Fatalities on Montana's Roads
How to avoid being one of them
There have been at least twelve (as I write this on September 16, report of a thirteenth arrived) fatal vehicle accidents on Montana roads since September 1. There were two fatal accidents in Carbon County in the last thirty days. Across the state, four accidents occurred last Thursday alone resulting in five deaths.
The majority of vehicle accidents are the result of one or more of the following factors: speed, distraction, sleepiness, intoxication and medical emergency. Accidents are just that: an incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally. You can provide the best protection for yourselves and the people in or on your vehicle by:
Using safety equipment (seatbelts, helmets, car seats, etc.) and using them properly.
Driving at a safe speed. In addition to the posted speed limit, weather and road conditions should inform how fast you travel.
Driving defensively. Defensive driving is the practice of anticipating dangerous situations, adverse conditions or the mistakes of others while operating a motor vehicle.
Keeping free of distractions by putting deep discussions as well as screen and phone time on hold. Hurt feelings, anger and emotional upset can all be distracting. If experiencing intense emotions, pull over, take some deep breaths, go for a walk, or whatever works for you so you can drive with your full attention on the road ahead.
Not driving while sleepy - Take a nap or get a full night’s sleep. Coffee is not a substitute for sleep.
Not driving while intoxicated; this includes being under the influence of prescription drugs that may affect one’s ability to drive safely.
A medical emergency can happen to any of us at any time. If you feel sudden pain, wooziness or other strange sensation, pull to side of the road safely and call 911. If it’s just a momentary sensation that goes away, wonderful. If it is an emergency, and you suddenly can’t communicate, you will be on the phone with the person in the best position to help you.
The last several days have been particularly deadly on Montana’s roads. Sgt. Jay Nelson of the Montana Highway Patrol reports that this, fortunately, is not the norm. He stated, “Fatality crashes occur all too often in Montana. These crashes affect more than those involved. Family, coworkers, friends and even first responders can be profoundly affected. One fatality is too many.”
All the causes mentioned here are correct and accurate. Two of them can be directly attributed to making bad decisions and poor choices. Impairment is a poor choice and decision, unfortunately the substance causing the impairment dilutes the decision making. And it does not matter if you're going two blocks or two miles, the wrong choice can change lives forever. Secondly is the lives we lead sometimes tend to cause us to take on, or commit to, much more than we can assimilate. So, preoccupation replaces alertness. Now, we don't have many traffic lights to squeeze through, but we do have passing lanes that may be misjudged if we're preoccupied, or late. And we do sometimes think our all-wheel or four-wheel is never going to slip or slide, but they can If you have a close call, try and remember just how close it was, and remember how it felt in the pit of your stomach. None of us are immune to mistakes, but if we pause, for just a moment, that may help.