A closer look at truck crashes during severe winter weather in North Dakota is yielding clues on how to reduce risks and travel disruptions on the state’s interstate highways. The research was conducted by researchers at the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at North Dakota State University.
This issue of the newsletter will cover screening/assessment and some of the monitoring tools available to judges to ensure compliance with supervision conditions and to ensure community safety. Also, inside this issue of the newsletter are the most recent North Dakota crash statistics along with the case law and resource/training sections. Finally, the wellness corner has a couple of new suggestions from readers that can help maintain and/or enhance your well-being.
The statewide driver traffic safety survey provides baseline and longitudinal metrics for the Highway Safety Division and others to use in understanding perceptions and self-reported behaviors related to focus issues. A core set of questions addresses nationally agreed upon priorities, including seat belts, impaired driving, and speeding. In addition to the core issues, questions were included to better understand views on specific programs and attitudes pertinent to North Dakota drivers. Results show that more North Dakota drivers have adopted safe driving practices, but additional efforts are needed to improve safety on the state’s roads.
Trucks are an important mode of economic connectivity in rural states like North Dakota. The size/mass difference between 80,000-pound trucks and 4,000-pound passenger vehicles, along with operational differences such as acceleration/deceleration times and turning radiuses, heighten risk for crash events.
