WILKES-BARRE — AAA Mid-Atlantic always has our back when it comes to safety on the roads.
We really should heed their advice.
After all, if you do drive in today’s world, you really can’t feel safe.
Speeding vehicles, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, disregarding yield signs and “no turn on red” signs, and, of course, road rage.
But AAA calls our attention to the end of Daylight-Saving Time, noting that sun glare, early darkness, and drowsy driving are added to our unsafe conditions.
In case you missed it, Daylight Saving Time ended at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, so drivers should be prepared for heightened road hazards — including the aforementioned reduced visibility and an increased risk of drowsy driving.
AAA advises motorists to be aware of increased drowsiness due to disturbed sleep patterns and reduced visibility due to daylight changes. Additionally, AAA urges drivers to make sure their eyes and prescription eyewear are ready for the darker winter months.
Previous research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety showed that an estimated 17.6% of all fatal crashes from 2017–2021 involved a drowsy driver. Over the 5-year study period, an estimated 29,834 people were killed in crashes that involved drowsy drivers.
AAA says symptoms of drowsy driving can include having trouble keeping eyes open, drifting from lanes or not remembering the last few miles driven.
And get this gem — more than half of drivers involved in fatigue-related crashes experienced no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel.
Here are some additional AAA Foundation research findings:
• Drivers who have slept for less than 5 hours have a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.
• Drivers who miss one to two hours of sleep can nearly double their risk of a crash.
• While the signs of drowsiness should never be ignored, drivers must not wait for their bodies to sound the alarm.
AAA recommends several tips to avoid drowsy driving:
• Get plenty of sleep – at least 7 hours a night.
• Travel at times of the day when you are normally awake.
• Avoid heavy foods.
• Avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment.
AAA tips for nighttime driving:
• Reduce speed and increase following distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicles’ speeds and distances at night.
• Turn on headlights to see better during dawn and dusk and to be more visible to other drivers.
• Make sure headlights, tail lights and signal lights are working properly
• Keep lights and car windows (inside and out) clean for best visibility
• Have headlights properly aimed. If not properly aimed, headlights will blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
• When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beams so you don’t blind the driver ahead of you.
These are all good suggestions and should be followed and adhered to.
But, as we all know, some drivers just disregard all courtesies of the road, and in doing so, they put us all at risk.
And I must add one of my biggest fears — distracted drivers.
Oh, they are out there. You can see them everywhere.
They are looking at those damn cell phones while trying to drive their SUVs. They run red lights, they cross center lines, they miss a stop sign, they never yield, and they put fear in the hearts of all good drivers.
They absolutely have to respond to a text, or watch a stupid video, or check social media — all while trying to drink a latte or put on make-up or check the score of a football game.
Anybody will tell you that it just takes a second or two of distraction to cause a tragedy.
But AAA will tell you that while cell phones remain the main cause of distracted driving incidents, they are not the only cause.
In fact, AAA says other distractions include those caused by passengers, drivers adjusting climate or audio controls, reaching for something, eating or drinking and distracting activity outside the vehicle, such as a crash scene.
AAA is always urging drivers to put their phones down, look up and limit all distractions. Fully focus on driving. Do not let anything divert your attention, actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists — who hopefully are wearing bright colors.
There are a lot of reasons that driving on today’s roads is extremely risky.
Most of those reasons/causes can be prevented.
We just have to realize that our behavior behind the wheel is key.
Distracted driving, speeding, weaving, tailgating, disregarding yield signs and “no turn on red” signs, and, of course, road rage, all can be avoided.
Stay safe.