Communication Keeps Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

Have you ever been frustrated because another driver did not signal before pulling into your lane. Perhaps we ourselves have been guilty of such a manuever at times, catching ourselves only after making the lane change.

The core of our frustration with other drivers, and sometimes ourselves, is a failure to communicate. Good communication is as critical with other drivers as it is in any relationship. The question becomes, "What does our driving communicate?"

• Speeding communicates not only a disregard for the law, but more importantly a disregard for the safety of others, as well as ourselves. No one wants to be the person who hits and injures or kills another. Yet, if we speed our behavior communicates the message that we do not care about the safety of others, let alone ourselves or passengers (often loved ones) in our own vehicle. A AAA Foundation study demonstrates that speeders are 3X more likely to crash than motorists who obey the speed limit. Make a difference on your neighborhood street - Keep Kids Alive Drive 25.
• Stop-sign running is similar in that we show little or no regard for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorist who might be entering a crosswalk or intersection protected by a simple message - STOP! The correct approach is to Stop! Take 3 To See - come to a complete STOP. Then,look left, look right, look left again to make sure the intersection is truly clear. These three seconds could save a life, and save yourself a lifetime of regret.
• Tailgating is another form of communication that indicates lack of regard for the safety of others and ourselves. Fully 29% of crashes are attributed to following too close. The ability to create appropriate spacing between our vehicle and others is totally in our control. Remember, "It's Not a Race! Create Space."

May your nerves be calm, and may your behaviors behind the wheel communicate the fact that you indeed care about your own safety as well as the safety of others. People who love you, as well as people you have never met, are depending on you to communicate that you care.

Don’t let the 2 minutes you ‘save’ be the last 2 minutes of someone’s life.” David Townsend – Tia’s dad.

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

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