Adrenaline, it’s that feeling you might get from a roller coaster or when you put the pedal to the metal in your own vehicle. Whether it’s ‘the rush’ that motivates you or if you did not leave home soon enough and are feeling rushed, here are some things to consider before you treat the road like a speedway.
When you come to work for the Iowa Department of Transportation, especially in a maintenance garage, you take on a lot of responsibility to keep those who travel “your” roads safe. Whether that’s repairing guardrail, edge rutting or snow plowing, many of our employees feel a sense of responsibility for those traveling in their area. When bad things happen on those roads, especially when one of our folks is the first on the scene, it takes a toll that isn’t often recognized.
If you’re unable to put your cell phone out of your reach while you’re driving, you may have “nomophobia” or the fear of being without a mobile device. According to the online Addiction Center, there are more than 3.8 billion smartphone users in the world. Research published by Virgin Mobile discovered that those billions of smartphone users receive 427 percent more messages and notifications than they did a decade ago. They also send 278 percent more texts.
Sitting behind the counter at an Iowa Department of Transportation driver’s license service center or county treasurer’s office for the first time can be very intimidating. If you are working for an Iowa DOT service center or most county treasurer offices, you’re tasked with the important job of making sure drivers are properly and safely licensed to share the road with your friends and family. You’ll also be asked to assure that all identification cards are properly issued for those customers who come to us for ID services. And if you are working for a county location you have the added responsibility of titling and registering the 4.5 million vehicles in Iowa.
There are some things that just leave a bad taste in your mouth. You would probably think twice before eating an orange right after you’ve brushed your teeth and who in their right mind would mix ranch dressing and chocolate? But how much thought do you give to getting behind the wheel if you’ve had a drink or two?
Kurt Stahle and his brothers Kyle and Kevin grew up on a farm near Iowa City. They’ve been driving Iowa 1 for decades and know every spot along the road that is prone to hang on to the worst winter can dish out. That’s why the brothers are proud participants in the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Standing Corn Snow Fence program.
Kurt said, “We grew up driving that road and we’ve seen the increase in traffic since Iowa 1 has become a main north-south artery into Iowa City. With the hills, there is often black ice at the crests that people can’t see. Before we started with the standing corn program, I lost several mailboxes to people spinning out on the ice and we used to have to call the local maintenance garage to get the plows back over our way. We don’t have to do that anymore.”
This time of year, many of us are examining our lives and contemplating making lifestyle changes. At the beginning of 2021, Todd Shepherd, training specialist 1 in Human Resources, was in the same boat and was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” He had a lack of energy as he was trying to keep up with his two kids ages 5 and 3 and knew it was time to implement healthier lifestyle choices.
Shepherd understood that to truly make a change he needed more than a simple New Year’s resolution. He credited a mindset shift with truly propelling him to success. “I used an app to help me understand my motivation or my ‘why.’ For me that was my kids and my inability to do the things I wanted to do. I found that the key to success is having a compelling personal reason to change elements of your life. What is holding you back from doing what you want to do?”
It’s tough enough for some of us to compose a text properly when that’s the only thing we’re focused on. Trying to text when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle could cause all kinds of communication issues, not to mention it puts you, your passengers, and anyone driving around you in danger.
Unlike your phone, your vehicle doesn’t have “auto correct.” As the driver, you’re in control of the speed and direction of your vehicle. When your attention is diverted from the task of driving, even for a short time, the result could be disastrous.