Transcription:
Distracted to Death: Trauma Awareness Month

Deborah Howell: It's trauma awareness month. So today I thought we talk about distracted driving. Are we now living in a country that's distracted to the point of deadly consequences? Let's learn more with Jennifer Pastiglione, a Registered Nurse and Trauma Program Manager at Montefiore Nyack Hospital who has some excellent information to offer us on this extremely important topic. This is Health Track, the podcast from Montefiore Nyack Hospital. I'm Deborah Howell. Jen, distracted driving is one of the scariest phenomenon of our time because it's so pervasive texting, talking on a cell phone, using a navigation system, eating, putting on makeup. There was even a story in the news lately about a woman who was caught knitting while driving. And these are just a few examples. Any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others. So what message would you like to send to anyone who drives a car in the year 2020?

Jennifer Pastiglione: So driving a car is actually a big responsibility that a lot of times we end up taking for granted. We drive multiple times a day. We are often not alone in our cars. We are with our kids, our family, our friends. And we're usually rushing from place to place. The key thing I want all drivers to remember is that driving safely and securely should be our top priority. And securely meaning wear our seatbelts, put it on as soon as you get into the car, and not starting the engine until all parties confirm that their seatbelts are fastened. And two, safely, meaning we are not driving distractedly, we are not sending messages on our phone playing the radio or eating that we are giving the road our full attention. So safely and securely is the message I like to send to drivers in 2020

Host: Do you have any suggestions to help people stop texting while driving?

Jennifer Pastiglione: Sure. This is a great question. So texting and driving is an alarming distraction and that is because your eyes are physically off of the road and your attention is focused on your phone. We know just by statistics that accidents, injuries, and deaths increase from distracted driving. New York State data tells us that the number of distracted driving cases has steadily increased each year. In fact, from 2017 to 2018 the number of inattentive or distracted driving crashes went up about 30,000 from one year to the next. Yet despite all of the statistics and the dangers, drivers continue to put themselves and others at risk. So there are definitely steps that we can take to stop texting and driving. You want to be really intentional when you get into your car. Firstly, turn off your phone or put it on silent when you get in the car. Many of us feel obligated to answer the phone if we hear it ringing or to check that text message, when we hear the text alert, the need to answer it immediately can seem overwhelming. So putting your phone on silent can be a great way to decrease that distraction.

Number two, you can put your phone away or out of reach before you leave. If you are one that is easily distracted knowing your phone is nearby, simply place it in your glove compartment before you drive from place to place. The next thing is if you are using your phone for something like directions, maybe you want to program those. No, so the next thing is if you are using your phone for something like directions, you will want to program those addresses in and set your phone up securely before you even leave for your destination. And that is really part of that process of being intentional. Next there are apps that you can download that will prohibit texts and calls from going through while you're driving or some will actually send messages telling people you are currently driving and that you will call them back when you arrive. Lastly, pull over if you have to take a call or you must take someone back safely pull over to the side of the road in order to do so. And for no other reason than it's against the law. New York State has large fines and points on your license for texting and holding your phone while you're driving.

Host: Understood. Now do you have any specific messages to send to teens when it comes to distracted driving?

Jennifer Pastiglione: So teen drivers are a special population. Often they have been driving for less than five years and their biggest distractions will be peer passengers and cell phone use. So when we refer to peer passengers we are referring to other people in the car with them. This could be family members or friends. Peer passengers can be a big distraction for teen drivers. They can cause the driver to take their eyes or attention off of the road when they are driving. So when we think of peer passengers we know statistically that teens are more likely to be distracted just before a serious crash than if they were driving alone. We encourage teens and parents to talk about peer passengers and who and how many are allowed in the car, especially in those first few years that they have their license. The second part is cell phones, and parents play a huge role in this as well.

What we found out is when we go to the high schools and speak to teen drivers about distracted driving, they often tell us that it's their parents that are always using their cell phones, texting and calling while they are driving and that they are often the ones telling their parents to stop this behavior. That being said, we know our teens can be really impactful and can be really powerful influences amongst their peers, so by parents promoting healthy driving behaviors and leading by example, we will have teens that follow suit, and that can be really impactful among their peers. I will also say that teens report that their parents are often the ones calling and texting while the kids are driving and they don't want to get into trouble for not answering those calls. So communication between parents and teens about not answering should really be another important discussion.

Host: Absolutely. Now the weather's getting warmer and soon the hot days of summer will be here and every year we hear stories of parents who've left children and hot cars while they ran into a store to do some shopping or to run an errand. It like we need constant reminding not to do this. Why do you think that is?

Jennifer Pastiglione: So this is a really great and often uncomfortable topic to talk about, but it's also really important. So I will start by saying that the worst thing you can do is think it won't happen to you. Looking at statistics, we know that this can happen to families of all walks of life, from doctors to lawyers, teachers and social workers. And the list goes on. There are usually three mechanisms when it comes to kids being left in hot cars. Number one, they're forgotten. Number two, they are left there while their guardian either runs an errand, and in some cases even attends an event. And third, the child got into the car through an unlocked door and was unable to get out. So I think once we understand the mechanisms, it makes it easier to look at the ways we can decrease chances of our kids being left in those hot cars. We never want to leave kids in a car while the car is running or while we run errands.

We want to encourage parents to get in the habit of locking their car doors each time they arrive home. And this is important to remember even in your own garage or driveway. And the website kids in cars.org has an initiative called Look Before You Lock. It's offers great reminders to parents on ways to decrease chances that a child is left in a car. Number one, make it a routine to open that back door every time you park. Number two, leave something important in the backseat such as your pocketbook, your cell phone, a lunchbox. Some people have even been known to take off their left shoe and put it in the back. And lastly, place a stuffed animal in the car seat. When you put your child in the car seat, put that stuff animal in your passenger seat. Buckle that stuffed animal in and engaging in these suggestions and making them part of your daily routine can greatly reduce the chances of a child being less in a hot car.

Host: Yup. We always have to be mindful. Let's talk a little bit about bicycle safety. How can we more safely share the roads with our biking friends?

Jennifer Pastiglione: Sure. So this is a great question. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 857 bicyclists were killed in traffic accidents in the US in 2018. What people may not realize is that cyclists have the same rights and rules to the road as we do and oftentimes in their state it's illegal for cyclists to use the sidewalk and that is why they are sharing the road with the motorist. So we want to be safe for our drivers and our cyclists. Our top goal is prevention in order to reduce injury and deaths for the cyclist on the road. So number one, always wear your helmet, make sure it is a good fit. Number two, the cyclist needs to be vigilant while writing in order to prevent falls. And vigilant, meaning you're paying attention to your surroundings, that you're not distracted by using your cell phone and that you're not inebriated when you are riding your bike. And lastly, have a headlight on your bike for the desk hours and evening hours and a bright or reflective clothing can also help. As drivers, we need to make sure we are yielding to the bicyclist. We want to give him plenty of room on the road and try not to get too close.

Host: Jen, tell us a little more about Montefiore Nyack Hospitals, trauma center and some of the services it offers to residents of Rockland County.

Jennifer Pastiglione: Montefiore Nyack Hospital is the only level three American College of Surgeons verified trauma center in the lower Hudson Valley. We are extremely proud of this title and we worked really hard to have been bestowed this distinction by the college. Our trauma team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We offer comprehensive trauma care, so the trauma team is mobilized before the patient even arrives. The patient goes from the trauma Bay to the operating room is indicated then onto our intensive care unit or floor, and then from there, home or rehab. In addition to the great trauma care inside of the hospital, the trauma department delivers injury prevention and education to our Rockland residents. Our prevention education has consisted of distracted driving, helmet safety, stop the bleed initiative, fall prevention and more. We are currently teaching matter of balance to are community members. Matter of balance is a eight week program that provides practical ways to become more active and reduce the risk of falling. And in September we offer a fall prevention day for the community as well. It is held in our cafeteria conference room and we have representatives from several hospital departments as well as community programs that come in and talk about fall prevention.

Host: What's the chief goal of trauma awareness month?

Jennifer Pastiglione: Sure, so trauma awareness month is celebrated in May. This year's theme is Distracted to Death, Pay Attention or Pay the Price. As we've spoken about today, distractions can come from anywhere. We're often multitasking, running from place to place. Then we added a device or a person into that mix and we can certainly understand how injuries can happen. So according to the American trauma society, this year's theme is not to remind you that trauma happens, but rather it offers an opportunity for us to reflect on ways to keep ourselves, our families and our community safer by recognizing the distractions and helping to prevent injuries and deaths.

Host: Well, Jen, this has been so informative. Thank you so much for your time and your expertise.

Jennifer Pastiglione: Oh, thank you for having me. Stay safe.

Host: That's Jennifer Pastiglione, trauma program manager at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. And for more information, please visit www.montefiorenyack.org/trauma-center. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full podcast library for topics that might be interesting to you. This is Health Track, the podcast from Montefiore Nyack hospital. I'm Deborah Howell. Thanks for listening and have yourself a terrific day.