Handling a motor vehicle safely takes all your attention, especially as a beginner
driver. A 2000 dollar damage bill was caused by a 17-year old, who only had been
licensed
for a few days. He had bought a pizza and was eating it as he happily drove home
through suburban back streets. Just as he turned a corner, trying to
steer with one hand, a piece of his food broke and fell onto his lap.
Without thinking, in a reflex, he tried
to retrieve it, losing control of the steering. The car smashed into a tree,
the young lad lucky to be uninjured.
(Photo
with permission)
Distractions can be classed into three categories:
Unforeseen
events
An insect buzzes around in the car, a spider crawls onto the dashboard. The
natural reaction is to flick it. At high speed this leads to serious disasters.
Turning around to tend to children or babies, trying to wipe a fogged up windscreen,
the list is endless, all must be done after stopping the vehicle.
<<<
Don't kill a spider while driving. Itmay kill you
both!
Deliberate
neglect
DON'T
DO IT !
Don't
do these while driving: Eating, drinking, smoking, texting, changing a CD, playing
with the radio or other accessories, fastening the seatbelt, adjusting mirrors
or seats, reading the road map etc. The use of mobile phones whilst driving, unless it is a hands-free set, has
now been outlawed in many parts of the world.
Texting
while driving is emerging as major cause in rear end crashes!
Don't do it, no matter how good you are. Sign Oprah's pledge!
Sightseeing,
window-shopping, watching unusual events such as, accidents, fires, looking for an address or landmark,
getting distracted by people (*shapely women !!) etc. all take attention away from the road
ahead.
<<<
What
was this driver looking at? (Unless he or she misunderstood the
term - dip your headlights?)
<
If no beach or ramp is available to Dip Head Lights, here is an alternative method.
Photo: thechainlink.org
Thanks to Transport
SA (South Australia)
Don't jeopardize
your
safety
or that of your passengers and other road
users. Concentrate on driving, if that is what you are doing. If
a situation arises, as mentioned above, stop the vehicle and deal with the
problem! It's safer!
Here
is a little test to remember what you have learned. Firstly,
answer the True / False question. Secondly, using the letter
beside the correct answer, form a word. All answers are on this
page!
T>
O
On a short journey it's
OK to use the mobile phone
briefly.
F>
T
T>
H
Eating a chocolate bar on a
long journey is best during a rest stop.
F> U
T>
R
If a bee flies into the car I
kill it immediately, so it won't bite me.
