"I
never saw him!" is the most common excuse heard
after a collision. Was the other vehicle invisible? Virtually
all collisions involve inattention on the part of one or
both drivers. Inattention can involve many things, some
of which are daydreaming, distractions, sleepiness, fatigue,
"highway hypnosis," talking, etc.
A moving vehicle develops thousands
of foot-pounds of energy. YOU as a driver have the responsibility
not to use that energy to injure or kill others, or damage
their property. Paying attention makes it possible for you
to see, recognize and avoid the hazards lurking on the road;
these are the three basic elements of defensive driving.
The primary attribute necessary for a safe driver is alertness,
and paying attention is the most important driving task
because it helps create the time you need to recognize hazards
and avoid a collision.
One statistic often
quoted is that most collisions happen within a short
distance from home. Why is this true? Since we mostly
drive in our own neighborhoods, the odds are we'll have
most of our mishaps there. Close to home we get more comfortable
and perhaps let our guard down (and the other guy does
the same thing); you've heard that "familiarity breeds
contempt?" Better yet, familiarity breeds inattention.
We don't often consider that serious or fatal injuries
can occur in low speed collisions.
I have a challenge for you. While
it is important for you to be alert and aware, it isn't
an easy task. The next time you drive, try concentrating
solely on the driving task. Think of nothing else. Then
see how far you get before your mind wanders. Many drivers
won't even get out of the parking lot! Seasoned drivers
don't HAVE to think about driving much. It's something we
do automatically, and our minds are free to wander. And
our minds WANT to wander. Have you ever driven somewhere
and been so lost in thought that you couldn't remember anything
about the trip itself? Is this a problem?
Is this a curable problem? Paying
attention can become a habit, but you have to work at it.
Make conscious, persistent choices NOT to eat while driving,
or whatever you do that takes your attention off where your
moving vehicle is pointed. Connect your mind to your eyes
and work at consciously analyzing what you see while you
drive. We call this "situational awareness." Driving
is the most dangerous thing most of us ever do. It deserves
your full attention. Mastery of this one habit can almost
make you bullet-proof. Not quite, but almost.
Rule
2: Don't Trust Nobody!>
