Let’s Work Together to Make Florida Roadways Safer

Florida roadways are not as safe as they could be, according to a report released by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). The 2010 ENA National Scorecard on State Roadway Laws: A Blueprint for Injury Prevention examines roadway safety laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and scores each based on 14 criteria. (See attached copy or www.ena.org.) Florida received a score of 7 out of a possible 14. This puts us in the middle of the pack and significantly behind many other states. Washington and Oregon both received perfect scores. When it comes to the lives and health of Florida residents, we could and should do better.

While we do have laws that meet 7 of the ENA criteria for roadway safety laws, it’s clearly not good enough. In Florida in 2009 2,563 people died in motor vehicle crashes. Drivers ages 15 to 20 years old accounted for 355 of the fatalities. The overall economic impact of motor vehicle traffic crashes for Florida in 2000 was over $14.4 billion. This is unacceptable.

To make our roads safer, to save lives, and to reduce the strain on our already stretched state budget, we need roadway safety laws that address booster seat to age 8, distracted driving/texting, universal motorcycle helmets, and graduated driver’s license passenger restriction. We want to make a heartfelt plea to our legislators to pass the following legislation during the 2011 legislative session:

• HB 79 and SB158
  Use of Wireless Communications Devices while Driving. According to the National Safety Council, “at least 28% of all traffic crashes are caused by drivers who are using cell phones or texting while behind the wheel, which is 1.6 million accidents per year.”
• HB 11 and SB 238
  Child –Restraint Requirements (HB) and Child Safety Devices in Motor Vehicles (SB). Motor vehicle crashes are the Number 1 killer of kids age 1-14, according to the CDC. More than 57% of child deaths were because the child was unrestrained.
• HB 515 and SB 1530
  Drivers Licenses. In 2009, 389 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Florida. Over the past five years, Florida crashes involving teen drivers claimed 2839 lives. While this legislation does not, at present, address passenger restrictions when novice drivers are at the wheel, it does raise minimum ages for learners and unrestricted licenses. It also addresses the “mature driver,” and drivers with disabilities.

In this time of state budgetary crisis, passage of traffic laws which reduce injuries and deaths on the highways is vital. “In 2009, 2.2 million people were injured throughout the nation in motor vehicle crashes. These injuries are further burdening state budgets when families who cannot afford long term care and high medical bills associated with a severe injury turn to Medicaid for help. Highway safety laws prevent many of these costly crashes from happening in the first place, and mitigate those that do occur. Effective laws prevent the drain of millions of dollars from state coffers!” (Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety)

As your constituents we are counting on you to help us make Florida roadways safer. We all have a role to play and we need to step up. Each of us should act now to do all she or he can to help prevent the motor vehicle crashes that claim far too many Florida lives each year.

On behalf of the almost 2000 members of the Florida Emergency Nurses Association, we urge you to take the actions necessary to help save the lives, finances, and futures of the people of Florida

Click here to see the full 2010 scorecare on the ENA Website

Thank you,

Florida Emergency Nurses Association State Council
Terri Repasky, RN, MSN, CEN, EMTP –President Elect - terri.repasky@tmh.org
Sharon Reuter, RN, BA, CEN—Government Affairs Chair