ALT-1 Driver Safety the Dangers of a Distracted Driver
Back when we first started driving (way back for some of us), we used to slip behind the wheel, check everything out, then cautiously move out onto the highway. We thought about everything we were doing. We paid attention to everything. Why? Driving was new to us. We had to.
Soon after that, however, driving became routine. It was like slipping on an old pair of shoes. We lace them up and never pay attention to them as we go through the day.
We can't "not pay attention" when we're driving even if it does get to be routine. It's not good Driverthink and it's definitely not healthy.
Athletes warm up before they go out to play. They prepare both their bodies and minds to maximize their efforts. They want to be at peak efficiency when they take the field.
In combat, soldiers don't get a chance to warm up. When the bullets start flying, it's kind of hard to say, "Hold it guys! Let me stand up and do a couple of stretches before we get it on, okay?" "Not okay." Soldiers have to be ready to rumble in an instant when they're deployed, and they usually get ready by warming up early in the day.
Driving is somewhere in the middle. It's not an activity that really stretches your physical limitations (unless you're on a racetrack), but you always have to be paying attention. Driving can change from routine to chaotic in a harrowing heartbeat!
When we think of a warm up, we're usually thinking "physical". Perhaps the more important part of the warm up is the "mental focus" it develops. We kinda' want to be mentally alert when we're winding a heavy piece of machinery over the roads and through the traffic, to Grandmother's house at speed.
It's for this reason that Driverthink suggests a quick Driver Warm Up before we "punch the pedals." Like back when we were still new drivers.
The Driver Warm Up breaks down into three basic phases. Each phase will consciously force the "grey matter" to zero in on our playing field the Road.
A quick check of the car exterior is first in order.
Let's first eyeball the tires. If one is flat, we'll probably notice it right away, but is it a little soft? If so, it's going to affect the way the car handles.
Has anything significant happened to the car since we last parked it? Is there broken or cracked glass, a headlight or taillight? Are there any new dents that may suggest hidden mechanical issues?
All okay? Good, the eyeballs are now happy with the car's condition and our brain is thinking "car".
Next we'll slide behind the wheel and light up ole' Betsy. Before we instantly punch the "go pedal" though, we'll pause for just another micro-moment.
Are the gauges reading okay? Got gas? Let's check our vision too. Are the mirrors adjusted or have they been changed since we last used the car? Can we see out of the windows or are they blocked by that sunscreen we forgot about, or snow that we didn't quite get around to scraping off?
How does the motor sound? We're not all auto mechanics, but if it sounds like it's screaming for mercy we may want to check further. Is the coffee mug secure or is it about ready to hop out of the cup holder and spill all over our lap? Not good - at seventy miles an hour when your being cut off by the Road Racer.
If your warm up includes passengers, are they all buckled in? Are they comfy? Did the kiddies go potty? Come to think of it, did you? Are they good to go or are they going to mention their little problem at the first stop sign, or worse, on the highway with no rest stop seemingly available in the entire County?
Our final phase of the Driver Warm Up is mental. How are we feeling? Are we alert and fresh, or exhausted and maybe a little upset over a long day's work or over something that's been troubling us? In either case, we may need to adjust our mental attitude for the unique task of driving. We need to "think driving".
If only for a nano-second, glance in the mirrors again and visualize yourself already on the road. Put the brain on the road before the body even gets there. Now you're really zeroed in. Your brain is thinking "driving."
We don't really have to obsess over the Driver Warm Up. We just want to consciously remember that we're going to be driving. We're not just slipping on that pair of shoes.
We can forget about the shoes once we lace them up. We better not forget that we're driving!
