Road Safety

I am blessed to not have gotten into any road accident which is one of the leading causes of deaths to date. Education, according to Solomon Ortiz, is the key to success in “life…”, which also means in order to be successful on the road (as the one behind the wheel), a high level of driver education must be acquired. With this education, one will know how to stay safe on the road by taking precautionary measures which will further reduce the number of fatalities caused by road accidents.

For starters, it is imperative that the driver is completely in good health (free of chronic ailments like cardiovascular diseases which can trigger and cause multiple fatalities on the road) and also make sure that his/her vehicle is also roadworthy. One must have a substantial amount of knowledge on how vehicles work, safety features that come with vehicles, and how to keep vehicles in good shape by taking vehicles for servicing. All this comes at a cost but it is worth it because life is priceless. Once this is done, program your mind (before you hit the road) as the wisest driver on the road. By saying this, I mean comply with all road regulations—don’t bypass a stop sign because you see no incoming vehicles, adhere to speed limits. If you find it difficult driving within the speed limit, utilize the cruise control. Also, as a driver, make it a point to turn on the “Do not disturb” feature before hitting the road or the moment you unbox your new smartphone before you proceed with taking portrait selfies (must be done off the road). In case your car encounters a mechanical problem in the middle of the road (motorways in particular), be sure to move to the closest auto-repair shop (if possible) or indicate left and park on the hard shoulder. If this happens in the night, it will be advisable to turn on both hazards. It will be safe to get off the vehicle from the right side–if your vehicle is a left-hand drive–and the left side–if your vehicle is a right-hand drive. In case pets are present, the best option will be to leave them in the vehicle while you focus your energy on finding a way to get the car off the hard shoulder within the shortest possible time.

To be a safe driver on the road, I plan to have a checklist just like a pilot getting ready for takeoff. This would come in handy because some measures of preventing road accidents—as I mentioned earlier—can easily be overlooked which might lead to unforeseen circumstances. I will avoid carrying passengers who are distracting (mostly my friends), always ensure my passengers and I wear our seatbelts before turning on the car’s ignition, abide by all road regulations, avoid alcohol intake anytime I am behind the wheel, and make sure I have enough rest before driving long journeys. If I am unable to do all these, I will just do myself a favor by utilizing public transport systems—which is said to help in the fight against climate change (meaning it helps the world) which would further keep other drivers safe on the road.