Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mostly Illegal, But Still a Tough Choice

Well, the greatest distraction and potential crash hazard for the newest of drivers will finally become illegal in Michigan (uh, sort of) on March 30.

Nope, this law has nothing to do with cell phones. It restricts the number of other young humans that a new driver can load into their car with them. Yup, just about the most dangerous thing that a teen driver can do is load more teens into their car. It's dangerous for the driver and, in turn, for the passengers. So, now Michigan, like many other states, will restrict this dangerous activity EXCEPT, of course, during the times when most teens are driving.

Did you just say, HUH? Well, there's a good reason for that exception, and ends up leading to the same tough choices that parents have always had to make.

OK, here's the essence of the law:
1. It prohibits a driver with a Level 2 graduated driver's license (GDL) from operating a motor vehicle carrying more than one passenger who is under 21 years of age, UNLESS:
a. the passengers are members of the driver's immediate family, or (and here's the issue)
b. the travel is to or from school or a school-sanctioned event.

2. In addition, the nighttime restriction has been extended to 10:00 p.m. from the original midnight starting time. The new nighttime restriction is from 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.

So, there you go. One of the most dangerous things that a young driver can do will now be illegal unless they're doing this during the times when most young drivers drive (to and from school or school-sanction events).

Think about that crowded school parking lot when 300 young drivers pile into their vehicles and head out all at once. Think post football games, basketball games, hockey games, concerts, plays, practices of all kinds, returning from away games, etc. Think of that photo at the top of this page and imagine what the running girl's fate could be if that approaching truck was full of distracting peers confusing the new driver. Still sound dangerous? Sure does.

So, have we gained anything with this new law, and why make a law with this very significant exception? There's also the question that asks how a police officer is going to figure the exceptions out so that they can stop a potential violator?

Well, the primary reason for this exemption is a simple and very practical one. With $4.00 gas and crazy family schedules, the carpooling of neighbors and friends is a practical necessity. This is especially true given the daily and repetitive nature of school and school activities, plus the distances that many rural families travel in Michigan.

OK, back to the original question: what have we gained, since most of the time multiple teens will be in the car and exempt from the law is the very time when most teens drive and are at risk? You could say that we get two significant gains. First, this substantial risk (the distracting influence of other teens in the car) now has the power of law behind it. For many parents, placing this type of restriction on their new drivers was desirable but hard to do. They and their kids would end up saying "if it was really that dangerous there would be a law." Well, there is a law now.

Second, there is still a lot of drive time that takes place in the summer, on weekends and during non-school time. Plenty of time for terrible car crashes and injuries generated by this behavior. And, as far as the enforcement question? Well, Officers, Deputies and Troops are smart people and know how to detain the vehicles that they need to detain. This law puts another option in their injury prevention tool box.

That injury prevention tool box is one shared by the parent, and this new law provides them with a significant new tool as well. Just as before, though, the parent will need to weigh the maturity of their new driver, the known risks and the practical and convenience nature of limiting passengers. Then they'll make the tough choices.

Be safe.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

For Safer Turns, FALL Into the Safest Lane

Here's a simple traffic safety tip for today. It's easy to understand and easy to begin doing with your very next drive. After you start driving this way you'll notice how often you didn't drive this way before.

So, why are freeways considered so much safer than all other roads? Well, besides the fact that they're really big car runways with vast clearings to each side and various countermeasures for limiting head-on crashes from the opposing lanes, the main reason is the relatively homogeneous nature of the freeway driving experience. By that I mean that most drivers are operating within an expected range of speed, all going the same direction and everyone knows exactly where (and how) to enter and exit the roadway.

The freeway has added protection because we are pretty confident as to how our fellow travelers are going to function on it. The rules are limited, well understood and normally followed. Oh sure, we still get the jerks there, but by it's very nature the freeway even limits their jerkfulness. On all other roads, though, the opportunities for drivers to express their free will are many and varied.

Well, here's a chance to remove at least one of those common and dangerous variables, and, as I said, you can try it today. When making a turn remember to FALL. That means, when you make a turn at an intersection, no matter which direction, complete your turn into the Fist Available Legal Lane (FALL). Nope, you probably will find that you don't always do this, but it is what we are supposed to do and we teach it to young drivers.

Yes, we're supposed to do it for two reasons. One is, well, we're supposed to do it. The main reason, though, is because it provides some common expectation to other drivers as to where we intend to steer our vehicle. If we have a common expectation and fewer variables, then there is less chance for crashes based on surprises.

I know; turning into the First Available Legal Lane isn't always where we want to end up. We're turning on to a road with multiple lanes, in some cases, and we just want to slide over into the furthest lane, perhaps, to set ourselves up for the next turn or something. Don't do it (well, at least try not to do it for a day or two). Make your turn into the FALL and then make your lane change. Be honest now, hasn't there been a time when you thought that all was clear but you ended up cutting someone off by making that slurping wide or narrow turn across multiple lanes? Didn't you get upset when someone did that to you?

There you go, it's simple. Try it this week and let me know what you think. On your next turn remember to FALL.

Be Safe.