Safe Driving with Driverthink

Driverthink has spent much time and verbiage discussing Road Hazards.  One of the most serious problems with a Road Hazard is that it can distract you from noticing other exciting events taking place around you on the road.

The Road Hazard itself is obviously important.  It isn’t a Road Emergency yet, but it is a situation (often another driver) that can quickly become one.  The reason to try to identify Road Hazards is, once again, because they’re a whole lot easier to deal with while they’re hazards, than when they become emergencies requiring immediate, heart pounding action.

But there’s another devious little threat from the road hazard.  It can become a distraction.  Even though you’ve identified the hazard and are taking any number of actions to avoid it, it has an uncanny way of monopolizing your attention.

The Road Hazard doesn’t have to “clock you” himself to ruin your day.  All she has to do is divert your attention – so someone else can!

So you’ve got this guy about 150 feet ahead of you who just can’t seem to keep it in the lane.  You were pretty quick to identify the hazard, because he happens to be driving one of the makes of cars that you’ve profiled as “Uh Oh, – Watch out”!

Yup, true to form he’s not disappointing you and he’s having an obvious problem keeping it on the road. 

Is he drunk?  Simply unable to control the car?  Maybe he’s sick or something.  Couldn’t possibly be text messaging at limit plus ten, could she?  You really begin to zero in on her, keeping a safe distance and allowing yourself plenty of room for escape if she finally chooses to lose it – right in front of you!

You begin obsessing over this erratic type person.  Suddenly he, and you back behind him, close in on a Bobtail (a Tractor Trailer without the Trailer component).  He's boogying along ahead of both of you.  The Bobtail boy is driving fine but you know he doesn’t have the control he would if he was towing his trailer, so now you’ve got two hazards requiring your attention.

Besides, your original Road Hazard type person is really coming up quickly on the Bobtail type person and who knows what’s going to happen when they actually get within speaking distance.

As you focus in on the dual problems, don’t forget to take a glance in your rear view mirror.  Were you so focused on the puppies in front of you that you failed to notice the Road Racer in back of you, weaving in and out of lanes, and bearing down on you at ninety per? 

If you quickly decide to change lanes in front of this happy boy, to get away from the kiddy cats in front of you, it could get real interesting – real quickly.

I’ve never had the privilege, but I’m led to believe it’s just not a really fun thing being carted off to the hospital on a stretcher, immobilized by a neck brace – with that annoying IV stuck in your vein, bright flashing lights and obnoxious sirens interrupting your la-la land serenity

The point to be made here is that, even after you’ve identified a Road Hazard and positioned yourself defensively because of it, don’t continue to fixate exclusively on it.  Don’t let it distract you.  There are plenty of additional hazards that can show up to make your life interesting, and if you’re zeroed in on just the one, the others will have their way with you!

Road Hazards may also require your fellow drivers to adjust.  You have to be ready for these boys and girls to react.  They may be compelled to change position or speed, and you just might need to accommodate them – kinda’ quickly.

It’s real easy to become distracted by a Road Hazard.  By definition, it is a risk to your life, limb, and the continued breathing of any passengers that may be tagging along with you.  When we’re threatened with bodily harm or worse, it’s almost unnatural not to give that risk our absolute attention.

But safe driving requires we overcome the temptation.  If you’ve identified one hazard, there are probably one or a few more zeroing in on you – and you better be ready for them also.

The experienced driver knows this.  She’s developed a conscious driving skill.  While keeping a Road Hazard under surveillance, she continues to monitor her ever changing surroundings.

Make it your conscious driving skill.  As soon as you’ve identified a Road Hazard, use it as a mental prompt to ask yourself, “where is the next one?”  Then start looking for it.

Road Hazards are dangerous enough in their own right.  Don’t let them distract you to the point where you fail to keep watching for others.