Bad Drivers - A Significant Health Hazard

Photo Credit: Trent B

The number one cause of death and disability in the adolescent population has nothing to do with biological organisms - it is motor vehicle accidents. In my own small, rural high school class, I lost at least three of my friends to automobile accidents before we graduated. Although teen drivers are more likely to have an accident, bad drivers occur at every age.

When my youngest son got his driver's license at 16, he asked to borrow the car to drive to school (about 2 miles) for his first solo outing. Although he only had his license for one day, I gave my blessing. On the way to school, he rear-ended a State Farm Insurance agent (we have that insurance, but it wasn't our agent). The agent's boyfriend was an attorney!

The day we had to put our dog, Herman, to sleep, my wife got a speeding ticket in a construction zone. She was crying and zoning out and drove 45 MPH in a 35 miles zone. She was picked out of a pack of five cars and given a ticket. When the officer noticed that she was crying, she informed him that it was not about the ticket, it was about the death of a friend, he still gave her the ticket. I bet if she said it was our dog, he would have had more sympathy.

I commute about fifty miles round trip to our clinic. Just about every day, I encounter bad drivers. I see people reading books, women putting on make-up using the rearview mirror, eating tacos, and of course, the endless array of cell phone gabbers. You can always tell when someone is on the cell phone because they are in the fast lane going about 10-15 miles under the speed limit and flow of traffic, completely oblivious to the hazard they are causing. There are singers (I sing in the car) and even dancers (I don't dance). I particularly like to see the nose-pickers; especially when they see you looking at them.

One day, I followed a man in a car, trying to reach an elusive kid in the back seat. The kid would scurry from side to side just out of reach of the angry father. A few minutes later, a belt was being randomly whipped behind him trying to beat his child. Man, can't you just pull to the side of the road?

People whip in and out of traffic trying to get a car length ahead. Drivers will aggressively tailgate you until you get out of their way, even though you are driving the speed limit. One of my biggest peeves is the motorcycle drivers that think they are in some kind of Hollywood movie. They can legally go between lanes in stopped traffic. Their sudden engine noise frightens the crap out of me.

Now, I am not without sin myself. My last speeding ticket was in the most rural area of northern Michigan (the U.P.). I was the only car that probably passed that way for hours, and likely woke up the policewoman as I buzzed buy at a mind-boggling, heart-stopping 60 MPH in a 50 MPH zone.

"Don't you know this is a deer area?" she said.

She was right, since I hit one a few hours later going under the speed limit. The deer was speeding, however.

I have had my share of road rage incidents. I really don't mind getting the finger, but I do mind people trying to kill me. One day, I followed a car that had gasoline pouring out behind the license plate. Clearly, the woman did not replace the gas cap when she filled up. As she drove up the freeway on ramp, I drove along side her in the adjoining lane, got her attention, and informed her. This act of kindness was not appreciated by the person behind me who had to slow down for a few seconds. Instead of just flipping me off, he decided that he should chase me down the freeway, pull in front of me and slam on his brakes. In an effort to avoid this nut-case, I quickly exited the freeway. He followed me. Of course, as luck would have it in these volatile situations, I got a red light. He stopped behind me and I saw him jump out of this car. I was able to make a quick (legal) right turn and evade him before he was able to get back in his car.

On my way home one day, I was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours. When I finally reached my exit, I noticed a dozen police cars, a lot of yellow taped-off areas, and a body covered up. Apparently, an angry driver with his teenage son in the passenger seat, chased down another driver that cut him off and shot him.

Nearly all of us, when we are in the grocery line, allow a person with one item to go in front of us. I do it all of the time, unless that one item has a pack of cigarettes or beer. (They can wait.) This is just common courtesy to other humans who share our planet. When we get behind the wheel of the car, we need to extend the same courtesy. Let the idiots go in front of you. Don't react when they flip you the finger. Don't try and escalate a minor situation. Let it go. Remember that psychos drive cars, too. It is more important to arrive home...alive.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video Special Report: Road Rage
• WebMD Video: Stress-Free Driving

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