RISKY HABITS
WRECK-LESS DRIVING ©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
RISKY HABITS
WAUSAU, WI.: "I always signal and look in the mirrors and turn my head to the rear before changing lanes. Wish those around me would do the same", says Bernard J. An all-too-often mistake of r drivers is failure to turn their head and check in the blind-spot. For some it is trusting to luck or forgotten in the rush to make a move.
For others it is painful to turn the head or shoulder and head. Larger mirrors are a partial answer. Of course, for persons with arthritis or other joint stiffness a physician may suggest medication and specific limbering exercises. Keep in mind that a crash can be even more painful. And be sure to ask whether the medicine will affect your driving ability.
Bernard says, also, that he wears always the safety belts even for short distances near his home. About 50% of traffic deaths could have been only crash injuries if the victims had used the safety belts. Are they truly “victims” when they purposely do not use the mandatory safety devices? Those over age 65 are more likely to be injured or killed than younger persons. Older persons are hurt more severely and heal more slowly.
In a crash there are two collisions .First, with whatever the vehicle strikes and second, the occupants hitting each other and the insides of the vehicle. When a vehicle moving at 30 mph hits an immovable object (a tree) the unbuckled front occupants will hit the dashboard with a several thousand pound force. What might it be like in a two car head-on at 65 mph?
GHD95 all rights reserved
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
RISKY HABITS
WAUSAU, WI.: "I always signal and look in the mirrors and turn my head to the rear before changing lanes. Wish those around me would do the same", says Bernard J. An all-too-often mistake of r drivers is failure to turn their head and check in the blind-spot. For some it is trusting to luck or forgotten in the rush to make a move.
For others it is painful to turn the head or shoulder and head. Larger mirrors are a partial answer. Of course, for persons with arthritis or other joint stiffness a physician may suggest medication and specific limbering exercises. Keep in mind that a crash can be even more painful. And be sure to ask whether the medicine will affect your driving ability.
Bernard says, also, that he wears always the safety belts even for short distances near his home. About 50% of traffic deaths could have been only crash injuries if the victims had used the safety belts. Are they truly “victims” when they purposely do not use the mandatory safety devices? Those over age 65 are more likely to be injured or killed than younger persons. Older persons are hurt more severely and heal more slowly.
In a crash there are two collisions .First, with whatever the vehicle strikes and second, the occupants hitting each other and the insides of the vehicle. When a vehicle moving at 30 mph hits an immovable object (a tree) the unbuckled front occupants will hit the dashboard with a several thousand pound force. What might it be like in a two car head-on at 65 mph?
GHD95 all rights reserved
posted by WRECK-LESS at Saturday, December 03, 2005
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home