Safety tips to live by
At times I’ve hinted that to be safer in our motor vehicles, we’d all wear DOT approved helmets. That’s because nearly nine out of ten auto deaths result from an occupant’s head striking something within the car or truck.
But since that is not a popular practice and driving is one of the most dangerous undertakings we make that we have some control over, I’ve compiled some of my tips and those from various safety agencies that can make the endeavor safer if followed.
One of my driving mantras is to take no right of way for granted, especially at intersections. Whether they are controlled by a traffic light, stop/yield sign, or uncontrolled, a majority of wrecks occur at these potentially deadly places where vehicles meet. That includes where alleys, driveways and parking lots enter traffic.
I think this caution comes from my motorcycle-riding experience. At times, one can live through a cross-traffic hit in a car or truck — most of the time, motorcyclists are not so fortunate.
I never assume the right of way, even if I see a stopped vehicle waiting to pull into my lane of travel from a side street, driveway or parking lot. Even more so, I don’t expect intersections to be clear for me when I travel through a green light. If you test yourself, it’s likely that you merrily pass through green-light indications with little regard for the potential of cross traffic that is not going to stop.
Those situations are most likely to happen when “your” light has just changed to green, but oblivious or impaired drivers DO pass through steady red indications, often at higher-than-expected speeds. As a result of that possibility, I lift my foot from the accelerator, and make a quick left/right head check for any scofflaws who may not be paying attention — or maybe even speeding to elude police — before I re-accelerate. I think the minimal effort to do so sure beats being T-boned by two-ton projectile.
The easiest-to-use most-effective life-preserving driving tip is bucking your seat/lap belt before putting your vehicle in gear. When deaths don’t result from heads hitting objects inside the car, they are often due to un-belted occupants being ejected from the car.
Universally, organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, OSHA and driver training entities remind drivers to be in proper mental and physical condition to operate a motor vehicle safely. That, of course, means not driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs or medications. Also, it suggests avoiding vehicle operation during bouts of fatigue, anger, or excessive stress.
Since corporations with fleet vehicles experience such a high degree of cumulative traffic exposure, they often hold special training sessions for their drivers to minimize accidents and resulting costs due to injury and death.
A common caution those fleet operators offer regards backing up. During a typical backup situation, a vehicle has been parked for a long enough time to allow pedestrians and other vehicles to approach and rest within a few feet of the parked vehicle. Starting backward, or steering left or right from a stopped position can create an unexpected hazard for both the driver and bystanders. Backup cameras can be an aid to this situation, and are expected to be standard in all vehicles by 2016.
Above all, avoid distracting thoughts and activities, any of which can steal necessary attention from the task of driving. That list includes phoning, texting, rubbernecking at roadside events, shooing insects, grooming, tending to children, searching for CDs, et cetera.
Even devoting excessive thought to daily events other than driving, while driving, can be disastrous. I once had a woman driving an oncoming car (stopped and about to take a left turn) suddenly accelerate and turn into my driver door. She said she was concentrating on the spot she was about to park in on the side street she was turning onto, and did not “see” me (even though we had made eye contact). I was glad to not be on my motorcycle that time.
Both nice weather and a good travel season lie ahead. Let’s all stay safe and alive!
Readers may contact Bill Love via email at precisiondriving@spokesman.com.
