Charlie called the meeting to order, Frank lead us in the Pledge and Julie lead the Reflection
Mary won the 50/50, but no Joker
Lots of happy dollars to wish Rennie a speedy and complete recovery!
Our guest speaker was Michael Goldman, Leominster Chief of Police
Happy 2020 - it's great to be back
Membership Update
No updates this week
General Topics
Pam Anastasi has requested a $100 donation from each Club for her Polar Plunge for Polio.
The dinner to celebrate the success of the Breakfast for the Bands will be held at Brady's on Tuesday January 21st at 5:30.
The Build-A-Bear contest received 300 applications, and 100 were chosen to build the bears, which will happen this Saturday from 11 am - 2 pm at City Hall. All are welcome and encouraged to attend and help out! There will be a $100 gift card for 1st place, and $50 for second place.
The calendar fundraiser sale is under way! We are all committed to selling a minimum of 10 calendars each, but the sky is the limit.
January 25th is Rotary Leadership training. Charlie and Johnny plan to attend.
Guest Speaker
Michael Goldman
Leominster Chief of Police
Chief Goldman talked to us about a variety of subjects, including the new police station that will be started in about a year. It will be on 2.5 acres of land, will be 3-4 stories high, and approximately 35,000 square feet. The goal is for the new facility to be a true public safety complex.
The Chief talked about traffic congestion, particularly in North Leominster. Traffic is the largest single area for police calls. Car accidents occur at the rate of 2,000+ per year.
Drug problems are the second leading cause for police calls. Leominster has been deemed a Drug Hub by the FDA, due to the convenient access via highways in and out of the city.
Chief Goldman is working on these issues, though they are difficult to solve. He has budgeted for 76 officers, and 3 are going through the academy currently.
Common Causes of Traffic Accidents
Traffic accidents can be caused by a number of factors, including equipment malfunction as well as the actions of the driver, such as speeding or aggressive behaviors like tailgating or unsafe lane changes.
Distracted Drivers
Distracted driving involves any non-driving activity that causes drivers not to pay full attention to their driving. Drivers that take their hands off of the wheel to turn the radio station, send text messages, eat or groom themselves increase their risk of causing traffic accidents. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, nearly all of the traffic accidents in 2008 were caused by a type of distraction, and younger drivers under the age of 20 have the highest rate of fatal crashes that were distraction-related.
Impaired Drivers and Driver Fatigue
Drivers under the influence of alcohol cause traffic accidents because their judgment is impaired and they are not able to quickly react in certain driving situations. Certain drugs and prescribed medications taken by drivers can also affect their ability to drive. Driver fatigue is a cause of traffic accidents occurring typically between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. when most drivers are used to being asleep. Driving while tired can result in drivers not paying attention to vehicle speed, allowing the vehicle to drift over road lines, daydreaming or dozing while driving.
Weather Conditions
Inclement weather is another factor causing traffic accidents. Heavy rain, snowstorms or hail can decrease the visibility of drivers and cause them to misjudge the distance of other vehicles surrounding them. Driving through thick fog too fast may not allow drivers enough time to stop when approaching another vehicle. Road conditions as a result of the weather can cause roads to become slick and slippery, such as after ice storms and heavy rains, which may cause vehicles to slide and make it difficult to come to a complete stop.
