| Most drivers are familiar with the concept of careless | | | | offer support to drivers who do drift and increased |
| driving tickets, but few stop to think about what | | | | protection for all road users. |
| careless driving really is or how it causes crashes. | | | | NHTSA says that about 90% of all rural crashes with |
| Careless driving is an umbrella term for a number of | | | | fatalities occur on two-lane roads. Two-lane roads in |
| violations, including lane drifting, which can lead to | | | | rural areas usually do not have medians to separate |
| head-on or sideswipe crashes. About 10,000 deaths | | | | two-way traffic; with vehicles in opposing directions |
| occur annually when vehicles leave the roadway. | | | | traveling in such close proximity to one another, the |
| According to the National Highway Traffic Safety | | | | margin of error is small and the potential for tragedy is |
| Administration (NHTSA), drifting is defined as "when a | | | | enormous. According to the Insurance Institute for |
| vehicle is moving in a generally straight line, but at a | | | | Highway Safety (IIHS), sideswipe or head-on crashes |
| slight angle to the lane. The driver might correct his or | | | | that occur when vehicles cross the centerline |
| her course as the vehicle approaches a lane line or | | | | comprise approximately 20% of fatal crashes on rural |
| other boundary, or fail to correct until after a boundary | | | | two-lane roads and cause approximately 4,500 deaths |
| has been crossed. In extreme cases, the driver fails to | | | | every year. Many drivers are familiar with rumble strips |
| correct in time to avoid a collision." Whether the collision | | | | along the right side of long stretches of highway; the |
| that occurs is head-on or sideswipe depends on the | | | | rumble is both felt and heard when the vehicle's tires |
| position of the vehicles and the orientation of the road, | | | | drift onto the shoulder of the road. The IIHS advocates |
| among other factors. | | | | the addition of rumble strips along the centerlines of |
| Lane drifting occurs due to driver error. Specific | | | | undivided rural two-lane roads. |
| causes of lane drifting include: | | | | In a report released on July 1, NHTSA said will |
| - Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol | | | | determine whether or not lane-departure warning |
| - Drowsiness or falling asleep | | | | systems will be required on new vehicles beginning in |
| - Speeding, especially around a curve | | | | 2011. Lane-departure warning systems alert drivers |
| - Lack of alertness, including daydreaming, reaching for | | | | when their vehicle is leaving the lane; in some |
| something in the vehicle, or looking at something | | | | instances, the system has the capability of moving the |
| outside of the vehicle | | | | vehicle back into the lane. IIHS says lane-departure |
| For drivers, remaining sober and alert and maintaining a | | | | systems could impact up to 483,000 crashes annually |
| speed appropriate for conditions help prevent lane | | | | by helping vehicles stay on the road. |
| drifting. Roadway engineering and in-vehicle technology | | | | |