Their own brains are obviously not ‘in gear’ and yet the tragic results from a sudden stop at high speed are rarely avoided.
My father as a young man was in the NSW Ambulance Service and as a teenager when I pestered him to learn to drive, he would always say ‘Remember it is not speed that kills, but most assuredly the sudden stop which does!’
He had way too many firsthand experiences of rescuing traumatized people and scraping body parts together from road accidents, sadly mostly avoidable. His message has stayed with me and hard to argue with its simplicity.
Driving smart is not any different to driving your businesses successfully. When you are the driver of a vehicle or responsible for others in any way, surely it is about the ability to have the overview, think logically, plan ahead and consider the risk factors. Have strategies in place to counter the what ifs.
Situations change and we must always be ready for them, not just float along and hope for the best. Look at the bigger picture. What is it you wish to achieve? Think carefully, act responsibly and plan appropriately for the longer term. Better to remain proactive than having to keep knee jerking should issues arise.
Band aid fixes do not last. Avoid the damages and casualties in the first place. Yesterday while doing my daily grind on the M4, I was almost side swiped three times by drivers, who were busy doing other things and not concentrating on the job in hand.
I was beginning to think someone had stuck a sign on my car saying hit me. The first offender was simply impatient, trying to catch a green light at the expense of my car’s front end since my lane appeared to have less cars to beat the lights.
The driver only missed my car because I immediately took my foot off the accelerator slowing down sufficiently to avoid contact.
This I believe is usually a much safer option than hitting the brakes, risk skidding or having the car behind me go crunch, since they too would not be expecting a sudden stop.
Was the foolish action worth it? Of course not! The next green light was only a short fraction of time away. The other two drivers had apparently dropped possessions of some kind and leant across to retrieve them.
This caused both vehicles to leave their lanes and drift dangerously towards my passenger’s side. What was so important they needed to immediately retrieve at the risk of causing an accident? Nothing I figured.
Prevention put into practice has always been paramount for me, a bit like closing drawers and cupboards needlessly left open. Commonsense surely!
The what if for me was well and truly factored in, so I was the one who took charge and avoided the collisions. Do you feel safe and well managed, respected, and confident a good plan for the road you are travelling with the business is securely in place?
If you are in fact the employer, the ‘driver’ in this instance, do you really see what is in front of, or around you? Do you think about how your own actions might impact others? Do you know how to stay in your own ‘lanes’ and not drift carelessly? Do you assess and plan ahead? Are you properly prepared for the what ifs? Remember the bigger picture, and be the driver who knows exactly where you are travelling and be counted on to always steer steady and straight!
Jill Woods is the CEO of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce.
