KEN'S KORNER - JULY 2009
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
BY AUTHOR, EDUCATOR & DRIVER KEN SKAGGS
Every gambler knows what it means to play the percentages. If you play the game properly, you can turn the odds in your favor by understanding the percentages. For example, when you flip a coin there is a 50% chance it will land on heads and a 50% chance it will land on tails. Understanding the percentages can make gambling more of a science than just pure luck. The same thing is true about driving. Any time you get behind the wheel you are gambling, in a way. There is a certain percentage of risk involved with every driving activity. But, you can turn those odds in your favor by understanding the percentages and, therefore, avoiding some of the high-risk scenarios.
For example, did you know that over 30% of all accidents happen as a result of a previous accident? I found this one out the hard way. A long time ago, I witnessed an accident (a drunk driver hit a parked car). I was standing at the driver’s door of the police car, giving my statement to the police officer, when another car lost control on the wet pavement, bounced off one car and then came right at me, striking me and the police car. Afterwards, when I was in the hospital (with a broken leg as a result), the officer visited me to continue taking my statement, and he told me just that. Since that time, I have seen it happen again and again.
Multi-car pile-ups are another good example of an accident happening as a result of a previous accident. Consider how many times there have been 20, 30 or even 50+ vehicles involved in a multi-car pile-up (I remember one that was over 100 cars). When these pile-ups happen, they didn’t all just crash at the same time; there was one accident, then another, then another, and so on. Drivers often wonder how that can happen. I’ll tell you how. Too many people drive beyond what they can see. They drive too fast at night, in fog, on slick roads, etc. In fact, many drivers stop safely before the previous accident, only to get rear-ended by the next one coming along.
With trucks, of course, there is naturally a high percentage of accidents while backing. These are totally preventable, and always the driver’s fault. There is never a reason to hurry while backing. The amount of time that you can save by backing quickly is only a fraction of a second. Still, some drivers do it. As I sat here writing this article at the TA in Cheyenne, I saw a truck trying to accelerate quickly as he backed into a parking space, and in his haste, he had to pull forward at least three times to correct himself. If he would have just taken his time he could have backed straight in without any need to pull forward at all. Backing is one area where you can actually save time by going slower. And, sometimes, you just have to get out of your truck and take a look.
Another percentage worth noting is the number of accidents that occur in or around construction zones. When I used to work for CFI they told us that a third of their accidents happened in construction zones, and a third of those happened in the Dallas area, where construction zones often have very narrow lanes. Most trucks do not pass each other in these narrow two-lane zones, but almost every time I went through that area, there was always one hot-shot who couldn’t afford to lose three seconds and had to squeeze by, risking life and limb. These lanes are often only about ten feet wide, and a truck’s mirrors are about nine and a half feet wide. As you can see, there would be no room for even the slightest error in these narrow lanes.
The DOT has a lot of statistical information on their website, mostly about fatalities, but it’s interesting to note that most fatalities involving a truck are the result of speeding or lane changing. And, unfortunately, speeding and lane changing go hand in hand. When you are speeding, it stands to reason that you’ll have to keep passing everyone (unless everyone is speeding, which is often the case). So, when you speed, chances are you’ll also have to keep changing lanes, which, of course, turn the percentages against you on two fronts, which are not good odds at all.
Lane changing accidents are a lot more common than most drivers would like to believe. The next time you are in your safety department, ask them what percentage of their accidents are the result of lane changing. I think you’ll be surprised. It ranks right up there with the others mentioned above. It’s important to be aware of this and use this information to turn those percentages in your favor. When you do have to change lanes, do it slowly.
There are a lot of things you can do to play the percentages and keep yourself on the winning side. I don’t have enough room to go over them all, but a few worth mentioning here include distracted driving, aggressive driving, driving in rush-hour, and driving in bad weather. All of these scenarios should be avoided when possible. And don’t forget your pre-trip inspection. Safety violations not only waste time and money, but cause accidents when things fail. A few extra minutes now can save you a lot of headaches later.
Every move you make with a truck has a certain amount of risk. Play the percentages and you can turn the odds in your favor. By going with the flow, keeping a safe following distance, never out-driving your headlights, being extra careful when backing, and staying in one lane, you can turn those percentages around. Be safe out there, and be sure to visit www.bigcitydriver.com when you get a chance for more safety tips. And stay out of the casinos - no matter what they tell you, the odds are always against you!