It Happens In a Blink

We
fishtailed, I overcorrected. We drove nose-first into a ditch, across
the barbed wire fence and rolled twice. My best friend’s knee went
through the windshield. My brother and his girlfriend were tossed
around the back like rag dolls. The car came to a stop. Everyone was
pretty shaken, and to make matters worse my brother’s girlfriend was
limply hanging in the back seat.

To
say I was freaked out is an understatement. The thrill and fun we’d
felt only moments before had altered in a blink. It was my
responsibility as the driver, and that weight was heavy upon me that
day. Thankfully, we all walked/ limped away from the accident scene.
It was an accident that could have been prevented. Had I exercised
caution and gone slower instead of taking an unpaved, unknown corner
at a reckless speed it all could have been prevented.

National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows an average of 102
crashes involving fatalities per day in the U.S. Proper driver
education plays an important role in how individuals drive. Drivers
Education was a class required at my high school before age 16. Not
every state has this curriculum sadly, and many drivers are being let
on the road with poor behind the wheel training.

There
is so much every driver can do each day to prevent crashes.

One method I was
taught in a defensive driving course that is applicable even for
beginner drivers is LLLC. It stands for: Look Ahead, Look Around,
Leave Room and Communicate (LLLC). To me, these are core not only for
driving safer, but also for helping others around you to be safe too.
It could easily contribute to reducing not only the number of
accidents each day but fatalities too.

Look
ahead means keeping your eyes forward, and remaining perceptive of
any changes in traffic, road conditions, cars, etc. If one is looking
ahead, they won’t have time to be looking at their phones or other
distractions.

Look
around means constantly moving your head. When you get in the zone of
driving, it can help keep one alert. By moving your head to check
your mirrors constantly, check your blind spots, it will aid in
remaining aware of your surroundings instead of tunneling.

To
leave room is self-explanatory. Creating a buffer between you and
others gives time to make necessary adjustments. Every driver has
complete control over the space in front of them. Going the speed
limit, and having a 3-4 second following distance will give enough
time to react to anything unexpected.

To
have good communication, a driver just needs to be able to let others
know they’re there. Make eye contact at intersections. Put on your
blinker, always use your lights, and honk your horn when necessary.

Implementing
the LLLC will keep one aware of their surroundings, focus on driving
safely, and by communicating with other drivers on the road. Everyone
should implement these preventative measures. This will help all to
drive safely.