The Invulnerable Road User
Road SAFETY
In about five days, it will be the beginning of another EMBER months’ season; the season some claim is jinxed. The season, God created, according to some, to kill and maim the people He calls His beloved who were created after His image and likeness. It is the season some claim that all the turenchi of the Federal Road Safety Corps loses its saving magic.
Most of those who hold on to these views are the ones who brag about their invincibility. They brag about powers that protect them even at a speed of 180km/ph. Some see themselves as untouchables. The movers and shakers. The big boys. Men of influence and power. Men who are above the law and must break all traffic laws in the land.
They are the people who believe that vehicle manufacturers deliberately installed speed above hundred because it doesn’t kill; they speed above the 30km/ph limit even in built- up areas. These people drive against traffic and dare you to stop them. They threaten you with the loss of your job or run you over and dare the consequences if any.
These people claim they are immuned from the effects of a road traffic crash. In the Federal Road Safety Corps, we call these suicidal driving behavior and perception RAIDS-Road accident immune delusion syndrome. I have chosen to share a piece from my twin brother, Patrick Adenusi and I do hope you will enjoy it like I did, titled, ‘’Automobile accidents: Are you invulnerable?
I have a good driving record, so I don’t need to worry about having an automobile accident.” “Accidents happen only to young and reckless drivers.” Many think that an automobile accident will never happen to them. Is that the way you feel when it comes to automobile accidents? Are you invulnerable?
Statistics suggest that if you live in a developed country, you are quite likely to be injured in a traffic accident at least once during your lifetime. For many, such accidents prove fatal. Worldwide, there are now about 1.35million traffic fatalities each year, perhaps many of those who were killed this past year felt that it would never happen to them. What can you do to reduce your own risk? Prevention is the key. Consider how you can prevent accidents caused by drowsiness and by the effects of aging.
Man sleeping Make sure that your body is “fueled” with a good night’s sleep
Let us start with the drowsy driver. Some experts say that drowsy drivers may be as dangerous as a drunk driver. Reports indicate that drowsiness causes an increasing number of accidents. Fleet Maintenance & Safety Report recently stated that during a single year, 1 out of every 12 motorists in Norway reported falling asleep while driving.
According to the Star of Johannesburg, South Africa, driver fatigue causes up to one third of all vehicular collisions in that Country. Reports from other Lands reveal that fatigue is affecting drivers everywhere. Why are there so many sleepy drivers? Today’s hectic life-style contributes to the problem.
Newsweek magazine reported recently that Americans may be “sleeping as much as an hour and a half less per night than they did at the turn of the century-and the problem is likely to get worse. Why? The magazine quoted sleep expert Terry Young as saying: “People have regarded sleep as a commodity that they could shortchange. It’s been considered a mark of every hard-work and upward mobility to get very little sleep”
It is said that the average person needs between six and a half and nine hours of sleep per night. When deprived, people develop a “sleep debt”. A report distributed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety states: “Even sleeping 30 or 40 minutes less than needed each night during a normal work week can result in a 3-to-4-hour sleep debt by the weekend, enough to significantly increase levels of daytime sleepiness.”
At times, you may miss out on a good night’s rest. Insomnia, caring for a sick child, or other factors beyond your control can rob you of sleep. The next day you may well find yourself becoming sleepy behind the wheel. What should you do if this happens? Man napping in a parked car A brief nap may cause a slight delay, but it could save lives. Popular remedies such as drinking caffeine, opening the window, opening the window, chewing gum, or eating something spicy may not keep you awake. None of these so-called remedies address the real problem. What you need is sleep. So why not try taking a brief nap? The New York Times suggested: The reviving workday nap should not be longer than 30 minutes; any more and the body lapses into a deep sleep, from which it is difficult to awake.” Taking a nap might delay your arrival at your destination, but it can extend your life.
Your pattern of life can make you more susceptible to becoming a drowsy driver. Do you spend long hours on the Internet, or do you stay up late at night watching television? Do you go to social gatherings that last into the early hours of the morning? Don’t allow such practices to rob you of your sleep. With apologies to my muslim brothers and sisters,wise King Solomon in the Holy Bible once emphasised the value of even “a handful of rest.”-Ecclesiastes 4:6. Specifically, it states that “Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit”. And in Psalms 127; 2, it says, “He grants sleep to those He loves and sums this up in Proverbs 3; 24, which says, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
Sleep is therefore a gift from God Almighty who created us to work but also to rest. In conclusion, Eccl 5; 12 captures my touch and go attitude as I love both my work and my sleep; ’’The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
