The Most Overlooked Safety Event - Driving
Driving is a huge responsibility.
It’s difficult enough for most people to just get to work on time every day, let alone be on the lookout for things that could pose safety hazards, like icy roads or pot holes.
Some of these hazards are preventable with precautionary steps and awareness, while others are unpreventable by any human action and merely require vigilance.
But the sooner you can identify potential dangers, the better position you will be in to handle them when they arise.
It’s time to review the most overlooked safety event that can positively affect your day but often goes unnoticed.
That event is driving itself – whether you choose to drive or not.
Many people go about their daily lives as if driving wasn’t even an option.
But in reality it is an option, and depending on where you live, it may be the only way to get there efficiently and safely, so you should get used to the idea of driving.
Subways are expensive and unreliable, cabs are hard to come by and even if they aren’t hard to find, they are expensive; walking is time consuming and exercise isn’t a good enough excuse for most people anyway. So what’s an urban-dweller to do when they need to get from point A to point B? Drive, of course.
If you are forced to drive, the worst thing you can do is become trapped behind someone who drives too slow. Any time spent behind the wheel is time that could be more productively used doing something other than being stuck in traffic.
There are a few things you can do to avoid this activity in your daily routine.
The first way is to simply remove yourself from the equation altogether. If you don’t need to drive to work, don’t do it.
In today’s world, there are a number of options for getting from point A to point B on public transportation. You could go by bus, train or even subway (depending on where you live and the circumstance).
There are many reasons why people choose this option over driving themselves, but the most common reason is because it is cheaper; not having to pay for parking or gas helps a lot.
Another reason is that driving can be an extremely stressful activity. Being trapped in heavy traffic with no forward motion can really get under your skin (not to mention wasting precious time).
Research done by The Big Picture on the National Public Radio show, Morning Edition , showed that women are more prone to stress about traffic than men.
Putting yourself in a stressful situation is bad, but not having to be in a stressful situation is even worse.
The third way you can avoid driving yourself consists of getting around people sitting in traffic who are keeping you from being on time for appointments and other activities.
This is where the idea of rail transit comes into play; unlike subways, which are expensive and time consuming (especially compared to driving), trains don’t have limited capacity and are generally more dependable.
The more modern trains are also electric and cost efficient, meaning that you won’t be paying any more for gas than you spend on the ticket price.
If you take the train to work, then theoretically, your car won’t be put under the same type of stress that often occurs when dealing with traffic congestion.
The great thing about trains is that not only are they much faster than other modes of public transportation, but they have a lot of room and they can move in both directions (unlike subways).
This means not only can you get to your destination faster, but so can everyone else – which means that there is less potential for heavy traffic congestion.
Now, if you live far enough away from your place of employment, this may not always be the best option.
It would make more sense to use the train if you live in a large metropolitan area with many different subway lines, like New York or Chicago.
But if you live in a small town where there are no trains and you have a long commute, this is still a viable option.
Aside from being slower and more dangerous than driving yourself (you can't "merge" with other cars), riding mass transit also leaves you open to being pickpocketed when it comes time to get off the train or get into an elevator at your destination.
While it is difficult to prevent every type of crime, there are precautions you can take.
When boarding the train, not only should you keep your wallet out of sight, but also your luggage and pockets.
And if it's not too heavy or bulky, place it on the floor directly in front of you when you get on the train.
Consider packing a small lock for your backpack and keep about 3 dollars in cash with each ticket for emergencies (don't leave any cards or loose money in your pocket).
Make sure you are aware of your surroundings at all times.
If you are seated when some unwanted company comes knocking, pay attention to what they are wearing and how they move.
Sometimes a pickpocket will jostle you or bump into you by "accident" (or maybe not) in order to distract your attention. The pickpocket might have an accomplice hovering close by pretending to assist you, or another accomplice standing farther away waiting for the signal to make the grab of valuables.
Keep in mind that not every train car is going to function like this though; most of them will be perfectly safe. Still, it is better to be careful than sorry.
All in all, using mass transit is a good idea. It saves you time and money, not to mention the hassle of dealing with traffic and the potential danger of being carjacked; however, it is important that you know what you are getting into and that you take steps to ensure your safety.
And if you choose not to use public transportation for any reason (you just don't like it), then by all means drive yourself – just remember that with great privilege comes great responsibility .
A FEW WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR: “I've written extensively on self protection and travel safety on my blog at .
Conclusion
This is all the knowledge you need to stay safe when traveling. If you think of it too that way, then it doesn't sound like so much work at all. I hope you found the articles on this particular topic useful and informative; if you did, please forward to a friend or two. Thanks for reading.
Stay safe!
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