I have family in downtown Detroit, and when we were there in October a driver ran a stop sign and nearly hit me. That led to my being more aware and driving slower for the rest of my trip, and for the time I spent in Detroit when we visited again in December, during the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s. During the December visit, I found myself driving on wet roads, snowy roads, and slushy roads, often with rain or snow coming down.
I read and write a lot about healthy living–exercise and eating well, getting good sleep, not smoking, and socializing are some of the major ways to increase your healthspan and your lifespan. The experience of cautiously navigating the streets and highways of Detroit got me thinking about the risks related to driving.
Along with drug overdoses, motor vehicle accidents are the top cause of death for people ages 1-44. (That doesn’t mean motor vehicle accidents aren’t a major cause of death for people over 45, it just means as we age there are other major causes of death, such as heart disease.)
Driving on one of Detroit’s highways, I saw a flashing sign suggesting slower speeds because there is a 50% increase in accidents in inclement weather. I’m not sure about the accuracy of that statistic, but for sure there is a significantly greater chance of accidents happening in bad weather because rain, snow, and ice reduce tire traction, leading to hydroplaning, skidding, and longer stopping distances, with rain causing the most weather-related crashes. Thus, the advisory sign to slow down was warranted, as would be advice to increase following distances.
I have a great driving track record. My closest call for an accident that would have been deemed my fault was way back in college when my brakes didn’t work on black ice and I suddenly stopped just before rear-ending a car in front of me at a red light.
I attribute my good fortune to defensive driving, which is described by AAA as, “The proactive driving style focused on anticipating hazards and potential mistakes by other drivers to prevent accidents…emphasizing awareness, space management, and planning for the unexpected…(including) in bad weather or with aggressive drivers, to ensure safety for yourself and others. Key practices include maintaining safe following distances, avoiding distractions, staying alert, and being prepared to yield, which can lower accident risks.”
Space management is not a term I have used regarding driving, but it resonates with me because managing space is exactly what I do as I maintain proper “following distance” and a “cushion,” combining for space around me on all sides. I don’t drive next to people except when they are passing me on my left or I am passing them on my right. And, I have religiously obeyed the “following distance” rule I learned in driver’s ed in high school: one car length for each 10 miles per hour I am driving (for example, six car lengths when driving 60 miles per hour). And, if someone is too close behind me, I move over to let them pass rather than having them drive without the proper following distance behind me.
Some additional thoughts:
- Since the pandemic, it seems to me that more drivers are going super-fast, often with another car tailing them as if they are in a race. Another reason to practice defensive driving, especially awareness.
- I’m very organized and am very good about arriving at my destinations on time. Importantly, I’ve gotten better at leaving earlier than I used to. As a result, I rarely feel stressed by traffic and am not tempted to go more than a few miles over the speed limit.
- For many years, I would have a drink when eating out, but at most that was a couple of times a week. Now I drink alcohol even less frequently than that – almost not at all. I mention alcohol consumption because even when I was having only one drink, I was at risk for driving impaired. You can absolutely be impaired and a danger on the road after just one drink, with alcohol affecting vision, coordination, and judgment, even if your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is below the legal limit. A single drink can reduce your ability to focus, track moving objects, and multitask, significantly increasing accident risk, making it unsafe to drive. Make sure you wait a sufficient amount of time before you drive after a drink. The best bet is not to drink at all when you are the driver.
- Drowsy driving is also impaired driving. My wife and I have gotten much better about splitting the driving on long distances, and even on shorter distances when driving at night.
- Focus not only on the car ahead of you, but also the cars ahead of them. When you see red brake lights a couple of cars ahead, you need to start to slow down, either by applying the brake or simply taking your foot off the gas pedal.
- Assume other drivers are going to do something wrong.
- Assume the child playing near the street is going to run into the street.
- Look both ways at every intersection, even if you have a green light or no stop sign.
- Despite police cracking down on distracted driving, and public service announcements and billboards warning against texting while driving, the problem is a huge one. Distracted driving is a huge risk. Being able to connect your phone to your car helps, but can also lead to greater distraction. As the highway signs often say, “It can wait.” Defensive driving is more critical than ever with many distracted drivers on the road.
Be safe and be well,
David