Engage Estero Safety Council is made of volunteers serving as a voice for the citizens of greater Estero on safety and transportation priorities and issues. We advocate for related solutions to Village, County, and State Government organizations.
Road Safety in Greater Estero By Contributing Author, Mark Novitski, and Engage Estero Consultant. Everyone has their definition of what determines road safety or, conversely, what makes our roads unsafe. In writing extensively about Corkscrew Road, I have...
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comprtroller Kevin Karnes is now offering an alert notification system for Lee County property owners to reduce fraud. When you sign-up, if a deed, mortgage, or other non-Court official record is recorded in your name, you will be...
Engage Estero Environment Council is a volunteer group focusing on improving water and air quality and mitigating and eliminating the effects of climate warming in greater Estero.
During the weekend of April 6th, Engage Estero’s team of volunteers, organized by Julie Yellig, collected 360 pounds of bagged litter. A total of 2.2 tons of litter has been collected since the end of April 2023 (the end of last season), and an astonishing 10 tons...
by Mark Novitski, Consultant to Engage Estero. Mia McCormick, Advocate, Environment Florida, identifies why we need wildlife crossings: “Each year, animals at risk of extinction die when cars and creatures collide on Florida roadways. It is the number one cause of...
Engage Estero Community Health Council comprises health* and safety-minded volunteers who think about community health comprehensively with a common desire to improve the overall health of the citizens of greater Estero.
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The facts Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 300,000 lives annually. Approximately 95 percent of SCA victims die before they reach a hospital or receive medical attention. How Can We Help Reduce This...
Engage Estero mobilizes volunteers in our schools, sponsors scholarships, and promotes the involvement of the community through announcements and public forums.
By Mike Wasson, Director, Engage Estero The Village of Estero Council issued a Proclamation its Meeting on Wednesday, March 6th honoring 39 Estero High School Students who were presented the Cambridge Outstanding Learners Awards. In his remarks, Jon McLain, Village of...
The Future Plans for our Schools and Students' Education in Greater EsteroBrought to you by the Engage Estero Education Councilby Mark Novitski, Consultant to Engage EsteroPrincipal Leslie Gunderson in her office at Pinewoods Elementary School behind a table full of...
Engage Estero believes the best way to get a community involved is to make sure they are aware of the issues impacting their future, and know how to impact those decisions before they are made. We conduct and publish original research and articles aimed at getting residents Engaged.
By Mark Novitski, ECCL
As we prepare ourselves for the next 5 years of construction on Corkscrew Rd between Ben Hill Griffin and Alico Rd., there are a few items to keep in mind:
Perception distance: The distance your vehicle travels, in ideal conditions; from the time your eyes see a hazard until your brain recognizes it. Keep in mind certain mental and physical conditions can affect your perception distance. It can be affected greatly depending on visibility and the hazard itself. The average perception time for an alert driver is 1¾ seconds. At 55 mph this accounts for 142 feet traveled.
Reaction distance: The distance you will continue to travel, in ideal conditions; before you physically hit the brakes, in response to a hazard seen ahead. The average driver has a reaction time of ¾ second to 1 second. At 55 mph this accounts for 61 feet traveled.
Braking distance: The distance your vehicle will travel, in ideal conditions, while you are braking. At 55 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, it can take about 216 feet.
Total stopping distance: The total minimum distance your vehicle has traveled, in ideal conditions; with everything considered, including perception distance, reaction distance and braking distance, until you can bring your vehicle to a complete stop. At 55 mph, your vehicle will travel a minimum of 419 feet.
A fully loaded semi-truck has the gross vehicle weight, depending on its cargo, of up to 80,000 pounds (40 tons). (Compare this to an average car’s weight of 4,000 pounds.) A fully loaded tractor trailer truck is 38 tons more than your vehicle. This means a truck will take almost twice as long to stop as your car – and even longer on wet pavements. Stopping distance for a truck also increases as speed increases, with it taking almost 50 percent longer to stop when going 65 miles per hour, compared to 55 mph.
So when you’re driving in front of a truck, don’t slow down suddenly unless it is absolutely necessary. Be sure to signal a turn or lane change in plenty of time to allow the trucker to react. If you see that traffic in front of you has come to a standstill, immediately put on your emergency flashers to alert all other drivers behind you that something is wrong.
