied to the total vehicles counted during the 35 minute cell phone observation periods.

The methods and findings of the two studies are summarized in and grouped according to whether driving exposure was considered in addition to age and years of driving experience. Data were obtained from self-reported driver surveys or from government records such as driver’s license records, police crash reports, or insurance claims files. The lower age limit ranged from 16 to 18, and the upper age limit ranged from 25 to 70 and older. The lower bound for years of driving experience generally was 1 year or less, and the upper bound ranged from 2 years to 38 years or more. The primary measures of exposure were cell phone citations issued during the first 15 months, gender drivers’ ages and the vehicle type (Car, SUVs or van). During the 2006, actually two to eight weeks before the implementation of the cell phones ban, phone use was observed for 6,164 teenage drivers in North Carolina and 1,257 in New York for all drivers. In the beginning of the following year, approximately 5 months after the ban implementation, phone use was observed for 6,401 teenage drivers in North Carolina and 25,694 in New York. Characteristics of the samples observed were similar in both New York and North Carolina. In the pre-law survey approximately half of observed teenage drivers were male in North Carolina (47%) while both male and female were observed in New York (2.3% to 1.1% immediately after the law took effect). There was not significant change in observations during the post-law in both states. About half of teenage drivers were observed driving alone (without passengers) in North Carolina (52%) and none was reported for the New York.