Many fender-benders occur when drivers
back up. Several years ago, my state purchased a fleet of
fifty full-size vans for the use of state agencies. Within
a couple of years, all but ONE of those vans had backing damage
of one kind or another—the only one that didn't was the
one used by the driving instructors to TEACH employees how
to drive the vans! I have heard that many other companies
with fleet vehicles report the same problem, and it's not
just vans.
Since the risks are higher for collisions
while backing, take special care to make sure you don't
back-up without visually clearing the area behind the vehicle
first. Many times each year, children are run over in their
own driveways because drivers didn't look behind their vehicles
first. For this reason, many companies require their drivers
to place an orange traffic cone behind their vehicles when
they park, forcing them to look behind it again as they pick
up the cone prior to driving away.
Once you've cleared the area behind you,
turn and look to the rear while you back. In trucks, you may
not be able to see directly to the rear, except in the side
view mirrors. It's always a good idea to have a "spotter"
behind you in these circumstances, a second person standing
behind your vehicle where you can see them, giving you information
about how you are doing. Keep your speed very low—down
to a crawl.
There are a couple more ways to protect against
parking lot mishaps. If you can, pick a parking spot you
can pull straight into and on to the next row, so that when
you depart, you are pulling forward out of your spot instead
of backing up. In busier parking lots where this is not possible,
try backing into your parking space to begin with instead
of backing out when you leave. The advantage is you can visually
clear the parking spot as you approach it, adding a bit of
extra safety, and then exit it forward instead of backing
into the driving lane as you leave.
Many folks think it is illegal to back up
on a roadway. This is not always the case. In my state,
for example, you can back up on a roadway as long as you do
so safely—but that's the real issue, isn't it? It's not
easy to be safe when trying to back up on a roadway you're
sharing with many other vehicles and pedestrians. One situation
where you shouldn't back up is when you overrun a "stop
line" at an intersection while stopping for a red light
(or stop sign). If this happens, and you find yourself straddling
the crosswalk, it is usually better to stay where you are,
rather than backing up to the proper place. Backing up through
a crosswalk can be much more dangerous for obvious reasons.
Another exception is on controlled access
highways, where it is illegal to stop or back up anywhere
on the right-of-way, including shoulders, gore areas, off-ramps
and access roads. As always, you should check the law in YOUR
state so you know what the law is where you drive, but also
consider that just because something is legal doesn't always
mean it is safe.
Happy motoring and keep the shiny side up!
<Rule
#18: Avoid Distractions!
Rule #20: Beware
of Intersections!>
