HOW TO LIVE LONGER

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

HOW TO LIVE LONGER
CHICKALOON, AK: Maralee Sales lost control of her van on an ice patch, flipped the vehicle and woke up in the emergency room lucky to be alive. She was not using the van's safety belts.

Sadly, only about 70% of all passengers and drivers use safety belts or child seats. This, despite laws mandating their use. In localities where the law is enforced the use increases dramatically. If we could increase the national use to 75% it would save 11,500 more lives a year. Also, at 75% we would reduce or prevent up to 600,000 injuries. In autos equipped with automatic safety belts there is an almost 50% reduction of crash fatalities compared to those without. Each year about 50% of vehicle occupants killed would have lived if they had been belted.

Newspapers and police are cooperating in an effort to increase belt use by publishing whether crash victims were using the protection available to them. Is it correct to describe an injured driver who causes the wreck as an accident "victim"? Is an injured unbelted occupant truly a victim? Seems to me a “victim” should be innocent of contributing to her/his injury. And, there are no accidents, just crashes! "Accident" implies it was no one's fault.

There are at least 6 myths about safety belts which are believed only by those who refuse to use them. These myths are debunked in safe driving classes for older persons.
GHD27 all rights reserved

MISSING YOUR EXIT

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

MISSING YOUR EXIT
FORT DEPOSIT, AL: Bunk was exiting I-65 towards home when he saw this perfect example of an impatient dangerous driver. This one had over-shot the exit ramp and was backing about 500 feet to return to it. Several vehicles in the right lane had to make a fast switch to the left lane which was already heavy with cars and trucks. Lucky for the oldster, he missed being creamed.

If you miss an exit, which we all have done, do not back up. Not even on the service lane. It may take a few more minutes to reach the next exit and come back but that may be a cheap investment. The time lost, and pain, and expense, and lasting mental trauma of a crash with fast moving innocent drivers is a poor trade-off.

In 2002 the Alabama legislature mandated an extra insurance premium reduction for its 670,000 older drivers when they complete a classroom safe driving program. It takes no tax moneys to implement this life-saver. Just one crash claim for one million dollars avoided by an older driver with renewed skills will be a financial boon to the insurance companies and could lead to even lower rates for everyone.

If your state legislators have not mandated such a premium reduction send them this column with your request that they do so.
GHD138 all rights reserved

LIGHTS ON WHILE MOVING

WRECK-LESS DRIVING FOR SENIORS
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

LIGHTS ON WHILE MOVING
NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE: Heading for the Tappan Zee Bridge, Mike was aware of the many vehicles with the headlights turned on in good daylight weather. He always burns the beams to let others know that he is there and is pleased to see many more doing the same.

It is the best reminder that other vehicles are about. Especially at today's higher speeds we tend to not be as aware of the position of other vehicles. This works very well for motorcycles which because of their small size are more often overlooked. More frequently now, buses and trucks run with lights on during the day. If that is that good for the large and small why not also for medium size vehicles? Newer Autos have lights which turn on when the engine is started. But check your tail lights, on some newer cars only the headlights are automatic. An innovative auto after-market manufacturer could turn a neat profit by designing such an add-on system for older vehicles.

Forty years ago I rewired my Buick Riviera so that front lights would go on with the ignition switch. Back then it was so rare that in daylight people on the street and oncoming vehicles would do me the favor of signaling that my lights were on "unnecessarily". Back then the batteries were not as powerful and it was necessary to conserve the "juice".
GHD137 all rights reserved

MANSLAUGHTER, HOMICIDE or MURDER?

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

MANSLAUGHTER, HOMICIDE or MURDER?
WAHIAWA, HI: "Drunk driver runs from police apprehension. Crashes into stopped auto and kills 3. Drunk not hurt".

Driving during or after drinking alcohol is a widespread problem. The consumption of alcohol by drivers is a major factor in vehicle crashes. Special studies show that crash involvement of alcohol is as high as 50% of the incidents. More than 17,000 persons are killed each year due to drunks behind the wheel.

A drunk driver murders someone every 20 minutes in the USA. For some such offenders, at least, the consequences are life shattering for them also. Conviction for manslaughter or homicide can mean severe penalties. In El Salvador convicted drunken drivers have no second chance, they are executed just for being apprehended in that condition.

In some USA courts , the Judge may give them many more opportunities to kill and even after that be lenient with them. That is what we call being a civilized nation. I wonder if these “easy” Judges get tougher after one of their loved ones is maimed or killed by a drunk?
GHD136 all rights reserved