A warning for those who do not pay attention.It is a beautiful, blue-sky day and you are out enjoying the journey. Did you know that most crashes occur on good weather days? Lovely days lend themselves to distracting thoughts, and that can be dangerous. Responsible Drivers must make between 100-300 decisions per mile. That much looking and thinking is more than many are willing to invest in driving. That is disconcerting, because most crashes could be avoided if we saw what we needed to see.
Think about that for a moment. While enjoying that drive, are you completely focused on recognizing and reducing risk? If we are thinking about something else, that distraction is enough to cause a missed detail that could potentially lead to a crash. In other words, if our brains are somewhere else while we are physically behind the wheel, we are impaired.
I noticed some new warning signs around town, just like the one above. Why did traffic division see the need to add the extra warning to the Stop sign? Most crashes occur at intersections.When we are not diligent, we fail to assess the intersection correctly. The warning gives drivers information they should have gathered on their own. Count the stop signs at every intersection and you will not be the one headed for the crash. If you train your brain to correctly assess each intersection, you will increase your chances of enjoying your journey and contribute to the safety of others also. Happy counting, and Blessings to you!
We learn to spot them from a distance..most of the time. Alarmed, we immediately brake check. That is, we brake and check our behavior. Maybe our speed was a little too fast, or we were about to run that light or roll that stop. Until we see the ENFORCER.
Instantly, we become the model of a Responsible Driver. We quickly find our brake and realize there is a correct way to drive. Suddenly there is no better driver on the road than us. Amazing how quickly we can alter our behavior when the ENFORCER is in town.
Did you ever pause to think why we pay Enforcers to police our behavior, or pay legislators to write laws restricting behavior? Would we need them if we simply ordered our own lives? The Enforcers are there to protect citizens from those who do not respect the lives of others. But who should be the real enforcers? Wouldn’t it better if we each took responsibility for our selves? What if we each drove correctly? Couldn’t we reduce the risk we share daily on the road, and consequently reduce the number of crashes and resulting deaths?
Next time we are tempted by the stresses of our hurried lives to make that imprudent choice, let’s give it a second thought. Is it really worth the risk? Remember, we all count on each other to Recognize and Reduce the Risk we all share while navigating the roadways. Let’s breathe a little, slow down, and Enjoy The Journey. Blessings to you!
Remember all those firsts? The first day of school, first job, first love, first car, or whatever. Exhilarated by new beginnings, you wanted to be at your best and do your best. After a few weeks or months you become complacent, take things for granted, lose your edge, and start complaining. School is boring, your boss and coworkers are jerks, the person you thought might be “the one” isn’t making you happy, and your car isn’t your dream car anymore.
So what changed? It happens all so fast, if we don’t guard against it. We become the unpleasant malcontent, while blaming it all on something or someone else. It is amazing how fast ATTITUDES can change.
We often assume an ATTITUDE to excuse our behavior, and that kind of person can be difficult. Acquiring habits of patience, thankfulness, and humility is far more productive in cultivating a positive ATTITUDE. You become a pleasant person that people do not shun and you find yourself actually making progress along a more pleasant journey. ATTITUDE is a powerful life force.
It works in driving, too. More often than not, driver error is a direct result of our ATTITUDE. Drive correctly. Pretend the examiner is sitting beside you, the officer is at the next corner, that person you were going to extend the unlawful hand signal to is your girlfriend’s mother. Realize we all make errors, but we also rely on each other to be responsible. Change your ATTITUDE, you can change your life. You may even save a life! Happy journeying.
You CAN journey safely if you reduce speed and increase your following distance.
You hear it every time the snow falls…radio announcers suggesting you avoid a route.. a lane closed due to a crash. You cringe to think of the stressful drive ahead and contemplate calling in sick. You are nervous about going out, not so much because of the weather, you say. You are just worried about the “other guy”.
Here are simple steps you can take, both before you go and during your journey if you want to reduce your risk of a bad weather crash.
Before you go, be certain your vehicle is in good condition. A full tank of gas, good brakes, working defroster, good wipers, and full washer fluid will reduce your stress and your risk. On a longer journey, carry a spare gallon of washer fluid in the trunk. And of utmost importance, you must have good tires with deep tread. If your tires are low on tread and are not all-weather or snow tires, you will not have the traction you need to safely control your vehicle. Low tread not only increases your risk, but also endangers others while you are slip-sliding down the roadway.
Dress for the weather, not the warmth of the car. Bring your jacket, boots, and gloves even if you choose not to wear them during your drive. You will not regret having them should you need them in case of a break down. Wear polarized sunglasses. They reduce glare and help you recognize risk sooner.
Drive slower than you would in perfect conditions. Remember Limit simply means no faster than. Good judgment is necessary. Drive at a speed that is wise for the conditions. Any time snow, rain, ice, leaves, gravel, dirt come between your tire and the pavement, you DO NOT have traction, which means you DO NOT have control. All-wheel drive vehicles are not exempt from this natural law. You must slow down even when operating in all-wheel drive.
Space is Your Friend! Double your following distance. Leave at least six seconds between you and the vehicle ahead in wet weather. If the road is snow-covered and slick, add more space. Even with excellent tires and brakes, it will take at least 50 percent more space for you to stop, even if you are very attentive. It’s simple physics: anything between your tire and dry pavement erases traction. No traction=No control.
The most common cause of bad weather crashes is not the weather. You CAN avoid the crash, ifyou avoid these two common driver errors. Speed– Driving Too Fast For Conditions and Tailgating – Following Too Closely. Reduce Your Speed and Increase Following Distance. You can make the drive safely. Enjoy the journey!
It is Autumn..and a stunningly beautiful one at that. Neighbors armed with rakes are soaking up the abundant rays while their little ones shuffle through crunchy leaves and squeal in delight at their rustling.
If your neighborhood policy compels you pile your leaves by the roadside for their vacuum, your mountains of leaves may temporarily narrow the driving lanes. And those colorful mountains pose an equally compelling temptation to adventurous young ones. Beware!
This time of year brings to mind a story shared in one of our classes. A motorist was tempted by those leaf mountains lining the road, but at the last moment before barreling through them changed his mind and steered clear. Glancing in his rearview, he saw a child pop up from the pile he had nearly demolished. He shared how his heart beat rapidly at the realization of the near tragedy he narrowly avoided only a split second before.
And don’t forget that those leaves can erase the traction between your tire and the pavement, particularly when they are wet. Make wise choices to reduce the risk. And enjoy the journey!
“Where are we going, today?” asked the students as they loaded into our Driver Ed car. I suppressed a smile as their eyes grew wide in disbelief at hearing my response. Our journey, that beautiful autumn day, would include a visit to a Ghost Bike. As expected, the term had captured their imagination, and aroused their curiosity.
With the first of four drivers behind the wheel, we journeyed on, as I queried them about the various warning signs along the way. We were passing through an historical area and an area where there were bike trails and many signs indicating shared roadways and bicycle crossings. We took note of the speed limits and discussed the curvaceous conditions of the roads and lack of shoulders. When they remarked that the posted limit seemed too fast, we discussed the meaning of the term prudent and the Basic Speed Law.
Just about the time when they asked “why would anyone ride a bike here when there is not much space,” we came upon a few bicyclists. They soon realized their only option was to stay back and patiently share the road. We had arrived just in time to switch drivers, and we pulled into a driveway at the edge of an apple orchard. We all exited the car, and it was then they noticed the Ghost Bike. Not quite the adventure they had imagined.
The Ghost Bike marks the time and place where lives were forever altered. “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee”
In that sobering moment, as I explained the history of the Ghost Bike, they could see the consequences of irresponsible driving and how it changed eternity for at least two families and their friends. The return journey was quiet and thoughtful, and careful; and hopefully they will return safely as Responsible Drivers from all of their future journeys.
Enjoy your journey. And please remember to share the road. Blessings to you!
Get Off The Road. Use The Sidewalk! That is the voice of a driver I witnessed trying to edge a bicyclist off the road with his car. Sadly, he did not read page 89 in the NYS Driver’s Manual and does not understand that even when we’ve outgrown the toddler stage, we must share the road if we are to arrive safely.
If we’ve not been in their perilous position, we often under estimate the risk we drivers pose to those with whom we must share the road. We must understand their needs if we are to share the road safely.
If you were a bicyclist…you would not have the protection a car provides; you have only two tires and must swerve or suddenly change speed to avoid hazards, the right side of the road often contains hazards that will flatten your tire. You are not as visible as a car. The speed of a passing vehicle may cause you to lose control. If you are hit by a car, your chance of serious injury is very real.
Understanding these risks can give the driver wisdom in how to reduce the risk to cyclists with whom we must share the road. Slow down when approaching a cyclist, their life is no less valuable than yours. What if you were on that bike? Give them space.
Look into turns before moving into that direction, and check your blind spot on your right before making right turns. Bicyclists are allowed to share the road with us and are also supposed to obey traffic devices. Understand the meaning of hand signals, that is their means of communication.
Be smart. Driving is never “all about me, baby.” Let’s all enjoy the journey. See you out there!
