Roadside Chat - Driving is like baseball. Get home...safe!
Baseball is often called America’s pastime. Road trips are another spring/summer activity enjoyed by many. But unlike baseball where a runner is simple “out” if the baserunning isn’t successful, driving errors can cause much more serious consequences.
Last year in Iowa, 355 people lost their lives in vehicle crashes. Here are four simple things you can do behind the wheel to help ensure a safer trip.
- Buckle up – 94 people who died on Iowa roadways in 2021 were unbuckled.
- Slow down – Speeding and aggressive driving was a cause listed in 176 fatalities on Iowa roadways in 2021.
- Drive sober – Impaired drivers were responsible for 89 deaths on Iowa roadways in 2021.
- Pay attention – Distracted driving deaths are difficult to pinpoint because identifying this crash cause isn’t always apparent. But in 2021, three deaths were noted by law enforcement as being caused by a distracted driver.
Every time you drive unbuckled; speed or drive aggressively; or drive impaired or distracted, you’re risking not making it home safe. In essence, to use a baseball term, you’re “stealing” home. While this may be successful sometimes, it is a risky move.
Here’s a recap of some of the best “stealing” home baseball moments - https://youtu.be/LnRSe7BNHUY
So far in 2022, there have been 65 deaths in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of two since last Friday. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf