“Defensive Driving — A Life Saver”
Anatomy of an Accident:
- Closest automobile stops for red light, pedestrians take off to cross
- Uninterested zombie motorist keeps going to “beat the light”
- Man smacked by car, briefcase goes flying and person sustains severe injuries
Post Mortem:
Where was the Risk Management?
Pedestrian: “Yea but there was a red light and I had the “walk” sign.”
Motorist: “I can still make it even though the light changed to red.”
Safety Moral:
It’s your life, you need to pay attention.
Safety has to be earned moment by moment.
Defensive Driving Tips:
- Get the big picture-drivers often focus on the road ahead, but forget about what’s going on the sides or behind their vehicle.
- Look to both sides and check your mirrors.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
- Keep your eyes moving-develop a good scanning habit and avoid staring at one object too long.
- Be seen and heard-avoid driving in another vehicle’s blind spot. Use your lights to signal your intentions and use your horn when appropriate (as a warning device and not to tell another driver he/she is getting on your nerves).
- Always leave a way out-anticipate possible conflicts in the road ahead, and select an alternative path.
- Stay alert, don’t drive exhausted or drowsy (take refresher breaks if you are driving for long).
- Don’t drink alcoholic beverages or use drugs (prescription, etc.) before or during driving.
- Allow more time for your trip.
- Pull over and stop your car to use your cell phone.
- Let irate drivers pass you, don’t get mad with them.
Some reasons why drivers get killed or injured:
- Head-on collision
- Bad judgment-passing at the wrong time (around corner, night time, in a hurry)
- Distraction-kids, changing a tape or CD, talking on cell phone
- At a STOP sign
- Other drivers failed to stop-be extra careful at intersections, make sure the other drivers are stopping, if possible maintain eye contact so that both your intentions can be recognized and they see what you see.
- Struck by another driver running a red light. Don’t rush at the intersection the moment the light changes. Even when your light has changed to green take one more both ways look to ensure the road is clear-ignore the road hogs honking their horns from miles behind. (Think about the number of times you have sped up and sneaked under the yellow light)!
And a bonus quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.”
Thanks for the share, TO!