Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Health 110
Fall 2007
dangerous if precautions are forgotten in the day to day hustle and bustle. Safety is
defined as the condition of being safe, freedom from danger, risk, or injury. After
completing the Comprehensive Health Assessment, there were several areas that
decided to improve on my motor vehicle safety. Today, many people take driving lightly
with little awareness of the great responsibility issued with the coveted driver’s license.
After researching many different health safety issues in my daily life, I decided
that motor vehicle safety could have the greatest affect on my life. In chapter sixteen of
the health text books, there is a list of motor vehicle safety tips for drivers. After reading
over the list, I realized that I only seriously conformed to four of the fourteen tips. I am
familiar with the traffic laws, always buckle up, look carefully before changing lanes, and
never drink and drive. But there are ten other tips that I do not abide to one-hundred
percent of the time. My car is not always in the best mechanical condition and does not
contain a first aid kit. Sometimes I do not follow the speed limit, keep my radio at a
minimum level, give pedestrians the ride-of-way, be especially careful at railroads and
intersections, alter my driving during bad weather, drive defensively, drive well-rested,
and avoid distractions (Hahn). Obviously, a safety plan is needed to become a better
driver.
In 1996, there were over 6.8 million car crashes reported in the United States. Of
these crashes, there were over forty-two thousand fatalities and 3.5 million injuries
(Lyznick). There are so many distractions while on the road today. Cell phones, fast
food, radio stations, and road rage are a few of the many driving distractions that plague
the interstates. A driver that uses a cell phone while on the road is over four times more
motor vehicles is not worth the risks of harm that come with them. Not only does poor
driving have negative affects on the driver, but the passengers, other car passengers,
interventions to make my driving a little safer. First, I should create a good driving
environment in my car by eliminating all the distractions from with in. By maintaining a
reasonable volume level on the radio, I will better hear the traffic outside the car. I could
also reduce the use of the cellular telephone while driving, by making calls before and
after each trip. Also by being well-rested, I can become a more alert driver (Lyznick).
were to leave earlier to decrease the urgency of the trip, it would be easier to slow down
and lighten my lead foot. For many years, motor vehicle crashes were the leading
causes of death in children from six to twenty-seven years old. In 1983, only fourteen
percent of car drivers wore seat belts, and although the percentage is on the rise, only
sixty percent of drivers wear them today (Peterson). And finally, with a better respect
and understanding for the traffic laws, I would be a safer driver. I should make sure to
yield to pedestrians and stop at railroad tracks, just to name a few (Nathens).
preventative measure for the road is to prepare for the worst. Regular mechanical
check ups will make flat tire and engine trouble less likely. A roadside survival kit is also
a good idea; it should contain items like a twelve-foot jumper cable, blanket, flashlight,
first aid kit, and ice scraper are good beginning points for a good kit. Also, becoming a
defensive driver and being alert will help in preparing for the worst (Mead).
conditions.
Over the next several weeks, I plan to change the way I drive and how I
approach the rules of the road. Parallel to the three interventions mentioned above,
there are three things I can do in the future to become a better driver. On the week of
Thanksgiving, I will be driving to Nashville, which is about a three hour trip. By leaving
early, and mapping out my route, the journey should be that much safer and I should
not feel pressure to exceed the speed limit. Also, I am planning to change my oil and
rotate the tire on my car in December. By asking the mechanics to complete a full
check on the motor vehicle and fixing the issues found, I will be one step closer to being
a safer driver. And finally, I am in the process of making a roadside survival kit for the
trunk of my car. I will include the usual tools and gizmos along with granola bars,
Violent related crimes and rape seem to be harder safety issues to control because they
are intentional and out of the victim’s control. Motor vehicle safety may be a leading
cause of death, but it seems more feasible to prevent. That’s why I am going to do all
that’s in my power to avoid unsafe incidents on the road- an arena where more can be
Hahn, Dale B., Wayne A. Payne, et al. (2006). “Protecting Your Safety.” (8th Ed.),
Lyznick, James M., Theodore C. Doege, et. al. (17 June 1998). “Sleepiness, Driving,
279.23.
Mead, Scott. (1997). “Create Your Own Roadside Emergency Kit.” Retrieved 5 Nov
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/43798/article.html
Nathens, Avery B., Gregory J. Jurkovich, et.al. (19 April 2000). “The Effect of
Peterson, Timothy D., B Tilman Jolly, et.al. ( Sep 1998). “Motor Vehicle Safety:
Redelmeier, Donald A. and Robert J. Tibshirani. (13 Feb 1997). “Association Between