Florida Injury Lawyers Blawg

We have all heard the term “defensive driving” and how it relates to collision avoidance. There are other practices and techniques either to use or avoid. Here are some suggestions to keep you and your passengers safe:

1. Seatbelts. Always use them yourself and require passengers to do so. If they decline, tell them they cannot be a passenger in your car. Statistics have shown that seat belt use consistently saves lives and minimizes injuries.

2. Speeding. Speed limits exist for a reason. Unfortunately some posted limits are unreasonably low thus tempting us to drive at a speed in excess of the limits just to keep up with the rest of the vehicle flow. Nevertheless, we are all subject to the limitations of our own reaction time and the greater the speed, the longer a car will travel before braking comes into play making collision avoidance more difficult. Also, the greater the speed upon impact, the greater the damage. But speeding does not exclusively refer to exceeding the posted limit. Simply driving too fast for conditions is hazardous. Examples are bad weather visibility, poor road conditions, unusual vehicle congestion and pedestrian activity.

3. Diverting your attention. Inserting and arranging CD’s, talking on the cell phone, text messaging, putting on make-up, reading, eating, drinking and any other act that is inconsistent with the notion that driving is a full time job present dangers to the motorist and the passengers. Our complex society sometimes demands that we make certain compromises for convenience, but the use of common sense should never be forgotten. Example: Arrange for hands-free use of your cell phone so if you cannot pull over and safely park to use it, at least you will have both hands free to use turn signals and operate the vehicle.

4. Fatigue. If you are tired or sick to the point of being drowsy, do not drive. Hundreds of documented fatalities are directly related to drivers falling asleep while driving.

5. Failing to stop for a red light or stop sign. Most of use are in a hurry, but remember, it is better to be late than dead.

6. Medicines, drugs, alcohol. You do not have to be guilty of DUI or DWI to place yourself and others in harm’s way. Certainly you must avoid being under the influence of any substance or condition, legal or otherwise, that can impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle, but your obligation extends to preventing others as well.

7. Driving after 10:00PM. Often circumstances compel us to be on the road at certain times, but if you have a choice, avoid driving after 10:00 PM. The demographics of the road population change dramatically after ten. Commuters, workers and homemakers are replaced by drinkers and pursuers of social activities. And the later it gets, the lees responsible and competent they become.

8. Space cushion technique. This technique has been espoused for decades by the automobile safety community. It simply means that while driving, constantly try to keep an imaginary cushion---one of space---between your vehicle and any potential hazard you see. If you are too close when danger arises, you may not have sufficient time to react. By becoming aware of possible occurrences and reducing your speed or changing lanes, you can but more space between yourself and the hazard thus giving yourself more reaction time to avoid or minimize the effects of a collision.

Conclusion: Use common sense to make the choices that will protect you and your loved ones.

The Five “I’s” that cause problems for motorists are: 1) immaturity 2) irresponsibility 3) incompetency, 4) inattention and 5) impatience,.

We can be guilty of one or more of these “I’s”, but most often we and the rest of the population are the victims. As to each one, let us make a few observations.

Immaturity. Common attributes of youth are great aids to motorists---good vision, good hearing, good reflexes, stamina and general alertness. But, youth often thinks of itself as indestructible. Feelings of invulnerability lead to forgetting caution and taking chances. Speeding, imprudent passing, failing to modify speed in bad weather or road conditions are some of the dangers. Having personal, emotional reactions to other drivers are others. Racing, showing off and acts of revenge can lead to disasters. Nor is immaturity only a problem for the young. An old aphorism teaches us that “you are only young once, but you can be immature forever” so at any age, act maturely behind the wheel.

Irresponsibility. We should not have to be reminded that consuming alcohol or drugs, even some prescription medicines, combined with driving can be deadly. Fully fifty per cent of all vehicular fatalities in the United States involve alcohol. Driving while fatigued is another danger as is failing to use and require the use of seat belts. Responsible driving extends to influence over others as well, so see to it that no one drives while under the influence of any substance or set of conditions that can impair abilities.

Incompetency. A certain amount of intelligence is needed to drive effectively and safely. Unfortunately, many drivers are seriously deficient in this area. There is no substitute for common sense. Our challenge is to recognize this fact and be aware of the consequences. Examples are cars pulling out of parking lots or entering the flow of traffic without looking, parking in hazardous places, neglecting to use turn signals, etc. Other forms of incompetency are physical, such as bad vision or hearing, lack of depth perception, inability to judge the speed of an oncoming car before making a cross lane left hand turn, slow reflexes and so on. Some of these can be corrected by wearing proper eyeglasses, using a hearing aid, etc. However, unless the authorities act to protect us, we have little power to prevent mishaps from incompetent drivers. Again, we need to be vigilant in anticipating mishaps before they occur.
Inattention. Talking on the telephone, sending text messages, inserting CD’s putting on make-up, eating, drinking and a variety of other activities should not be combined with the full time task of driving. Our complex society makes this difficult, but some judgment must be exercised. If cellular telephone calls have to be made, at least use a hands-free method if you are unable to stop your vehicle in a safe place to talk. Once again, common sense dictates what is reasonable.
Impatience. We all want to get there on time, but running through a red light, failing to stop for a stop sign or driving too fast for conditions are not the answer. Remember, it is better to arrive late than not at all. If you want to be on time, leave earlier.

In summary, in some cases we can only react to what others do while driving so we have to anticipate cautiously. As to what we do ourselves, we have choices as to how we behave while driving and those choices can sometimes mean the difference between a normal life and horror.

Can simple courtesy prevent automobile collisions thus saving thousands of lives and preventing the misery, suffering, crippling and maiming of countless others? Well, in terms of automobile safety, there is certainly no substitute for the physical attributes that are helpful to good driving. Excellent vision and hearing, quick reflexes, competency in maneuvering are important, but such a driver impaired by alcohol, fatigued or behaving erratically because of emotions can negate the attributes. So it can be with the absence of courtesy regardless of the age or physical abilities of the operator. Let us think about a few situations with which we are all familiar.

Traffic signal controlled intersection. The light changes from green to yellow. You can stop before it turns to red, but you are in a hurry. You run the red light. Aside from the danger to yourself and others and the risk of being cited for a violation, you have been discourteous. Anyone else controlled by the intersection signal may have to adjust their moves because of you not to mention the anger and resentment felt by seeing someone flagrantly flout the rules of the road and the motoring laws. Further, your actions can produce the angst associated with the thought of what your actions might have caused---injury or death. Reflect…is that how you really want to treat your fellow motorists? They have done nothing to you!

Stop sign. Your obligation is not simply to stop, it is to wait until you can enter the flow of traffic safely. You do not want to wait, so you pull out in front of a car and get the inevitable angry car horn. Why? If you simply exercised some courtesy to the motorist having the right of way, you would have been simultaneously doing the safe thing.

Tailgating. Some drivers may not be as confident or comfortable as you are in operating a car. A vehicle following too closely can put some drivers in a panic. The standard is one car length for every ten miles per hour, but you are doing 30 mph and instead of three car lengths, you are following by less than one. We know, you want the driver in front to go faster, but tailgating is dangerous. You simply will not be able to avoid a collision if there is a mishap with your proximity. If you were merely courteous and considerate of the other driver, you would wait for your safe opportunity to proceed on your way.

Talking on the cell phone or texting. This is the absence of courtesy on steroids. When you are driving, you should pay attention to DRIVING, not holding a phone in one hand, conversing or typing and incidentally operating a motor vehicle. Your inattention can cause grief to everyone around you as well as place everyone in harm’s way. Have you ever seen someone creeping along in the fast lane, holding up a line of cars and then see that they are talking on the phone? Talk about discourteous!!! They do not even have the decency to move to the slow lane to practice their carelessness. Drivers inappropriately in fast lanes cause other drivers to pass on the right anf otherwise take chances endangering themselves, pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists. A little courtesy could eliminate a good deal of the danger.

These are only a few situations where courtesy can help. Are there so few people left who will be courteous just because it is right?