Safe driving on base: Heighten your awareness

The Defensive Driving Course of the National Safety Council (NSC) is the program that is utilized by NAS Jacksonville Safety Office for traffic violators on the base. The course states first and foremost, that driving is the most dangerous thing that we do. An astonishing 20 people will have been killed and 1,040 injured in motor vehicle crashes in the last four hours and according to the NSC, traffic crashes are the leading cause of all work-related fatalities.

There are a few things that one may need to know to lessen their chance of being a statistic on or off the base.

A large majority of accidents occur when personnel are simply backing out of a parking space. In the afternoon, when personnel are ready to go home for the day, they may be more focused on getting home than anything else. ''When getting into a vehicle for the commute home, take a minute to get yourself aware of your surroundings,'' said Tim Jeror of the NAS Jax Safety Office. ''That extra minute could save you a lot of time and unwanted trouble.''

One-way traffic, during morning and afternoon traffic restriction times aboard NAS Jax is another large factor pertaining to the amount of accidents on the base. ''Personnel need to be aware of what time of the day it is and use caution. Look for the illuminated traffic signs before pulling out. It's simply a matter of paying attention to what you are doing,'' stated Jeror.

Most people can say that they have been in a situation where another driver failed to utilize their turn signals. ''These devices are not optional. As a matter of fact, the use of signals is required by law. The simple task of flipping your car's turn signals will alert other drivers of your intentions,'' added Jeror.

Tim Jeror of NAS Jax Safety Office, indicates on a map the location where a large number of traffic accidents have occurred. The map has a flag at every location of a traffic accident on the base within the past year. Photos by MC3 David Didier

NAS Jax Security Department personnel stay busy enforcing traffic laws and tending to crash sites. ''I see a lot of personnel running red lights and stops signs. When I write up reports for the accidents that I respond to, it was usually one of those factors that contributed to the crash,'' noted MASA Amber Tattrie of NAS Jax Security Department. ''People need to be cautious while driving and always be aware of their surroundings. Safety is number one.''

There are some ways to avoid problems during your commute. The 'Golden Rule' could be the best way to approach driving scenarios.

''Common courtesy is a simple way to practice safe driving techniques. Just let it go. Why not let the individual across the intersection from you go through the stop sign first? How about the driver who was weaving in and out of rush hour traffic with reckless abandon? The safest way to deal with that would probably be to let it go and safely get out of the way. Those responsible actions could prevent anger from escalating and turning into a road rage situation,'' explained Jeror.

According to recent survey, more than half of the drivers in the United States suffer from road rage.

That means that most of us will encounter road rage many times in our lives and this often leads to injuries or even death.

The U.S. Highway Safety Office has testified to Congress that tens of thousands of accidents each year can be linked directly to aggressive driving and is now a leading cause of death for young children.

The NSC has highlighted some driving behaviors that contribute to aggression:

Lane blocking - Don't block the passing lane on multi-lane highways and allow vehicles traveling at a higher speed to pass you.

Tailgating - Maintain at least three seconds between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

Signal use - Don't change lanes without using your signal and make sure you can change lanes without cutting off another driver.

After changing lanes, turn off your signal.

Horn use - Use horn with discretion. Noise is a contributing factor.

Headlight use - Keep headlights on low beam.

Merging - When traffic permits, move out of the right hand acceleration lane of a multi-lane highway to allow vehicles easier access from on-ramps.

Blocking traffic - If you are entering an intersection, do not block traffic. If you can not exit, then don't enter.

''Follow traffic laws, use common courtesy, keep a cool head and stay focused on the road so you can arrive to your destination safely,'' said Jeror.