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No matter how far the trip, always check your vehicle
Posted 8/7/2012 Updated 8/7/2012
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Commentary by Rod Krause
5th Bomb Wing Ground Safety
8/7/2012 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Growing up, my father always taught me the importance of conducting a thorough safety check on your vehicle prior to a trip (long or short). He taught me to check all the fluids, lights, tire pressures, brakes and the condition of all belts and hoses. Maybe this is why I have been blessed with not breaking down on the road in 30 plus years of driving.
Last summer while I was traveling with my family on another adventure club road trip we drove pretty much during the day, making frequent stops and sightseeing along the way, looking for old cars and trucks. We used all the safety rules that we stress to others: we got plenty of sleep the night prior to traveling, and I as the primary driver was ready to take a break if I needed to, even if this delayed our return home and increased the cost of the trip. We left my headlights on to increase my visibility to other motorists and wore comfortable clothes to keep the temperature in the car a little cool, but still comfortable.
As we were traveling from state to state I took notice of the changes in road signs, road surfaces and the occasional appearance of emergency vehicles. When we were coming through Nebraska I saw a car in the ditch that had evidently rolled over. The state patrol was already on site. I wondered what had happened? Was it rain? Did another driver cut them off? Were they drinking and driving? Did they just push it too far?
Thinking about what might have caused their accident prompted me to think about how I was driving. Was my speed too fast for conditions? Did I need to adjust my driving? If you can identify the cause of the accident you can adjust your driving and avoid the same fate.
We also noticed other signs along the road and considered what we could learn from them. These signs told a sad story but did not present the details of what may have happened. As we traveled a mere 700 miles, we saw scores of crosses and wreathes on the side of the road, memorials to people that lost their life on that particular spot on that stretch of road. What happened? Who were they? Where were they headed? The crosses and wreathes provided no answers, but caused me to do some thinking. Were they military PCSing or going home to see family? Were they on the road as a means to make a buck? Were they moving to a new place to find a better way of life? Were they on a family vacation trip? At one section there was a group of seven crosses in one place, was this a whole family that was lost? Discussing this with my wife, we came up with no real answers, only a lesson learned. Traveling on the road is serious business, and lives can be lost.
Be prepared when you head out on the roadways of America, do the "Vehicle Check," plan for emergencies and delays, look for visual indicators of problem areas and come home safely. Don't make someone put up a cross for you.
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