Jorge Castanon, Loss Control Consultant, FRSA-SIF
Most of us travel the roads every day in cars, vans or trucks. We drive to and from work, heading out on sales calls, making deliveries or providing services for our customers. As part of the daily grind, driving may seem routine, but the roads can be very dangerous. Each year vehicle accidents claim almost 40,000 lives and cause 3 million serious injuries. In fact, motor
vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death on the job! This may make the driver’s seat the most dangerous place you have ever been. Fortunately, many motor vehicle accidents can be prevented if you approach driving with a proper attitude, good driving skills and a properly maintained vehicle.
Remember, safe driving starts before you even get behind the wheel. You should always inspect your vehicle before you hit the road. Make sure you have enough air in your tires. Are your tire treads worn down? Grab a penny and insert it headfirst into the
tread. If you see the top of Abe Lincoln’s head, it is time for new tires. All vehicles should have emergency equipment onboard. Check for a spare tire, tire iron, jack, accident warning indicators, jumper cables and a flashlight. Adjust your rear and side view mirrors to minimize blind spots. Always wear your seatbelt. Having a seatbelt doubles your chances of survival in the event of an accident. Larger, heavier vehicles make wider turns and need more stopping distance. You must also be mentally prepared to operate a vehicle. Fatigue and frustration are a major cause of accidents. Never operate a vehicle if you are not awake and alert. Speed limits must be obeyed. The faster you drive the less time you have to react. Remember, speed kills. You should always maintain a safe driving distance from the car in front of you. If you are driving a heavy vehicle you will need more time to stop, so adjust your following distance accordingly.
There are other situations that should cause us to adjust our driving, like night driving and adverse weather conditions. Even though there are fewer vehicles on the road, more than half of all accidents happen at night. When the sun starts to go down, turn on your headlights. At dusk, your lights will make it easier for other drivers to see you. At night use your high beams when possible. You can see further with them on, which gives you more time to react to any trouble ahead. Just make sure to switch to low beams when you are behind other vehicles, facing oncoming traffic or driving in fog. You will want to slow down at night as well, so you do not overdrive your headlights. Even with your high beams on you can only see so far in the dark. If you drive too fast you will not have enough reaction time if you encounter a problem.
Adverse weather conditions dramatically affect how we should drive. The roads can be slippery during wet weather. So, reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Avoid puddles whenever possible. Driving over puddles can cause hydroplaning. No matter what the conditions, you need to be 100 percent focused on your driving. Even in the best of circumstances, there is a lot going on that you need to pay attention to.
In recent years, distractive driving has become a major issue for law makers as well as companies whose employees drive while on the job. There are three major types of distractions: 1) Visual distractions, taking your eyes off the road, 2) Manual distractions, taking you hands off the wheel, and 3) Cognitive distractions, taking your mind off what you are doing. These days there are many things that can cause these types of distractions such as talking on a cell phone, texting, eating or drinking, talking to passengers, using a navigation system, changing the radio channel or going through your playlist. In fact, we routinely do so many of these things that more and more vehicle crashes are caused by distracted drivers. Cell phones have become such a serious problem that many states have banned the use of handheld phones and texting. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration now prohibits commercial vehicle drivers from texting when they are driving. Many companies are also instituting their own ban on the use of cell phones while on company business.
In addition to being distracted, people often seem to be in a hurry when they are in their cars. With the volume of traffic on most roads, getting somewhere quickly can be nearly impossible. This often leads to frustration, sometimes on our part, sometimes on the part of the drivers whom we share the road with. Couple this with the aggressive driving styles that more and more people have adopted and this can often lead to road rage. People yelling at one another, using obscene gestures and sometimes even using their vehicles like weapons. We need to know how to deal with road rage on two fronts, within ourselves and on the part of other drivers. It starts with avoiding any aggressive driving of our own. Some helpful hints are to plan ahead and allow enough time for potential delays. Give your driving your full attention. Do not take out your frustrations on other drivers. Remember that driving is not a contest and realize that you cannot control the actions of drivers around you. You can only control the way you react to them. The other driver could have made an honest mistake, so give him or her the benefit
of doubt. If you are the victim of road rage, there are some other things that you should remember. Do not retaliate, it is not worth risking your life and always be polite and courteous even when other drivers are not. Most importantly, never make direct eye contact with an aggressive driver. Often a challenging look from you is all they need to increase their rage. If another driver
is harassing you, try to get away from them as quickly as possible. Leave the road you are on and take an alternate route. If they follow you, drive to the nearest police station. Tell the officer on duty what is going on and file a report.
Driving can be dangerous, but many accidents can be prevented. Like every other part of your life, driving comes with responsibilities. Know what you need to do to drive safely and remember, driving is a privilege, not a right.
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