March 2
Officer Benjamin Swanson arrested Matthew Ledain, age 20 from Webster, NY; Christopher Marasa, age 17 from Geneseo, NY; and Joseph Gouldman, age 20 from Geneseo, NY for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana on Lima Road. Allegedly, the officer stopped Marasa for a traffic violation on Lima Road and a quantity of marihuana was found in the car. All three defendants are scheduled to appear in Geneseo Village Court on March 30.
March 3
Officer Jason Yasso arrested John Hillman, age 21 from Hornell, NY for Felony Driving While Intoxicated, Driving with more than .08% blood alcohol content, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the First Degree (Felony), Speeding, Operating a motor vehicle while on the Cell Phone, Unlicensed Operation, an Equipment Violation, and Not Wearing his Seatbelt on East South Street. Allegedly, Hillman has two prior DWI related arrests convictions in the past four years and his driver’s license is currently revoked for DWI. Hillman was arraigned in front of Geneseo Village Justice Thomas Bushnell and remanded to the Livingston County Jail in lieu of $500 cash / $1,000 bond.
March 5
Officer Benjamin Swanson arrested Tyler Trail, age 17 from Geneseo, NY for Petit Larceny from 4235 Veteran Drive. Allegedly, Trail stole $49 worth of merchandise. Trail is scheduled to appear in Geneseo Village Court on March 30.
Quality of Life Arrests:
The Geneseo Police Department continued its efforts of enforcing quality of life violations and reducing criminal mischief’s and larcenies of our residents’ properties. Officers conducted foot patrol assignments throughout the week and made the following arrests:
Rachel Mt Pleasant, age 19 from Gansevoort, NY for Disorderly Conduct and Possession of an Another’s Drivers License. Allegedly, Rachel was found urinating on Main Street and when the officer asked her for identification, she handed the officer a driver’s license in the name of someone else. Rachel is scheduled to appear in Geneseo Village Court on March 30.
DID YOU KNOW???
DROWSY DRIVING MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU THINK
Do you ever drive when fatigued? If you honestly answered this question, your response is likely to be yes. Research by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation shows that some 26% of all fatal and injury crashes are related to fatigued driving. It can occur as a result of the monotony or repetitiveness of either the driving task or the driving environment, or can occur after driving for extended periods without a rest or break.
Drowsy driving is a function of the human body’s natural circadian rhythm or “sleep-wake” cycle, meaning that most people feel sleepy twice a day – at night and in the afternoon. Drivers that operate a vehicle at these times are more likely to feel drowsy
So how common is fatigued driving and is it really a major problem? A 2002 survey in the US found that 51% of drivers admitted to driving while drowsy; 17% admitted to dozing off while driving. An Ontario survey found nearly 60% of Ontario drivers, corresponding to some five million people, admitted that they have driven fatigued at least sometimes and well over a million Ontario drivers (14.5%) also admit that they have fallen asleep or nodded off while driving at least once in the past year. With similar statistics for both the US and Ontario, it is obvious that fatigued driving is definitely a serious problem.
So, who is most likely to drive while fatigued? The answers are:
· Young males – more likely to drive late at night and to be sleep deprived.
· Persons with sleep disorders – are more likely to suffer from acute and/or chronic sleep deprivation.
· Drivers under the influence of alcohol – alcohol has sedating effects that can exacerbate performance deficits.
· Drivers under the influence of certain medications with side effects known to enhance drowsiness.
· Night or rotating shift workers.
· Commercial vehicle operators – often spend long hours driving and are likely to experience both fatigue and drowsiness.
How do drivers combat fatigue? Research from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Ontario found drivers rely upon a variety of tactics to combat fatigue, such as opening windows, talking to passengers, stopping to eat or exercise without sleeping, and changing radio stations or CDs. Of concern, only 14.8% reported that they stopped to nap or sleep, which is the most effective way to overcome drowsy driving.
Associated driving behaviors that may suggest fatigue include inconsistent speed, frequent lane changes or weaving, not respecting road signs and traffic control devices, sudden braking, and speeding. Fatigue-related crashes are more likely to occur at night or in mid-afternoon, involve a single vehicle running off the roadway, occur on higher-speed roadways, involve only the driver (often young and male) as an occupant, and usually result in serious injuries.
Know the profile of drowsy drivers, know the symptoms, understand the dangers, and, if you are fatigued, don’t drive.
A public service of the FranklinCountyTraffic Safety Board