TEAMS, FRIENDS, VACATIONERS/TRAVELERS: Here are some tips on what to do should you encounter accident in the road. These are not the guarantee that you will not be injured but at least you must have guides on what to do in the ugly times during travel this summer vacation. Take the guidelines of KNOW to help you understand situations: 1. KNOW Situation Awareness during driving by planning ahead, acquiring maps of travel, acquiring security profile of destination and coming up with emergency call list 2. KNOW the mnemonics: BLOWBAGETS - Brakes, Lights, Oil, Water, Battery, Air (Tyres), Gas, Extinguisher & Electricals (e.g. chargers for CP, battery connections, etc), Tyres and tools, Self (having go bags and extra bottles of oil, brake fluid, water, gas) 3. KNOW how to make sure the safety systems on your car are serviced regularly. Airbags and seat-belts significantly reduce injury and death in automobile accidents. Make sure the non-safety systems on your car are serviced regularly. If you see an accident coming, having your brakes, engine, transmission, and suspension in top condition can help you minimize the damage. The safest accident is the one you dont get in, so if you see an accident coming, try to brake or accelerate away from it. If you cant avoid an accident, attempt to be hit on the front or rear of the car - vehicles are structurally stronger front-back than side-side. If you cannot manage this, attempt to maneuver so that the other vehicle(s) strike the front or rear quarter panels of your vehicle, which will transfer part of the force into spinning your vehicle, rather than directly striking it. 4. KNOW the standard and optional safety features, such as where and how many air bags come with the car. Research crash test results, and consider built-in monitoring services. These can notify emergency personnel of an accident. 5. KNOW the vulnerability of your car. The worst place for the vast majority of vehicles to be hit is dead center on the sides. There is very little between those inside the vehicle and the outside world, and support beams must fit around doors and windows. 6. KNOW to always don safety belts before you leave. 7. KNOW your vehicles dashboard for warning lights indicating any failures. 8. KNOW how to conduct yourself while driving like sitting up straight, not talking on your cell phone or to your friends, and focus on the road and the vehicles around you. 9. KNOW that as a passenger, you also must sit up straight with your seat-belt fastened. Dont overly slouch, dont put your feet up on the dashboard, and definitely do not distract the driver. 10. KNOW that you must drive safely, obeying the law, and being conscious of current conditions. Sixty mph may be safe when its dry, but if a sudden rain falls, wetting the roadway and raising oil off the ground, it will probably be safer to drive at a lower speed. 11. KNOW that If you are in a crash, you will not be able to control where your body goes. Car accidents happen far faster, and with far more force than the human body can react to. Do not bend over or cover your head. In the event of a roll over, any force significant enough to warp in the roof and bend or break the A-beams might hit your head, and possibly knock you unconscious. It is unlikely to do nearly as much damage as that caused to your neck from having your head in front of the air bags when they deploy. If you see an accident coming, do not hunch, duck, or move out of the normal driving position, as this will reduce the effectiveness of your vehicles safety systems. These systems are designed to work for the majority of accidents, where the driver is unaware of whats coming. Ducking closer to the steering wheel or dash will reduce the amount of space the seat-belt has to activate in, increasing the likelihood you will strike your head on part of the car. For vehicles equipped with air bags, the closer your head is to the bag before it engages, the more head and neck damage you will receive. Stay upright, hold onto the steering wheel if youre the driver or your headrest if youre a passenger, and be prepared for a jolt. 12. KNOW that if your vehicle catches fire, move yourself and anyone else well away from it in case of explosion. 13. KNOW that if your vehicle exits the roadway into water, exit the vehicle as soon as is at all possible. If the vehicle slips below the water, you will not be able to get out until it fills with water, due to the pressure on the outside of the car. I will discuss on another issue how to escape when your car sinks into the water. Safe driving. It is not the destination. It is the experience in between while you do your journey...
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 01:59:28 +0000
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