Economic & Roadway Dangers

It has been awhile since I wrote a complete article, without moving onto my other life's responsibilities, and in that time, I have witnessed, and if I dare, experienced, some of the many elements to roadway driving. In the two years driving a Tractor- Trailer, I have averted a few emergency situations that included being cut off that could have been devastating, if not expensive for the both of us. Recently, I have had three deer sightings, as they darted across the road, and it was the last sighting that had me stop short, merely contacting the huge animal, making it react, and leave a hoof mark in the hood of my Toyota station wagon, as it kicked back at my metal car.

We all believe that we are prepared to react to the roadway dangers, but without putting thought into the possibility of an accident, our natural reflex and solution is just hit the brakes (the tell all solutions to any close call). But the reality is that much consideration to everything a person does needs to be considered in every aspect of any event to truly be better prepared for any sudden event that can lead to an unplanned accident (naturally, no one plans a day with an accident included). In no way is this preaching about driving habits, but our habits relate to economic loss when we displace our attention. Whether it becomes our confidence in our abilities and the vehicle we drive, we seem to lose sight of the constant awareness in the ever changing conditions of the road. It does not matter if there are no points on your license, or that you have never had a reportable accident, the close calls of the roadway happen everyday, and to anyone. It seems natural to think how the other driver could have done better to avoid creating the situation, and then we dismiss it. After all, life is short, right?

It is not my intent to discuss the obvious issues of the road, such as drunk drivers, revoked and suspended drivers, or high risk drivers; they fall in the law category, where this is only a privilege and not a right, and what happens there is criminal not accidental. Somehow, it must be a game, that not everyone is playing; and they just don't get it. Having a license is a public act of responsibility, and although it may appear that the role of responsibility is shrinking, it will never fade, but instead, always lead to more laws and harsher punishment to the violators, and costly accidents. Consider what takes place when involved in a simple fender bender, as we wait for the police to write up a report, or a wrecker to tow us away. First, time lost. Your plan to a timely business or personal gathering has now been postponed. Secondly, the cost now to be spent to get your life back to it's routine, regarding the car needing repairs to be legal and safe again, or a new replacement.

One affirmative action to safer roadways was the act of including defensive driving in the role of the driver. It was to make a conscious awareness that each of us need to focus on the actions of the other driver, since not every action or reaction is known before hand. Using signals to show intent of a lane change or turn before approaching that move was one focus that expressed the basic need to use whatever legal means to show the intent before making placing the intent in action. Using the horn was to catch awareness of the drivers at moments of potential crossing of each others paths, and not a way to vent. To address all the rules of the road would be repetitive and old news anyway, but writing the article had to place a perspective of what we take for granted, and then approach what we haven't dismissed, rather what we don't even consider.

I started this article with regards to my wildlife encounters, and why not pick up from there and make the reason for yet another roadway article show purpose, and the costly results when we drop our guard. With all practical purposes, not even I start my trips with the turn of the key thinking where the risk of deer, cattle, and even the occasional stray will cross, but it turns out that my close encounters happened on the same stretch of roadway, from home to work, and with the knowledge that deer season was about to begin, and wildlife encounters that cross the roadway occur at night fall. Deer hits are not chargeable, and not even knowing if insurance covers a repair by a deer, the damage could be money spent to restore a structurally safe vehicle to be used on the roadway. The V-shaped dent turned out to be hardly noticeable, and it was now up to me to make the decision to put out the monies in three figures to cosmetically keep the car like new, and retain the value of a depreciating automobile.

Deer season is not a barometer of any kind that should have made me more aware of the three sighting, but it was a clear reminder of the potential of crossing wildlife that should be considered every time, should I have forgotten. The point here is that anytime we leave a city or densely populated area, our concerns from being aware of children in the streets, parked car doors opening, pedestrians in motion, bikers, and everything else, should shift to what other potential moving objects I shall encounter. And if you live in a densely wooded area, having encounters like these seem to be dismissed as expected to happen. But what if we planned our trips to go an alternate way, or at least plan on slowing and staying most ready for the quick moving animals?

Regulatory signs such as speed limits guard to tell us that the speed limit established was based on when conditions are at their best, and where there is a population of people and traffic. Nothing about animal crossings are considered in those regulated speeds. There are Cautionary signs that make us aware of the population of wildlife, but animals don't always pop up in those areas alone. Has anyone purposely slowed down at night, knowing that this is where the greatest risk can happen, and prepared ourselves to be ready to react if and when wildlife crosses our paths? What if it was based on money for repairs, besides having a deer hit happening in the middle of nowhere? Even I am more inclined to be thinking about the next intersection, the time its taking me, or anything other than the possibility to avoid deer.

Wildlife is just as common an event as any other risk out there, but it is not something thought of, until you have hit one, and all of your plans to timely arrivals to a destination is now deterred or completely changed. I have a feeling that to take the Toyota to a body shop, to remove a "V" shape impression out of the hood is not a job under a hundred dollars either. Looking back, I'm just glad the impact of the deer hitting me did not't set off the air bags, which is not only a mess, but now another expense to remedy.

For many, weather is also a thought of the day if not the moment. And in any part of the four seasons, weather can change traveler's plans. But for most, it is when we approach the detour and not plans for a potential detour that also is what we call an "unexpected delay." From the melting of snow and the onset of rain in the spring, no one considers flooding areas, well, unless you live in one. Mudslides seem to be in fewer areas of the region, making them another lack for concern for those who unwittingly drive that route (just passing through). Even summer had its afternoon storms and tornado's. Flash flooding can measure up to catching a driver head on. In the fall, leaves clutter the roads, and in wet rainy days amount to slippery conditions, especially on turns. It is also when the wildlife starts to look for food, and begin their own excursion, where we cross paths. With technology and media available, for some, it still remains secondly important to sport scores, or stock market results. Where weather is avoidable in many cases, especially if it can cost money to be spent, it still is something we choose to just be aware of.

Winter is the most noticeable. But no one ever considers calling off a trip, based on the forecasting for icy conditions. For many of us, we plan on it taking longer. Even I made this kind of decision, before driving a tractor trailer. Did you know the rule of the senior truck driver is that if snow chains have to be put on the tires, it's not worth driving? But vehicles still slide off roads, run into objects, and become broke down, because we take the risk, to get whatever job is done, and in turn, wind up spending more money for repairs and injuries, and the end result of the job left unaccomplished. That one day of lost work can cost the next four months in repair money, years of rehabilitation, and depending if you made it to get that job done, the day lost still happened. Weather forecasts are just as important as maintaining your vehicle, and needs to be expressed that way. By knowing the weather, and going through a series of experiences, the driver develops the awareness towards starting a trip earlier, planning a day later, or if nothing else, a few safe have locations to stop before becoming stranded. I call this racing the storm, whether you stay a step ahead of it, or plan on continuous driving into it, knowing that once it you are a part of the weather issue, there will be delays, and the potential expense from a mishap is still not part of the plan.

The dangers also arise amongst each other, as fellow drivers. The delayed act of signaling as we do gives no warning to those around you, especially when many state laws state to signal your intentions at least one hundred feet before a turn (and lane changes are turns). Commercial drivers are being expected to signal ten seconds before a lane change at high speeds. Ten seconds seem to be a long time, but the tractor and trailer is at least seventy two feet long, which means it needs at least one hundred and fifty feet of space to occupy, which includes addressing the space cushion in front and back of the vehicle. We think to speed up to keep the truck out of our way, and place ourselves in his way instead. We have places to go, and well, there are no Sunday drivers in truck driving, which means he/she has places to go as well. Truck drivers are on a time frame of how long they can drive, and they plan on their trips around a fourteen hour clock. Much stress comes from the automobile driver (and you thought they were your burden).

Another potential danger we do is try to get ahead of the truck to make that next exit. By doing this it means a series of things we chance on. First, there is that seventy two feet of truck (plus safe distance) to get around. Next, the expectation that the truck is the only thing we have to get around, if he/she is not behind a vehicle. Then, we have thought we had plenty of time and distance to make this act, only to find that once in front of the truck, the exit is a less than a hundred feet. No thought that it takes trucks a larger stopping distance takes place. A truck at highway speeds needs a length of a football field to come to a complete stop. If there was any chance you approached an exit, and traffic was stopped on the ramp, the truck would have to make emergency maneuvers' around you, or worse, hit the brakes, and hope you and your passengers survive. Trucks cannot just serve because the center of gravity is minimal, and to avoid you means flipping the truck, and if it flips, it might land on another car, person, or property. If you plan on racing around a truck to make an exit, plan on owning a piece of scrap metal, and forget about making it to a destination on time. Trucks were not designed to drive empty, so most importantly the risks taken not only affect two different sized vehicles and traffic, but there is merchandise involved, that now affects the timely delivery and promise to deliver, which now affects shipper and merchants as well.

Following close behind a truck also has an unmentioned risk, when it comes to blowouts. It is not that the big rig will lose control, but instead I have noticed that in two occasions, when a tire blows out on the trailer, it can create enough force to break apart the mud flap, sending it behind the trailer, and at the vehicle right behind it. I have even seen a picture of a mud flap lodged through an automobile windshield. And in the winter, ice may slide off the top of a trailer, with enough force to do not only damage, but has even shattered windshields and caused fatal injuries. In both cases, if the driver was three car lengths back, there would be awareness to the dangers, with a chance to react, but more importantly, the further one follows behind a truck, the more likely such dangers would pose less risk and damage.

I have had the opportunity to listen to some truck driver tell their story, about the accident with automobiles. And without showing their side of their story, I would rather tell you what I see in their faces as they begin to tell the tale. Not one face expresses confidence, nor can hide the feeling of responsibility from those events. No one in the trucking industry wants an accident because accidents with trucks causes huge damages, and lives, or at least, changes that persons way of life. And the cost on the company, merchandise, property, and you is never cheap. Not one face can tell the story, as if it was just that, a story. It makes me realize that even if a life was not lost or maimed, the realization is there of how much worse it could be. This profession comes with great responsibility, both while doing the job, and in those events, years after. No truck driver wants or plans to have an accident, instead, does everything to avoid one; because like you who find them in your way, you seem to be just as much the problem in their eyes, and because of the knowledge that you make emergency situations for them, everyday.

Those trucks can weigh up to 80,000 lbs maximum at any given time. Consider this, if you have ever tripped and fell, bumped your head passing an object such as a low door way, or even hit yourself with an object, with minimal but painful force, those objects hurt. You may even develop a bruise. How much did that object weigh, or how fast were you walking when you bumped into that object? 80,000 pounds at any speed will do damage when it hits an object. It all sounds so dangerous. Do we need so many trucks? Those trucks supply us with our essential needs to survive, along with our luxuries and frills. Can we divide up where the trucks can go? Well, that is already done in so many locations, but maybe the restrictions should be where automobiles can go. Would you accept being told you can no longer go down an interstate or highway, because the commercial industry uses it? One way or another, there is no way of separating trucks from automobiles, without restricting somebody, and with any more restrictions would start taking away from paper supplies you need, clothing, food, technical and entertainment, in short, everything you have come to depend upon would have to be purchased from further away, or in select areas. We have to share the road, and become more aware of the dangers we do to each other.

Hands free devices for cell phones are still up to scrutiny, because depending on your conversation, the focus is no longer on the roadway. Children wander, and so do strays, not everyone knows to signal intentions in advance, animals dart from nowhere, roads decay or get cluttered with objects, tires blowout, vehicles stop running, trees fall, and there is no way of knowing much of this in advance. Should we chalk this up to why we have the responsibility to insure our vehicles? Insurance only pays out so much. You still have an expense to pay forward, and quite simply, nothing is the same again. Not for the one involved neither in the accident, nor to those who had their property or person harmed. It's never looked upon or works the same as it did. Accidents will happen. But times have changed, and now somebody is held accountable. That accountability goes on for years, even if not consciously, then financially.

So how do you avoid an accident? There is no way to completely forecast an accident in your day. To avoid an accident is to stay aware that one can happen at any time, to learn to keep a space cushion, make every move deliberate, and give time to signal so others can try to figure out your intent, be aware of your surroundings, and those vehicles size and condition. Never take this freedom for granted. As you drive, think of all that could happen down the road, and right in front of you. Make it a point to realize that replacing some else's property would take time, as well as replacing that vehicle you're driving. Start leaving earlier for that trip, especially for an appointment.

I'm writing this in pieces, on my off time, while somewhere other than home. I have considered different ways to go from home to work, and from time to time, do take that longer trip around that road where the deer typically have crossed my path. I have also concluded that the road is the shortest distance to work and home. So, I will travel that way, but I won't be singing to tunes, or watching the time, or sipping coffee. It will be just me, driving slower, watching the road, and anticipating the wildlife, especially as the sunsets, and throughout the night.

Recently, I was driving my Toyota from work and stopped for a rest. Upon returning, I put on my seat belt, started the car, looked around to see what was possibly in my path, turned down to put the car in reverse, and typically, I allowed the car to start backing as I turned my attention to the rear to notice another vehicle stopped, and now waiting for me to notice her. She came into the lot that fast. It only takes a split second for what was clear to change, even in a parking lot.

Accidents occur because there is no time to react, or when we do react, we cause the accident. That statement addresses the need for spacing, and awareness to the vehicles and people around these roadways, and lanes. The underlining point still remains in dollar signs and time lost.