Looking in the Rearview Mirror at Driver Safety
This year marks MEMIC’s 25th anniversary of opening its doors in 1993. While driving down the highway in MEMIC’s inaugural year, the radio airwaves were filled with the music of Boyz II Men, Kris Kross, Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vanessa L. Williams, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Reba McEntire. The 20th Annual American Music Awards, held on January 25, 1993, honored many of these music artists and groups for their albums and singles with titles having relevance today with regard to an increasing concern for over-the-road risk exposure. The importance of this concern is underscored by OSHA’s recent trade release statement that “more workers lost their lives in transportation incidents than any other event in 2016, accounting for about two out of every five fatal injuries.” Going forward in this new year, we can all learn to be a safer driver from the information and resources following these titles garnering a ’93 music award or nomination.
Favorite Pop/Rock Album: "Dangerous" by Michael Jackson
Driving is inherently dangerous; that’s why a license is required through education, practice, and competency demonstration. The King of Pop’s eighth studio album contains a song titled “Gone Too Soon” which especially relates to teen driving with the CDC indicating that the leading cause of death for U.S. teens is motor vehicle crashes. On any given day, the prevalence of motorists young and old observed with a cell phone in hand while driving is astounding and disturbing. Texting and driving don’t mix! MEMIC’s blog Distracted Driving Messages Abound offers tips for employers on how to protect workers operating fleet vehicles or personal vehicles for business from the dangers on the road.
Favorite Pop/Rock Single: “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men
“End of the Road” edged out “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers which call to mind road construction/work zone safety and travel conditions during winter months. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were an estimated 96,626 crashes in work zones in 2015, an increase of 7.8% over 2014. When driving through a work zone, stay alert, minimize distractions, heed directions on work zone warning signs, and watch out for construction workers and their equipment. MEMIC’s blogs Distracted Driving & Work Zone Awareness, Roadway Construction Etiquette, and Traffic Work Zone Safety provide greater detail. Be alert for signs reading “Bridge Freezes Before Road” as cold air streaming across bridges and overpasses reduces their temperature significantly faster and lower than roadways. For safe winter driving tips, check out MEMIC’s blog Still Plenty of Winter Driving to Go!
Favorite Adult Contemporary Album (nominee): "The Comfort Zone" by Vanessa L. Williams
Driving without distraction and staying within a safe comfort zone from other vehicles will help you “arrive alive”. Maintaining a safe following distance using the “three second rule” affords the driver both time and distance to respond to problems on the road ahead. Locate a fixed roadside object and count three seconds when the vehicle ahead passes the object. If you reach the object before ending the count, you’re following too close. In inclement weather, heavy traffic, or night-time driving, double your following distance to six seconds. When driving behind a tractor trailer or snow plow, be aware of the blind spots behind and to the sides of the truck or plow and Know about the “No Zone” for safe following distance.
Favorite Country Album: "For My Broken Heart" by Reba McEntire
Also nominated for the award was “The Chase” by Garth Brooks with the titles raising the concern of speeding (as in a chase) along with the tragic consequences of a fatal crash impacting family and friends. With the kinetic energy formula (Ek = ½ mv2) showing velocity (v) to be the exponential variable as compared to the mass (m), it becomes more obvious that speed (velocity) is the critical factor for an object’s energy in motion. Interestingly, driving faster for whatever reason doesn’t save much time at all so keep it under the speed limit. For a blog that “brakes” it down further, click on “I Feel the Need for Speed” and remember “speed kills.”
Looking in the rearview mirror as well as both side mirrors with a quick glance every 5 seconds helps you to be continually aware of your surroundings as a defensive driver. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel so no one is left with an “Achy Breaky Heart” which incidentally was the AMA’s favorite country single award given to Billy Ray Cyrus in 1993.
For more blog articles on driver safety, select "transportation" under the industry filter at the top of the page.
