Monday, January 19, 2015

These Are the 9 Most Dangerous Things Drivers Do

One of the leading causes of accidents, hands down, is failure to yield the right of way. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that it's the top cause of accidents among drivers aged 70 and older, particularly on freeway merge ramps. In Uncommon Carriers, his book about long-haul truckers, John McPhee points out that space cadets in the merge lane are a constant source of teeth-grinding anxiety for the people driving 80,000-pound big rigs. Another facet of failure to yield that's more prevalent in cities is running stop signs and red lights. Drivers coming from other directions expect the intersection to be clear when the light on their end turns green. Once again, predictability is good. According to NHTSA, seatbelts saved more than 75,000 lives between 2004 and 2008. Airbags certainly make cars safer, but they're designed to work in conjunction with seatbelts, which help prevent passenger ejection during high-speed crashes and rollovers. Really, putting on a seatbelt is such an easy thing to do, it's almost incomprehensible that everyone doesn't wear them. With the majority of our staff having grown up with seatbelts in cars, we feel naked without one. Also, consider that many accidents occur at low speeds near home, so even if you're Reckless driving, better known in many parts of the world as Yes, following closely behind a tractor trailer can increase your fuel economy. That doesn't mean you should do it. Drafting works for NASCAR drivers, so it makes sense that a 4000-pound car can Yes, we just discussed recklessness, but this merits particular reinforcement. When the weather gets bad, slowing down is the best way to avoid an accident, even for highly trained drivers. This goes back to that physics thing. Unfortunately, not everyone gets that. All-wheel drive isn't an excuse for driving fast in inclement weather. When the road surface is slippery, a 3500- to 5000-pound vehicle will probably lose traction if you need to slow down in a serious hurry. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 24 percent of all vehicle crashes are weather-related. That's a good reason to slow down and leave a little space between your car and the one in front. You know the drill. Shave and/or put your makeup on at home, and turn off the cell phone while you're driving. NHTSA estimates that there are 660,000 distracted drivers on the road most of the time. The federal government has responded by pressuring state governments to ban texting and driving, eating and driving, and all other activities that take motorists' eyes and minds away from the road. (Our own study showed that texting while driving is at least as dangerous as driving drunk.) How many times in the past week have you looked into someone's car at an intersection only to see that they couldn't see you, because they were on the phone and/or yelling at their kids? Distracted drivers are an example of why some people think autonomous, self-driving cars are a swell idea, so let's not give those people additional ammo. Speeding is the second leading cause of traffic fatalities after drunk driving. According to a 2005 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Drowsy driving is every bit as dangerous as drunk driving. When your body needs sleep, it's going to get it, one way or another. People who insist on driving when they should stop for a rest will have slower reaction times and are likely to fall asleep at the wheel. The results usually aren't pretty. Drivers who are sleepy or asleep tend to crash on high-speed roads, and they usually don't do anything to avoid the crash in the moments before impact. The problem is such that some luxury automakers have introduced driver aids intended to combat drowsy driving. So if you feel yourself nodding off, pull off the road and grab a few Zs someplace safe. You might get home later than planned, but that's a small trade-off for your safety and that of the drivers sharing the road with you. NHTSA data paints a clear picture: Drunk driving causes accidents. The majority of traffic-related deaths are caused by drunk drivers. It's a well-known fact that alcohol impairs your ability to drive, and more importantly, to react. So follow common-sense guidelines like taking a taxi or using a designated driver if you're planning a booze-fueled night on the town. Doing so can avoid tragic consequences. As laws governing the use of marijuana become relaxed in some places, it, too, has the potential to become a bigger part of the traffic-accident statistical mix. You may think you're good at driving high, but chances are that you aren't. Law enforcement officers trained to look for signs of impairment will explain this as they lead you to the back seat of their patrol car.

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发贴者 时间： 11:34 AM

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