Why does vacation time turn some folks into zombie-like drivers?
Vacation is supposed to be stress-free and happy, right?
If you live along a beach or vacation traffic route like me, you know exactly what I mean.
You almost feel like these zombie drivers pack and hit the road with a killer-instinct for anyone who might be on their road. Maybe they add some extra “juice” to their coffee?
For many years, our beach route highway was only one lane each direction with double yellow lines most of the way. In the summer, we cringed when we approach a curve or slight hill. You never knew if you will encounter someone zooming head-on in your lane at 65 to 70 mph. It made for a white-knuckled drive!
Thankfully they’re widening our highway bit by bit. Who knows how many lives have been lost over the years especially during peak traffic season! The locals blame the big city drivers from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. for the hair-raising drive to the beach.
The locals are right! These big city drivers have earned their reputation, too! Baltimore and D.C. rank 8th and 10th as the top ten cities with the worst road-rage drivers according to http://www.monkeymeter.com
It’s no wonder handmade signs sometimes appear along our stretch of highway, “Go HOME! The beach is closed.”
While the St. Louis area is happily known for its courteous drivers, distracted or careless driving can still easily spark a road-rage induced car accident. You’ve all seen that speeding driver weaving in and out of traffic.
Or, a driver cuts you off, and you narrowly avoid an accident! You can’t help but notice they’re on their cell. Grrr! See what I mean? The blood pressure rises just thinking about it!
Those most likely to display road rage are between the ages of 18 and 39. That might include your vulnerable, newly-minted teen driver!
Need help starting that conversation? Tell your teen how not become a zombie driver.
Here are some common sense tips for surviving zombie drivers:
- Stay on “high-alert” for zombie drivers. Don’t zone out. You need to keep at least four of your senses in action. Hands on the steering wheel! Eyes on the road and mirrors! Ears tuned in for revving engines or other signs of trouble! Your nose, well, if you drive an older car, this comes in handy for sniffing out trouble with your own vehicle.
- Take a chill-pill. That’s right. If someone cuts you off, take a deep breath and let it go. Being tail-gated? Go ahead and get out of the left lane already! Swerving car? Just try to stay out of their way. I’ve seen my grandfather kindly pull off to the shoulder numerous times to let faster moving traffic go past him. That’s right, parents! It’s up to us to show our teens how to respond to road rage.
- Decide if the driver needs police intervention. Once we noticed a semi- truck repeatedly swerving into the lane beside him. Knowing that truck drivers often face crazy deadlines, we wondered if he was sleepy. After watching him carefully from a distance for a few miles, we decided to call the police. It was for his own safety as well the safety of others.
- Never pull over to speak to an angry driver! Don’t pull over unless you caused an auto accident! Even so, take precautions to protect yourself from an irate driver. Call 911 yourself. Then call your car accident attorney as soon as possible. http://steimel-law.com/personal-injury-motorvehicle.html
We’re human. Accidents happen even when we try to avoid being that zombie driver!
If you’ve been involved in a car crash, you need the help of an experienced auto accident lawyer. The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC knows that being involved in an auto accident is a very stressful time for you!
They care about your rights and helping you get the full accident compensation that you need. Call today for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737
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