How to make driving safer for everyone

In a study of Japan’s Automotive Insurance Industry a few years back, the vast majority of accident-related insurance claims occurred at very low speeds, with as much as 60 percent happening right after the owner had just started the car.

No doubt, we all tend to develop a lot of poor habits along the way like leaving cars engaged in-gear and not knowing the proper use of head and tail lamps.

I thought about this topic when a cat leapt out from underneath the engine bay as I started my Project Supra in our garage. My car’s 2JZ-GTE engine is suspended on harder durometer TRD engine and transmission supports so the torque reaction from starting the engine is rather violent, and since my car is slightly inclined to help rain water flow into the storm drain, the car started moving slowly. Good thing I noticed so I applied the brakes immediately and was able to avoid a bigger problem. Hence, I’d like to share some safe and simple reminders to make driving safer for our dear readers.

1.) Before getting into your car, walk around it and look underneath, make some scary noises and shoo away stray animals. Of course, you don’t want to see a creature cooked by your engine’s V-belts, timing belt or other accessories belts. Cats and other small animals love to snuggle up to your engine because it provides heat for them. Starting the engine might get animals ensnared by your engine’s reciprocating parts.

2.) When you park and before you leave, make a mental note of the objects surrounding your car. A few years back, I grazed the entire passenger’s side of my brother’s pick-up because I failed to note that a parking stanchion, with chains attached to it to deter illegal parkers, was right beside my pick-up. Being absent-minded is very costly, motoring-wise. Take note of light posts, parking meters, barricades, barriers and the like around your car so that when you get in and start your engine to move off, you’ll be able to avoid these large and heavy barricades that will damage your car. Remember to always fasten your seatbelt before getting on the move.

3.) Once inside, check that your transmission lever is in PARK or NEUTRAL, step on firmly and positively on both the brake and clutch pedals (brake pedal only if your car is automatic), eyes looking ahead, then start it. Too often, too many people leave their manual transmission equipped cars in-gear. Then they let other people drive them. But once that other driver gets in and starts the car, there is  a big possibility that a nice big bump ensues as the car, usually in first or reverse slams into a wall or the car parked in front or behind it. If the handbrake is pretty worn, replace the brake shoes and the parking brake cable or at least tighten the tension of the parking brake. It’s a bad idea anyway to habitually leave the cars in-gear. If you’re driving someone else’s car, step on both brake and clutch pedals to avoid any untoward incidents.

4.) When entering covered parking, turn on your headlights. First, a quick lesson on car’s headlamps and tail lamps. These lights provide us with two benefits: we can see cars, pedestrians and the road ahead of us, and it allows us to be seen by other cars and pedestrians. Most people don’t realize that parking in covered areas reduces visibility significantly due to blind corners, steep ramps and poor lighting. Turning on your headlamps in covered parking spaces allow other cars to see you from a safe distance, so that other cars can slow down and make way. As good habit, always yield the right of way, especially to cars going up. Remember, open your headlamps so that other motorists can see you, and not necessarily for you to see them.

5.) When rain starts pouring hard, or thick fog covers the road, or your visibility is otherwise hampered, turn on your headlamps and tail lamps. Again, this is an issue of visibility. It’s not just about you being able to see, it’s about other people seeing you and not slamming onto you on the road. If the weather is really bad, consider stopping somewhere safe, such as a lay-by, a gas station or any populated and well-lit commercial establishment. And please, do not ever turn on your emergency hazard lights while your vehicle is moving. Emergency hazard lights denote a stranded, stationary, non-moving vehicle which is an international traffic law that the Philippines respects and follows. If you get struck from behind by another vehicle while your emergency hazard light is on, you are to blame. It’s also wise to consider investing in upgraded headlamp bulbs, auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps and rear fog lamps to increase your visibility, as well as increase your car’s visibility in relation to other motorists. If you’ve got cheap HID headlamps that are unable to properly focus the light beam on the road, start praying.

6.) When coming to a standstill, always step on your brake pedal, or always engage the e-brake/handbrake. A few years back, I was rear-ended by a reckless taxi driver while I was slowing down due to a major vehicular accident on the road. As my instinct told me to step hard on the brake pedal at impact, it only increased the rear-end damage as I basically slowed down the speeding taxi as well. Had I not been stepping on the brakes, I would have slammed onto the car ahead of me. While in bumper-to-bumper traffic, a bored and impatient me noticed a fly whizzing around the car interior. While I was trying desperately to slap it to death with my hands, my car had started creeping slowly forward and gathering speed. I ended up rear-ending a taxi, much to the surprise of the taxi driver and its occupants as well as myself. So, if your right foot isn’t on the throttle, it should be on the brake pedal.

Safe driving everyone!

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