Bus drivers take their lives into their hands every day on
city streets and interstate highways. Despite challenging traffic conditions
and the responsibility of a large vehicle and numerous passengers, bus drivers
find ways to stay safe while keeping up with demanding routes and schedules.
These unsung heroes of the road universally command respect, but they also
offer important lessons to ordinary drivers who share busy roads with buses
every day. Our team at Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville has the
details.
Distracted Driving
Modern technology has caused an addiction for many bus
drivers as they struggle to communicate while safely driving a bus. An Italian
bus driver was caught on video simultaneously using two cell phones while
steering his bus with his elbows. This talent showed the world that cell phone
use behind the wheel might not present the extreme danger most people expect.
Seriously, bus drivers can provide some good examples of how not to drive.
Although many states have laws in place restricting the use of electronic
devices while driving, many states do not. All drivers should avoid risking
their lives and the lives of passengers by reserving cell phone use to
emergencies while driving.
Road Rage
A New York City school bus driver named Juan DelValle
side-swiped a car on a crowded city street and was subsequently attacked by the
offended driver. DelValle was within days of his long-awaited retirement and
died from severe injuries to his brain. This one example shows how a minor
traffic incident can quickly escalate into a life-changing event for unprepared
drivers. Drivers should exercise extreme caution every time they have an
incident with another driver. After an accident, drivers who feel threatened
can call police and wait in their cars until help arrives.
Rest
Bus drivers illustrate why no one should sit behind the
wheel of a vehicle when fatigued. Investigators determined that a tour bus
crash in New York that killed 15 passengers was caused by a sleepy driver. The
bus driver, Ophadell Williams, was charged with criminally negligent homicide.
His life might never return to its previous state. Drivers who spend time
getting the sleep they need might arrive late at their destination, but they
also arrive with a clear conscience, an alert mind, and living passengers.
Defensive Driving
A Transit bus in Los Osos, California rolled down an
embankment after colliding with a car on a dark and wet stretch of road. Bus
drivers know they cannot count on the driving skills of other motorists for
safety, so they drive defensively. In the Los Osos case, the bus driver managed
to stay alive after the Mercedes crossed the center line. Although the driver
of the automobile died in the wreck, all the bus passengers lived. Every driver
should periodically take time to review defensive-driving tactics or to attend
a defensive driving class to improve their ability to respond to unexpected
circumstances on the highway.
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