Any experienced driver that has spent some time in the Northeast can tell you the basics of snow driving. Slower speeds, longer stopping distances, be ready to use the horn, very little braking, increased following distances, and if at all possible, just stay home. Today's storm (25" in Watertown, and at this blog writing at 12:30pm, it is still spitting snow) presents us with the opportunity to talk about the LONG term effects of the snow storm.
Today, this storm is all over the news. It is on the front of everyone's mind, and thus, MOST people are following the guidelines of New England Snow Driving.
Tangent. I say MOST because during Friday's snow storm, I was traveling on Route 8 South at 15 MPH, mostly because I couldn't see as snow was falling at 2"/hour. I drive a Greep Grand Cherokee Limited, 4WD with a V8. I was being PASSED, not once, but 3 times, by cars that had no business being on the road at all, let alone at 50+ MPH during a blizzard. These people, Need All-Star.
Back on track. Tomorrow and into the weekend, our short memories will start to forget about Snow Day Wednesday. However, it will be just as important to watch our speeds and most importantly, INCREASED FOLLOWING DISTANCE. Buses, 18 Wheelers, Large trucks, conversion vans, commercial vehicles, and Ford Excursions are very hard to clean off completely in even a small snow storm. As these vehicles stay parked today and tomorrow, the snow will settle onto the roofs. Until you are directly behind the truck on I-84 and the wind blows just right, sending a sheet of 2' of snow directly into your car.
Into this weekend, keep your following distance GREATLY EXTENDED. There is no safe way to avoid a sheet of flying snow and ice at highway speeds if you are only 3 seconds behind a truck. Following the law? Yes. Safe? Not really. Doubling this following distance will give you the time you need to See the problem, Identify the solution, Prepare to move, Decide where to go, and Execute! Be weary of the people you are sharing the road with days and weeks after the snow storm and you will keep your car, your passengers, and yourself safe.
Enjoy the snow day! Until Soon...
BD
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Waiting For Your License
Last month, the CT DMV released a report showing a 62% drop in teen driving fatalities since the new teen driving laws were put into place in August of 2008. What the report fails to mention is the drop in numbers of teens going to get their license.
I remember, quite clearly, the day I turned 16. I was in line at the DMV in Waterbury an hour before they opened, studying to pass my permit test. And I was not alone. It seemed it was just the way things went...at 16, you got your Driver's License.
Today, this is not the case. Between the deteriorating economic conditions, fearful teens not wanting to be a part of the statistics, and the new teen driving laws, we are finding less and less 16 year old students in our classes and more and more 18 and 19 year old students in our 8 hour programs.
The Graduated Licensing program that Connecticut instituted in 2008 focused heavily on teen drivers, almost completely ignoring the adult driving population. One of the unintended consequences of these laws was the influx of teen drivers now just waiting until they turn 18. They think "I can't drive with my friends, I have to be home before 11pm, I'd rather just wait." Here is the problem...Good driving doesn't come with age. Good driving comes with experience. We need to make mistakes and correct them once in order to prevent them from happening again. This is what the Graduated Licensing Laws aim to do; give students the opportunity to get on the roads in the safest conditions possible and gain privileges as they gain experience. As soon as someone turns 18, these requirements go away. An 8 hour safe driving course and a passed DMV exam means a driving lesson. I speak to many 18 and 19 year old students whose license test is their first time behind the wheel...EVER! We are sharing the roads these people, whose experience and knowledge is quite obviously, limited.
If you are a teenager, or a parent of a teenager, don't wait. Get your license now. Even if you don't buy your own car, even if you still need mom to pick you up if the movie gets out at 11:30pm, at least you will start gaining the experience you need to be safe. Teen driving fatalities are down 62%, but in the next 2-3 years, you will see the statistic for driving fatalities for 18-21 year olds grow. All waiting does is move the graph. YOU NEED EXPERIENCE!
Until Soon...
BD
I remember, quite clearly, the day I turned 16. I was in line at the DMV in Waterbury an hour before they opened, studying to pass my permit test. And I was not alone. It seemed it was just the way things went...at 16, you got your Driver's License.
Today, this is not the case. Between the deteriorating economic conditions, fearful teens not wanting to be a part of the statistics, and the new teen driving laws, we are finding less and less 16 year old students in our classes and more and more 18 and 19 year old students in our 8 hour programs.
The Graduated Licensing program that Connecticut instituted in 2008 focused heavily on teen drivers, almost completely ignoring the adult driving population. One of the unintended consequences of these laws was the influx of teen drivers now just waiting until they turn 18. They think "I can't drive with my friends, I have to be home before 11pm, I'd rather just wait." Here is the problem...Good driving doesn't come with age. Good driving comes with experience. We need to make mistakes and correct them once in order to prevent them from happening again. This is what the Graduated Licensing Laws aim to do; give students the opportunity to get on the roads in the safest conditions possible and gain privileges as they gain experience. As soon as someone turns 18, these requirements go away. An 8 hour safe driving course and a passed DMV exam means a driving lesson. I speak to many 18 and 19 year old students whose license test is their first time behind the wheel...EVER! We are sharing the roads these people, whose experience and knowledge is quite obviously, limited.
If you are a teenager, or a parent of a teenager, don't wait. Get your license now. Even if you don't buy your own car, even if you still need mom to pick you up if the movie gets out at 11:30pm, at least you will start gaining the experience you need to be safe. Teen driving fatalities are down 62%, but in the next 2-3 years, you will see the statistic for driving fatalities for 18-21 year olds grow. All waiting does is move the graph. YOU NEED EXPERIENCE!
Until Soon...
BD
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