I had no idea until a few moments ago that MS had a topic about safe driving. I decided I would like to write a review on this topic too, cause of something recent that happened in my hometown last week. It has to deal with safe driving and what to look out for.
Don’t Drink and Drive
Everyone must know and realize that drinking and driving doesn’t mix. No matter if you “think” you can be in control after you drank a few beers, or smoked some dope or even done any type of drugs that you can drive and be safe! That is NOT true, anything that alters your mind is not good when you have to drive. This week in my hometown a family was driving down the road and a young man hit them head on. The Husband and Wife and their one son died, their other son lived but was in coma for 3 weeks. The driver who hit them ended up dieing as well. So now this young boy lost his parents and his only brother and has to live the rest of his life with out his family. The young man who killed this family was drunk at the time of the accident. This whole situation would of never happened if this young man wasn’t behind the wheel of his car. We hear to many sad stories like this each day on the news, and you would think it would “WAKE people up, but it doesn’t!
So please drive safe and don’t drink and drive or use any form of drugs while behind the wheel. If you are at a party and drinking always make sure you can either stay the night, or have someone who wasn’t drinking drive you home. It isn’t embarrassing to ask someone to drive you home; you might be saving a life by asking. Remember teenagers that you are NOT allowed to be drinking if u were under the age of 21 in the USA, so please think before you drink. We have signs along side our roads in USA that says, “DUI You can’t afford it”. Believe me you can’t afford a DUI.
Seat Belts
In the USA we have a law that requires anyone who rides in the front seats of any vehicle has to wear their seat belts. The other law is any child in the car has to be in set belts or a car seat. I use to hate this law, but then I heard to many scary and sad stories of people who died just because of no seat belt on. So when you get in any car make sure you wear your set belts! Did you know if you had a car accident and your child was not wearing a seat belt and ends up being killed in the accident that you will end up going to jail for Involuntary Murder? So please make sure you buckle up and are safe.
Vacation Driving
When you go on vacation make sure you check all your car’s fluids. Brake, transmission, oil and water fluids, and make sure that you air in your tires is at the right level before you begin your travels. If you are going to be driving out of State make sure you know all the laws in each state you will go through. I know in Missouri the speed limit is 75, but in PA were I’m from it’s 65 on the Interstate. Don’t be in a rush making sure you leave home with enough time for stops between ways. This helps on your eyes and body so they can get a little rest and circulation through them.
The Normal Rules of Driving
If you drive then I’m sure you know most the normal rules of driving. Like stop at stop signs with a complete stop, look both ways before you enter an intersection. Slow down when you see the town light turn yellow. Make sure you use all your turn signals and use them in enough time so that the people behind or in front of you have time to react to your turn. Don’t speed, don’t cross into the other lane, drive with your headlights on at night or when it gets dusk out.
When it rains or foggy out make sure you use your low beams this helps take the glare off the roads and also helps you see the road when foggy. Don’t use your high beam lights when an on coming car is approaching you. When it’s raining or icy out make sure you drive slowly and watch out for hydroplane(this is when your tires are wet and they run on the top of the water and you start to skid).
A tip incase you have an accident and your car and you both end up in water. If this happens when your car begins to emerge front first into the water make sure that you unfasten your seat belt and move towards the back of the car. This will help keep air inside the car longer for you to breath, once the car begins to all go underwater the pressure inside and out are equal and this makes it easy for you to open the car door. If you can’t open the car door, then push with your feet against the car door and push it while you try to open it. Try not to panic.
Teenage Drivers
Most teenagers love to drive and at age 16 they think they are pro’s at driving. My son is now 17 and boy did we go a few rounds when it was time to allow him to drive on his own. Don’t try to show off in front of your friends, instead be responsible and obey all the laws. I know this is going to be hard for most teenagers’ cause you just love to speed and turn up the radio or CD player and just cruse the streets thinking you are cool. Well remember it isn’t cool if you end up acting like your “All it” and then run into another car or person. Watch out for animals that tend to come towards the roads during the night times. I think one good rule might be to allow your “new teenage driver” to have only one person along with him/her in the car at a time. This might help reduce the “risk” of them acting all big and showing off. It might also help them pay more attention to the road and their surrounds. You can still look cool even if you are a safe driver and obey the rules, at least you will be a “live” driver instead of “dead”.
Also don’t be hanging out windows and yelling at the girls/boys along side the roads, and please don’t get that male ego going and think it’s cool to drag race along the highways. My best friends son and a few of his buddies decided to act like this and tragedy occurred. They ended up wrecking their car and the driver of his car died. Now everyday they have to live with their best friends death just because they all wanted to act cool and speed down the road and yell out the windows at each other. Also be cautious of your surroundings, just because you might be driving safe doesn’t always mean that everyone else on the roads are being safe either. Be alert and react fast!
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, a few general tips on safe driving. Buckle up, drive the speed limit, and always be on the look out for drivers, and people on the streets. It is cool to be safe, and un-cool to be dead!