Turnpike News
MAY 2008
Take a break for safety
See Annie get in the car.
See Annie fasten her seatbelt.
See Annie's chances of surviving a
rollover accident drastically improve.
Come see Annie for yourself....
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Friday, May 23 at the Towanda Service Area, Milepost 65 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Kansas Turnpike Authority and Troop G, the Turnpike Division of the Kansas Highway Patrol, will be hosting a SAFETY BREAK with a safety belt rollover simulator demonstration and a variety of safety-related information.
This event is aimed at educating Turnpike travelers to the importance
of wearing a seatbelt and making
responsible driving decisions - not
only during the extended Memorial
Day weekend, but for life.
The rollover demonstrations use
life-like crash dummies, such as
Annie, to graphically depict what can
occur to vehicle occupants in rollover
collisions. KHP Troopers will be onhand
to show what happens to Annie
when she is buckled up and what happens
to her when she is not.
Another focus of the Safety Break
will be child safety seats. The
SafeKids van and tent will be available
for anyone who has safety seat
installation questions.
The Turnpike's DUI goggles will
also be available for demonstrations
and use by the public. These goggles
simulate various levels of intoxication
and provide the correct level of
impairment while participants attempt
to walk a straight line.
"We know everyone wants to get to
their desintation quickly but we are
encouraging travelers to take a break
and focus on their safety for a few
minutes," said Captain John Walters,
Troop G Commander.
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On the move: Travelers should watch for deer
Mid-spring and mid-fall are the most common times of the year
for deer to be on the roadway....
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In mid-spring deer are moving about due to new vegetation. In
mid-fall, breeding habits and the beginning of hunting season cause
extra migration.
No matter what the season, studies find that most deer/vehicle
collisions occur at sunset or sunrise, as deer — mostly nocturnal
creatures — are making their way to or from their destination.
If you hit a deer or have any other type of accident while driving
on the Kansas Turnpike, contact KTA dispatch immediately. KHP
assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you
have a cellular phone, you can dial *KTA to reach the dispatch center.
If you do not have a cellular phone, you can reach the disptach
center by calling 1-800-827-PIKE (7453). |
1958 Twister: Two Minutes of Terror
On June 10, the El Dorado community will observe the
50th anniversity of a horrifying event in the town’s history:
a devastating tornado....
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To document the effects of this tornado, the Butler
County History Museum is hosting an exhibit entitled
"1958 Twister: Two Minutes of Terror". It opens May 1
and includes photos of the tornado on the ground before
hitting the town, as well as photos of the damage and
clean-up efforts.
Staff members at the museum also gathered oral histories
from those who witnessed both the destruction and
the humanity that followed.
The museum's summer hours at Monday through
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3
for senior citizens, and $2 for students.
For more information about this display or any of the
museum's activities, call 316-321-9333. |
Overpasses not safe shelters from tornadoes
The weather in Kansas can be
unpredictable. That is why it is
important to have an emergency plan
in place — even when traveling....
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Know the route you will be taking,
know which local radio stations provide
emergency weather information,
and find out where you might
be able find shelter from a storm if
need be. It is also important that you
proactively get information on the
weather before and during your trip.
These are all necessary pieces of
information to help avoid being
caught in a dangerous storm while on
the open road.
Many people mistakenly think that
a highway overpass provides safety
from a tornado. In reality, an overpass
may be one of the worst places
to seek shelter from a tornado.
Seeking shelter under an overpass
puts you at greater risk of being
killed or seriously injured by flying
debris from the powerful tornadic
winds.
The idea that overpasses offer
safety probably began in 1991, when
a television news crew and some citizens
rode out a very weak tornado
under an overpass along the Kansas
Turnpike. The resulting video continues
to be seen by millions, and
appears to have fostered the idea that
overpasses are preferred sources of
shelter, and should be sought out by
those in the path of a tornado. In
addition, news magazine photographs
of people huddled under an
overpass with an approaching tornado
imply that this is the correct safety
procedure.
In the 1991 Kansas Turnpike
video, the tornado was relatively
weak when it passed near the overpass.
A stronger tornado striking the
overpass directly would likely have
caused serious injury to those
attempting to find shelter there.
In the Oklahoma City area in May,
1999, three people were killed and
many had serious injuries by a violent
tornado while seeking shelter under
an overpass. Eyewitness accounts
from others in the area indicated that
roads were blocked at times as people
stopped cars to run up into small
crevices under an overpass. Not
only is the overpass unsafe as a shelter,
blocking roads denies others the
chance to get out of the storm's path,
and impedes emergency vehicles
from their critical duties.
The safest course of action when a
tornado approaches is to get out of
the tornado’s path, or to seek shelter
in a sturdy, well-constructed building.
Lying flat in a ditch, ravine, or
below grade culvert also offers protection
from flying tornadic debris.
Do not try to outrun a tornado in a
car. Be aware of your surroundings,
check weather forecasts often in
changing conditions and take personal
responsibility for your own safety.
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