School's Open --- Drive Defensively

     Who is a defensive driver?

     One who commits no driving errors himself and makes allowances for the lack of skill or improper driving practices of the other person. 

     A person who adjusts his own driving to compensate for unusual weather, and road and traffic conditions and is not tricked into an accident by the unsafe actions of pedestrians and other drivers.

     An individual who is alert to accident-inducing situations, he or she recognizes the need for preventive action in advance and takes the necessary precaution to prevent the accident. 

     Defensive drivers know when it is necessary to slow down, stop, or yield the right-of-way to avoid an accident.

     School bells have once again summoned millions of sleepy-eyed youngsters to their morning classes. For postal drivers, this means more possibilities of unwary young pedestrians wandering into roadways or darting from between cars or hidden places. This is a true test of anyone’s defensive driving skills!

     And while drivers should be on guard during the hours children normally travel to and from school, they should be just as cautious at other times as well.

     In spite of all the school training children receive, and in spite of parental instruction and admonition, children do play and run in the street. More dangerous, perhaps, are those who merely play near the street, leaping out suddenly after a ball or chasing a dog.

     We are all familiar with the necessity for care at or near schools or playgrounds, but there are several precautions we should take while driving delivery routes through residential areas or anywhere else. Here are some situations that you should be aware of:

     1. Whenever you see a ball rolling in the street, you are likely to see a child following it. Slow down and be prepared to stop quickly.

     2. When the ice cream vendor hits the neighborhood, watch for children coming from all directions.

     3. Pay attention to the lone child walking along the street. A single youngster is much more likely to be overlooked than several together.

     4. Children and others on roller skates, skateboards, or roller blades can roll into the street. They require a driver’s extreme alertness. 

     5. Bicyclists, especially young or novice riders, should be watched carefully and provided plenty of room.

     6. Never back up to redeliver a mixed box. Get out of the vehicle and walk back if you can do so safely.

     7. Never give mail to children from the vehicle. If children approach the vehicle, get out of the vehicle and ask them to move away. Double check around the entire vehicle before proceeding.

     Be alert so that children don’t get hurt.  And while we’re on the subject, this is a good time to talk about pedestrians in general. Here’s a fact every driver and pedestrian should know.  While less than three out of every 100 accidents involve a pedestrian, approximately three out of every ten persons killed in traffic accidents each year are pedestrians.  In other words, the severity ratio of these accidents is 10 times the frequency ratio. This emphasizes the pedestrian’s disadvantage when matched against a moving mass of steel.

     Let’s protect our most precious commodity --- our children --- and keep a lookout for all pedestrians. Drive defensively at all times and remember that you represent the U.S. Postal Service when you get behind the wheel.