Driving Safely

Driving is something that we all do for our job, whether commuting to the office or driving to a job site. With an average of 6 million car accidents each day throughout the United States, we do not expect to be entirely exempt. According to auto insurance industry experts, the average driver will be in a car accident once every 18 years or so. This means that over the course of a drivers lifetime, they will be in about 4 car accidents.

Be aware of your surroundings. On the road or on the job site, be aware of your surroundings and those around you. Never assume that others see you. Drive defensively, check your blind spots and use your turn signals at the appropriate time before moving over to let those around you know of your intentions.

Use your lights. Many drivers only turn their lights on at night. However, on a foggy, rainy, or snowy day, your lights make you more visible to others as well as increase your visibility. Even if you think, “Well, I can see fine,” turn your lights on anyway. It will be beneficial for you and the other drivers on the road.

Get over. In February, Michigan expanded the move over law which mandates that motorists slow down by 10 mph below the posted speed limit and when possible, move over a lane when passing a police or emergency vehicle on the side of the road. Over a dozen Michigan Police Officers have been struck by vehicles on the side of the road since January. Failure to get over could not only result in a $400 ticket but also puts other lives at risk.

Don’t drive distracted. Every day, about every 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 people are injured from an accident involving a distracted driver. Phone use is a major distraction from driving. On average, it takes most people 5 seconds to take their eyes off the road to read or send a text. At 55 mph, that equates to driving the full length of a football field with your eyes closed. Most phones now have a ‘Driving Mode’ that disables notifications from becoming a distraction while driving.

At Lee, all drivers are taught general safe operating procedures and safe procedures applicable to their individual vehicles. From the start of the day to the end, safety is our focus.

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