Monthly Archives: February 2012

Is your Life Worth a Text?

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in Disracted Driving, Safety, Social Media

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People on TV and in movies are amazing drivers! They have intense car chases, total their car, and crawl out with a few bruises. They can speed and swerve and break the law yet they never get caught. Even when they do get caught,  they don’t get tickets. They never need to look where they are driving, because the car just knows.

However, we know that real people aren’t as lucky. Make a mistake in “real life” and you might not be as lucky. The reality is that a driver is 23 times more likely to get into a car accident while driving and texting.  With television and movies being as widespread and influential as they are, why don’t they depict this reality?

Finally, this past week on the popular teen show Glee, the dangers of texting and driving were exemplified, when the head cheerleader, Quinn, can’t resist the temptation of her constantly ringing cell phone.  She finally gives in and while responding with just three small words “On my way”, she crosses an intersection where another car crashes directly into the driver’s side, and the screen goes black.

Whether or not Quinn survives the crash is not as important as the message the show is giving. We are not untouchable. Terrible things can happen to anyone. We have to shake the idea that “it could never happen to me”.

So….

Don’t make calls while driving, not even with a Bluetooth and remember using a Bluetooth is illegal for provisional drivers.

Don’t fumble with your iPod.  Even though it’s not a phone doesn’t mean it isn’t a distraction.

Turn your phone to silent to avoid the temptation, because…….

NO TEXT IS WORTH YOUR LIFE.

Who is Driving The Car?

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in Disracted Driving, Safety, Social Media

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Commercials are annoying. You sit through two full minutes of a little kid pretending to be Darth Vader and it ends with his dad pulling up in a Volkswagon. And while he is the cutest little thing, I learned nothing about the car except that this little boy likes Star Wars and thinks he has powers to start the car.  Car commercials have become more irrelevant and more frequent.  You can’t watch a thirty minute TV show without hearing about “Better this!” or “Faster that!” or “Our car has even more unnecessary technology than before!” Which gets me thinking….

Is this “safety” technology actually making us less safe drivers? Do we depend on the car’s intelligence over our own?  Do we really need cameras to show you what is behind the car when you put the car in reverse?  Just look!  You can see angles the camera can’t and you’ll be watching in real time! Everyone loves social media, but do we need a car to read our Facebook News Feed to us while we drive? No! You should update your status once you arrive safely.  The newest feature I’ve seen is a car that wakes you up if you fall asleep at the wheel.  If you are so tired you might fall asleep at the wheel, you shouldn’t be driving!

More importantly, the US Department of Transportation agrees with me ;-) .  Just yesterday, USDOT proposed guidelines for manufacturers to limit these distractions within the vehicle.  So trust yourself to make smart decisions, because human intelligence will almost always beat artificial intelligence. You don’t need a “smart” car to be a smart driver.  May the Force be with ALL drivers.

Is Your Car Your Home?

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Disracted Driving, Safety

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I recall back when I was learning to drive a teacher tell me that we spend close to eight years of our life in a car. WOW!  Our car is our second home. My mom’s van has a TV, blankets, soccer balls, Frisbees, travel Scrabble, tissues, napkins, chargers and snacks – just to name a few.  My car is like a giant purse with sweatshirts, sneakers, cd’s, water bottles, pillow, books, and what every else you could think of.  And it just gets me thinking…

We get way too comfortable living in, and out of, what is primarily a mode of transportation – and a dangerous one. The more comfortable we feel in a place, the less careful we tend to be. It’s like how the first week of college everyone locks their doors when they leave to go to the bathroom, and a week or two later the door is left wide open without one single care.  And that’s ok, but when the first laptop or iPod goes missing, everyone is again on their guard.  So let’s not wait for an accident to remind us to be careful.

Pay attention when driving

Try not to fiddle with the radio

Don’t try to glance at who is calling your phone

Remember that just because you haven’t been in an accident, doesn’t mean you never will be.

Let it Snow!

10 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in Disracted Driving, Safety

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There are tons of fun snow day activities. Sledding, skiing, tubing, making snowmen, snowball fights, and igloo building just to name a few.   Driving, however, is not one of them. What is only a ten minute drive on a normal day, can be a 45-minute adventure on a snow day.  Between the detours to avoid the worst parts of the roads, the decreased speed limits and my nerves, I tend to limit my trips or stay at home.

Snow is the most dangerous weather condition to drive in. We must worry about losing traction, black ice, and skidding. It’s best not to drive at all in snowy weather, but when push comes to shove, we must be safe.  With snow forecasted to begin tonight and last into the morning, I thought I would share some tips I often refer to for those times I need to drive in the snow.

  • First and foremost, make sure the roof of your car is clear of snow.  Aside from it being the law in NJ, it really makes a difference when driving.
  • Wait to go out after the plows and salt trucks have done their jobs.
  • Brake slowly to avoid skidding and prevent the brakes from locking.
  • Increase the space between your car and the car in front of you. There should be three times as much space as you normally would leave.

So my hot chocolate and popcorn is stocked in the pantry and all the Harry Potter movies are ready for the movie marathon… Let it Snow!

Getting Around on Two Feet

08 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Greenable Environment, Pedestrian Safety, Safety, Useful Tools

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So after the longest winter break in the history of college winter breaks, I’m back at school. Being in college is like being on a resort, except it’s cold and you have to make your own bed.  Okay I guess it’s not really like a resort in any way but one: everything you need is a short walk away.  So I’ll be going green for a while by biking, walking, and taking the occasional bus ride to class.

I have experienced a weird phenomenon during my last semester on campus, one that I had never experienced before: cars stop at crosswalks. They actually let pedestrians cross the street safely! Crazy stuff right? But I’ve also noticed that the students here take this for granted.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a group of kids just start crossing the street without even a glance.  Admittedly, I have also picked up this bad habit.

So, my goal for this week is to be a safe walker.

Listen to your inner child and look both ways before crossing the street.

Don’t cross when the signal says stop. Don’t try to outrun a car.

And just because we may have the right of way in a crosswalk, doesn’t mean we are royalty. Give a wave to the driver to thank them for stopping.

Spring Fever

02 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in Disracted Driving, Idling, Safety

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Boy do I love fall weather, though not particularly in February! What should be a time for skiing and sledding is more suitable for football and soccer. With this beautiful, yet inappropriate weather, we are able to avoid the hazards of snow and ice. However there’s a different danger needing our attention: pedestrians.

With the park filled with little kids playing tag and pick-up games of football, and the street filled with runners and dog walkers, we have to be a different kind of cautious when driving through the neighborhood.  It’s like driving in spring or fall except now it gets dark at five o’clock instead of six or seven. Dark colored winter coats only add to the danger. So here are a few refresher tips about pedestrian safety so we can all enjoy these nice spells of warm weather:

  • Drive under 25 mph when in a residential area, or school zone.
  • Wear a bright colored scarf or hat when walking so you can be seen.
  • Keep an eye out for stray soccer balls, or basket balls, because there is sure to be a kid chasing after it.
  • Stop for people crossing at a cross walk. It’s the law!
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