Message Monday - Attention please: your car does not drive itself - yet

June 24, 2019

Is a self-driving car in your future? While many are quick to imagine a world where cars drive themselves, we are likely many years away from being completely removed from the task of driving and your attention while driving is still very necessary. However, you may not realize that some of the features already in your car that you use every day are taking steps to the self-driving car of the future by utilizing equipment, sensors, and data that help assist you with the task of driving. These features, called automated vehicle technology, can improve your driving behavior and ultimately have a positive impact on the safety of our roads. 

Below are steps that explain the different levels of automation necessary before we get to a truly self-driving or fully automated car.

Message Monday - I love you more than bacon. Drive Safely- Dad

June 17, 2019

By looking at the greeting cards in the Father’s Day section, you tend to notice themes about dear ol’ dad. Bad jokes, sports, food, and devotion to family are a few.

One way dad (or mom) can show dedication to family comes behind the wheel. Parent interaction during a teen’s driver education is critical to success. A new program called The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program gives valuable information to parents to encourage safe driving behaviors. The accompanying Road Ready app makes tracking your teen’s time with you behind the wheel learning how to drive easier.

Thoughts on #Engage Q10: I have a best friend at work

June 11, 2019

Over the last few months, many of us have been working through the Gallup Q12 survey and engagement process with either our supervisors or an engagement champion. The conversations have been wide-ranging, but the champions report that question 10, “I have a best friend at work” is getting a lot of attention.

We all carry with us an image of what “best friend” means. Within our team meetings, there is often a debate whether it’s even possible to have a “best friend” at work.

In all the training leading up to the survey, the Gallup folks spent a lot of time talking with us about the “best friend” question, often using it as an example of how to discuss results. What we learned is that there are two main aspects to the question: the technical and the practical.

Message Monday - If you're a rider, don't be a slider. All seats buckled

June 10, 2019

Seat belt use by adult rear-seat passengers isn’t required by Iowa law, but buckling up every seat, every time is a smart habit that could save not only your life but others in the car with you. Crash research shows unbuckled passengers get thrown around during a crash potentially causing severe injuries or even death to others in the vehicle.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers are twice as likely to be killed in a crash if the backseat passenger behind them is unrestrained. With the popularity of rideshares like Uber and Lyft, the question of dangers from unbuckled backseat passengers has made headlines.  

For 2019, there have been 118 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of five since last Monday. The 2018 fatality count stands at 318. This is subject to change as law enforcement reports are completed. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf.

Message Monday - No texts, no books, no dirty looks

June 3, 2019

With this week’s Message Monday, we’ve taken the liberty of updating the traditional end-of-school rhyme “No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks” to fit today’s information age behind the wheel.

How many times do you see someone texting and driving? Do you know what’s legal and what isn’t? Even if you’re stopped at a stoplight the ONLY things that are legal to do on your phone while in the driving lane of the road are talk on the phone and use GPS.

JUNE 2019 SERVICE AWARDS

June 3, 2019

Information provided by the Office of Employee Services