Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

For those who are not aware, Carbon County lost an Emergency Medical Technician this past week; a tragic waste and, worse, an accident easily avoided.

I have plied the highways and byways of these Untied States for 15 years as a truck driver and it is a heart wrenching thing to hear about every time.

 Emergency service personnel have difficult job to stand up to. Sometimes, they have to work through things that would make most of us sick–injuries involving motor vehicles can take many forms, from bumps and bruises to comas and death. But no matter the extent of the injuries, when those Fire Engines, Ambulances or Law Enforcement vehicles answer the call, they do not know what they are driving into.

Help them out, slow down and get as far away as possible.

Those signs that say “SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES” are not there as suggestions. You never know what might be happening.

You can learn an awful lot from watching truck drivers on the highway. While the use of the CB or Citizen’s Band Radio is not as common as it was in decades past, there are many who still keep it on to monitor road conditions. There was a time when it was so popular that, up until the mid 1980s, it was a factory option from American automobile manufacturers.

Having a scanner may seem odd but hearing the communications of emergency personnel and truck drivers can be helpful, in particular, when driving in winter. Sometimes, the weather can change just depending on the valley you are in.

When you see the flashing lights, MOVE OVER as soon as possible. Whether it is emergency services, tow service vehicles or just a car pulling over to refill a coffee cup.

If Your see you a truck driver turn on their Four ways, ahead of you, pay attention, there may be a traffic situation ahead the driver sees by virtue of perspective or experience.

Likewise, truck drivers who try to corral cars into a given lane, are trying to keep traffic flowing.

Driving in inclement weather is a part of the reason for writing this. Everyone seems to forget the basics. It is understandable with so much driving being taken way from the driver’s responsibility with the advent of all our electronic devices, maintaining the proper frame of mind is increasingly difficult for some. But the rules for driving in bad weather never change.

Snow = Slow.

Power causes nothing but trouble so feathering the accelerator is better than constant pressure. Doing 45 miles per hour or less on an interstate, with your four way flashers on, gives you more time to react.

You are your best super computer, turn off the cruise control. The computers in most automobiles are not as fast enough to compensate for sudden, icy, snowy or slushy patches.

It’s A car, not a phone booth, pay as little attention to your distractions as possible.

Sliding tires lead, if you ever feel the tires lose grip, take your right foot off the peddle and jam the heel into the front of the driver’s seat. This way you know that there is no effort stopping or turning the tires. A sliding tire, either stopped or under power, will cause the vehicle to spin out. .

Safety it your responsibility–yours, your passengers and those around you are your responsibility when driving.

When the Emergency Services, Road Crews or on-site maintenance services come out,they have a duty to their customer to give them their full and undivided attention.

You have a duty to give your driving your full and undivided attention.

For the good of yourself, your family and friends as well as those who make it their business to keep us safe on the road, take a queue from Jim Morrison and The Doors; keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.

Stay safe out there.

Sincerely,

Keith Schricker