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36 � Division of Chemical Hea

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Do you know wh

ere yourteenager is?

I f you follow the comic strip ‘‘Zits’’ you areprobably aware that Jeremy is learning todrive and there are thousands of other

teens out there that are itching to get behindthe wheel to experience that new sense offreedom. This past month has really broughthome the issue of inexperienced driversbehind the wheel as – my daughter has madeher first long trip without a parent and theweather in Oklahoma has been less than idealfor driving.

Driving is probably one of the most hazar-dous activities that we undertake each day, andyet we probably pay very little attention to therisk. During the past month, I have witnessed anumber of unsafe behaviors as well as agonizedover a number of traffic fatalities. In severalmetropolitan areas there have been a numberof pedestrian/vehicle accidents that haveresulted in the death of the pedestrian. Andeven though the pedestrian has the right ofway, it may not have been the driver’s faultthat resulted in the accident. In many cases, itwas the choice of the pedestrian, i.e. the clothesthat they were wearing (dark clothes on anunlit street) and where they choose to crossthe road – an interstate highway. Yet, not onlyis the family of the person who died devastatedthe person who collided with the pedestrian isalso devastated.

Additionally, the winter weather, high winds,ice, snow and rain have also brought out theworst in drivers. First, does the phrase ‘‘drivingfor the road conditions’’ mean anything to any-one any more? During the past 30 days, I haveseen individual drivers go 50–60 miles per houron either ice packed roads, or in white outconditions. Typically, I also see these indivi-duals in the ditch or at the side of the road –going faster did not get them to their destina-tion sooner.

Second, do the words ‘‘high profile vehicle’’and ‘‘high wind’’ trigger any hazard recogni-tion in people’s brains? During the past week,our local front page has shown two clean-upsone involving a load of spent catalyst and onewith a modular home because high windseffected the load. In the case of the catalyst,the driver lost control and the vehicle over-

lth and Safety of the American Chemical Society

ed.

turned. In the other, modular home blew offthe transport.

Third, in many states there is now a law thatyou cannot have a cell phone up to your earwhile driving. In some states there are additionalfines if it was determined there was a cell phonein use at the time of the accident, even if it wasnot the cell phone users fault. But the cell phone,while a common distraction is not the onlydistraction. During the last week, I have beenbehind a driver who was ‘‘doing her hair’’, some-one who was trying to use their new GPS device,someone messing with something below thedashboard, and some one reaching into the backseat. Each of us is probably guilty of theseactions, but knowing that I am on the road thatis covered with ice – these actions are scarierthan usual.

Finally, many of us travel and there is oneadditional driving hazard that we probablydon’t think about very often. We are all worriedabout driving in areas where we are unfamiliarbecause we don’t know exactly where we aregoing. And, each of us understands that whilewe are focused on trying to get where we aregoing is a distractive hazard, but there are otherhazards. For example, are you familiar with thetraffic patterns in the area? In some casestrucks and other vehicles will enter the road-way with out warning and it is typical for thatsection of road. Are you familiar with thepedestrian patterns? Are there a large numberof workers crossing the street at particulartimes of day – shift change, break, etc.? Whatis beyond the curve in this area? The speedlimit is 50 – but should you be slowing becausearound the bend is a high school? All of theseare hazards, and during the past six months, Ihave experience a number of near missesrelated to each one of the above scenarios.

Driving is dangerous. For those of us thattravel frequently, driving has additional hazards– unfamiliar cars, unfamiliar roads, and unfami-liar traffic patterns. There are weather and roadhazards. Thereare distractions. And, thereareofcourse the other drivers. It is critical that weeach take some time to reflect about our drivingand let’s be safe out there – because my daughteris now on the road.

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doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2008.01.006