In 2012 the Manheim Lions Club partnered with Doug Herbert’s B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) foundation to train teen drivers how to stay alive by learning safe driving. Doug Herbert (Top Fuel NHRA racer) started this non-profit foundation in 2008 after the horrific traffic deaths of his sons, James and Jon.
This sounds like an excellent program especially since many schools have, for cost-cutting or potential liability reasons, dropped their Driver's Ed courses. Teen drivers with their extremely limited driving experience and likely an inadequate knowledge of the physics of moving objects are at a much elevated risk of injury or death in today's fast-paced, gotta-get-there-now mentality. Too many crashes are dismissed as "accidents" when, in fact, most if not all of them could have been avoided if the drivers had focused their entire attention on driving.
A rudimentary knowledge of the Smith system Ⓡ™ 5 points:
1) Aim High in Steering (Look at least 15 seconds ahead of you)
2) Get The Big Picture (Work for a 360 degree panoramic awareness)
3) Keep Your Eyes Moving (Scan all your mirrors EVERY 5 to 8 seconds)
4) Leave Yourself an Out (Control your space -Don’t get boxed in)
5) Make Sure They See You
is a valuable asset for anyone interested in spending more time driving while they’re driving, than they are in gabbing, gawking or other non-specific tom-foolery!
Driving is serious business!
When I was a teenager, I saw the deadly results of teens in automobile crashes and I wondered what kind of crash would be the one to kill me. It seemed an almost natural way for teens to die. But after further thought I realized that accidents were not accidental, that they COULD be avoided.
I now can claim over a million crash-free, violation-free miles in an 18-wheeler and untold thousands of miles in my personal vehicle. It appalls me when I see speeders and tailgaters mindlessly risking lives simply because they lack patience or were never properly trained to recognize potential dangers lurking around every corner.
(And as for so-called Acts of God — I really don’t think any God would call in lightning to fell a tree just in time for it to crash down on your car and crush you. I’d call that Perversity of Circumstance.)
Accidents are not accidental!
If you are a teen or the parent of a teen and would like to know more about B.R.A.K.E.S. check out their website at www.putonthebrakes.com or contact the Manheim Lions Club or the sponsor, The Hondru Family of Dealerships.
Don't be a reckless driver
Be a wreck-less driver
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You're my favorite Dinosaur :)
ReplyDeleteAww. You warm the cockles of my heart. Whatever they are. And assuming Dinosaurs have them. LOL
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