Dr. Facquet
Protect yourself and your families by always being aware and staying focused when you drive. Impress upon your children and grandchildren that injuries sustained as a result of a crash do range from very minor to death. Many people injured as a result of rear end accidents have problems that will last the rest of their lives.
Every time my children, my nieces or nephews started the process of learning to drive I have felt sick. For them as well as the other drivers. Some of my relatives could have waited a little longer to start. Because of my training I know that the risks of being involved in a motor vehicle crash is higher for teenager drivers. Because the mechanisms of these traumas that take place in less than 1/500th of second there is a great chance that injuries will occur.
Remember there are new drivers on the road daily and an incorrect decision, in part because of inexperience, while operating a motor vehicle may have dire consequences. Complicating their attempts at navigating around our communities is you and I, the experienced or seasoned drivers.
Many drivers travel at high rates of speed, fail to obey common street signs and are distracted by many things. Some are even intoxicated, on prescription medications or maybe both. How many drivers are in a rage or about to come apart just emotionally? Some of us are just aggressive behind the wheel. Many drivers are just old – as we age so to do our reflexes and our vision. Some are operating a car more than a few days past safe. The conversation about when to hang up the keys will happen to all of us if we are blessed by long life. Now add the new scourge – texting or using the phone while driving.
Does the phone use really distract you? It does. The statistics are sobering. Have you ever been in an argument, or drive past your exit while on your cell phone? Dialing the phone or reading a text while driving is a horrible dangerous habit. It has become so bad that like seatbelts we had to create laws to address it. Think about the new driver again. Imagining them trying to make that left onto Jericho; you are late for lunch and heavy on the pedal while trying to call someone – you only looked down for a moment and you braked too late.
Ever drive while eating or while putting on makeup? Ever rummage through your pocket book while driving? Ever try to feed or correct demanding children during your drive? How are the kids so bad at driving? Remember your habits were observed and learned by your children – they are you.
For more information especially on teen driving visit TeenDriving.AAA.com or SeniorDriving.com. The NTSB also has lots of useful data about safety and driving.