Safe Driving

Driving is something we do to get from point A to point B. It is expensive and it is dangerous. We kill over 40,000 citizens each year with autos. Most of those accidents are at intersections. All of those accidents are caused by someone in control of a car not paying attention to what they are doing.

People do not take driving seriously. Most of the driving programs are forgotten within a few weeks if not days. We all jump into our autos and zoom off to a destination with anything on our minds except the job of driving safely and defensively. How many remember the driver's training class we took in high school or from a private driver's education school? Do you remember the gaudy films they showed of an accident that was filmed to shock you into being a safe driver?

We can take all the classes we want, but if we do not apply some simple daily safety tips all that is lost. The number one problem for any person driving an auto is paying attention to everything around the auto. How many accidents have you read about that were caused by someone trying to complete another task while driving? How many of us (including this author) have made that mistake and gotten away with it?

When you drive then do only driving. When you need to talk on the phone, fix your makeup, or look at a map pull over in a safe position and do that task. Doing both is like playing with a loaded gun. You will eventually lose. It might not be your life, but it will be costly. Millions of dollars change hands in this country daily due to careless driving. We all are paying part of the bill in insurance costs, better safety barriers on the roads, controlled intersections, police and emergency payrolls and equipment.

We could have rubber roads and cars. The effect would be the same people dying and getting hurt on our roads.

Some words for consideration the next time you get in your auto.

SPARE

Space to take your auto in an emergency evasive maneuver.

Place to safely stop your auto when you need to perform another task.

Attention is on your diving at all times.

Road conditions dictate following distance and speed.

Eyes moving from front, side, front, side, front, rear. Look far ahead.