Road Safety
He died at 46 years. He left his 87 years outdated mama. His siblings. Wife. Children. Friends. And relations. All of those are mourning the lack of a younger man I knew some years again whereas within the trenches along with his senior brother whose identify I’ve chosen to omit. We had not seen one another for years since I moved away from Lagos to pursue my life ambition and keenness.
Strangely, his demise nearly handed me by till I found a publish by his brother that tore my coronary heart and soul and even my flesh to items. My damage was not that he handed on to be with the Almighty. Not that he handed on too early. It was the circumstance of his demise and the trauma the family members handed by on the medical centre that threw me off steadiness.
While we bless God that he is in a greater place, I’ve chosen as my final respect to him since I couldn’t attend bodily, to recount faintly, the circumstance of his demise as an intervention to information others from changing into victims of avoidable street site visitors crashes. I mentioned avoidable, as a result of a lot of the about 5 thousand-plus fatalities that we report yearly on our roads whether or not on the freeway and even inside cities like his, are avoidable if we take to coronary heart the quite a few gospels of staying secure and alive.
Based on my expertise, various drivers are usually not drivers. Even a plethora of most who declare to be licensed with years of expertise on the wheels, aren’t any drivers however quacks. Agreed that they’ll transfer autos however they lack the data and the abilities and perspective to navigate by our roads with all of the loopy beings who name themselves drivers.
I do know that I educate drivers to maintain a secure distance. I inform them that secure distance is paramount and essential to staying alive. As a trainer of the defensive driving approach, I inform them that the hole or distance ought to be between two and three seconds or 4 as contained on web page 83 of the Revised Highway Code captioned, A SIMPLE WAY TO KEEP SAFE DISTANCE.
That part advises street customers that to maintain secure distance, you should at all times apply the straightforward rule referred to as SECOND RULE. The SECOND RULE is damaged into the 2 seconds, the three seconds and the 4 seconds’ rule. Let me begin from the rear by treating the 4 seconds rule which is relevant when the climate situation is unhealthy, requiring that additional jingle: safer and saner is added to achieve additional distance.
Unlike the 4 second rule, the 2 and three seconds come useful in several driving eventualities. So, allow us to begin with the 2 second which merely advises you that whereas driving, select a stationary object in entrance of the automobile forward, close to or above the street. It might be a street signal, tree, or overpass, in addition to any handy object. As the automobile forward passes it, recite slowly, ’staying too shut ‘or trailing for security. You can by yourself search for the three second rule and internalise them to your personal security.
That is the usual you see in nearly all supplies otherwise you hear useful resource individuals preach at any time when they delve into defensive driving methods lectures. But as a result of I imagine in staying alive, I inform my college students to repeat my rule of thumb and preserve 5 and even ten seconds’ distance. The lesson right here is to make sure that your driving ensures a measure of security whereas driving inside our clime which completely contravenes the everyday Nigerian tailgating driving devoid of endurance.
If you possibly can spare the time, you possibly can search for web page 124, of the REVISED Highway CODE, captioned, Defensive driving and secure driving practices for extra on the Second rule. For now, let me recap what I bear in mind regarding the crash that killed my pal. I learn that the incident occurred on a Sunday whereas driving to church with all members of his household.
According to a publish on the incident, a tricycle rider of their typical mad and irresponsible driving harking back to okada riders, swiftly made a 180 diploma flip with out trafficking, which is widespread with these operators. In an try and keep away from colliding with the tricycle, he misplaced management and crashed onto a stationary automobile. And sustained extreme accidents.
I don’t have the center to recap the clumsy circumstance that led to his demise which might have been averted if the hospital authorities lived as much as their billing. Recounting it won’t deliver him again to life however all I can say is that it is a recurring story of neglect and unprofessionalism skilled by victims in a few of our well being amenities.
But whereas I fear over the conduct of the hospital facility, sure questions preserve pricking my coronary heart: at what velocity was he driving earlier than the crash occurred? What distance did he preserve in keeping with the Second Rule. What distractions might have affected his response time? Smart cellphone? Gist? Child distraction which is widespread when households drive to Church on a Sunday? What? Any of those might have affected how he reacted to the tricycle rider’s sudden flip.
While we ponder on these posers, please enable me to return to our focus which is about protecting secure distance on a street the place distracted driving is worrisome and the necessity to good our response time within the occasion of a doable crash. I’m speaking about good cellphone distractions. Toggling radio channels. Quick glances by the window all of which add to the distractions and add to our response time.
For emphasis, protecting a bigger hole in response to my gospel, between you and the automobile forward doesn’t equate to safer driving. The first is that giant areas have a psychological impact on site visitors behind you. To get you to shut the hole, the motive force behind you’ll transfer nearer, honk and in some circumstances shout to pressure you to shut the hole. Annoyance or doable worry might trigger you to extend velocity and shut the hole.
To minimise this situation which is additionally contained within the fundamentals of defensive driving, you might be suggested to watch out for ‘mad’ drivers by guaranteeing that your security doesn’t rely on their actions or reactions.Therefore,with security and secure driving as your focus, you might be suggested to maneuver to the suitable/gradual lane supposed for autos travelling on the velocity restrict, thus paving method for velocity freaks and mad’ drivers.
Remember we spoke about in-car distractions whether or not mounted or, not which frequently causes autos to stray off lanes. We should keep away from taking a look at any gadgets in any respect whereas behind the wheel. As I draw the curtain, keep in mind that defensive driving preaches obedience to all guidelines together with velocity obedience, and strapping each occupant each younger and outdated. It ensures everybody is effectively fixed and restrains occupants within the occasion of any mishap, thus chopping severity of accidents. In abstract, you should obey all guidelines. Keeping a secure distance gained’t prevent should you pay lip service to different security guidelines resembling velocity, lane self-discipline and distracted driving amongst others.
