11 Fool-Proof Tips For Safe Driving During Rain Storms That May Surprise You

Driving in a downpour can be brutal--and very unpredictable. How many times have you hit a patch of water and felt the wheels slide out from under you in a split second? Suddenly your heart's in your mouth and you start wondering when you last checked the treads on your tires. Or, your wipers are no match for the sheets of rain that are blanketing your windshield, and you kick yourself for leaving behind those new wiper blades at the checkout of the hardware store. Sitting in a ditch is not the time to ponder morosely the irresponsible speed you were going, nor when the hood of your car is jacked up into the trunk of the car that suddenly slammed on its breaks ahead of you. Worse yet, you're that guy on the nightly news who's been swept down a river because you just had to plough through that harmless puddle that turned out to be a rushing stream on its way to Lake Ontario.

To save yourself the kicks delivered to your backside after the fact, here are some tips for safe driving in the rain that are simple and practical--some are pretty obvious, but others, like numbers 2, 8, and 9 are perhaps not as well known.

1. Slow Down.  It's easier to control the car when you're driving under the speed limit.
2. Stay toward middle of the lane. Roads are built in an arch (called a crown) that allows water to flow off them to the sides. Therefore, avoid the sides of the roads and stay more toward the middle.
3. Don't follow vehicles too closely. Keep the three-second rule: If you can't count to three from the time the vehicle in front of you passes a lamp post to the time you pass it, you're driving too close. 
4. Avoid Using Your Brakes. Simply take your foot off the gas and decelerate to slow down. Hitting your brakes not only may cause you to skid, but can set off a chain reaction that could cause others to hit their brakes in alarm.
5. Turn Your Headlights On. Even in light rain, foggy, or overcast conditions, it's good to have your headlights, and rear lights, on to enhance your visibility and others who are driving past, behind, and around your vehicle.
6. Keep Your Tires Inflated Correctly. Maintain a good tread, and don't put off replacing old tires. Stay away from puddles.
7. Pull Over. If the rain has caused zero-visibility, don't be a hero and continue through it--no one will be impressed if you've launched your vehicle into a ditch or something worse. Pull over, chill out, and hit the road again when the rain has subsided.
8. Avoid Water Flowing Across the Road. You know that stream scenario presented above? You can totally avoid it: if you're driving and see a stream-looking flow of water rushing across the road, stay away from it, or just pull the car over and find an alternate route if possible. Such streams of water often hide bottomless potholes or nails, broken glass, and other kinds of debris  that could harm your vehicle or its tires.
9. Keep Cruise Control Off: The last thing you want is to panic in the downpour and are fumbling with the cruise control lever or hit your break out of habit only to start into an uncontrollable slide.
10. Stay Home. That bag of chips will be no less than a regrettable decision when you've broken the bag open waiting for the tow-truck to haul your car to the garage, because you just couldn't wait till the rain subsided to go out to the store. When it's pouring outside, it's best to just stay in and watch it from the safety of your home.
11. Stay Informed. Before heading home from work or out for a little road trip, check the city weather cables for warnings of extreme weather.

Valium, Xanax, and Zopidem: 9 Ways You Can Stop Drugged Driving Before It Happens

Drugged driving, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, is the act of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by any type of drug or medication or combination of drugs, medication, and alcohol--and it's on the rise. 

According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, results of alcohol and drug tests performed on drivers who had died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 in Canada show that 37% were positive for drugs compared to a slightly marginal 41% who tested positive for alcohol.

Drugged driving is becoming a greater trend among young drivers: A Canadian survey in 2011 of high school students showed that 21% had driven at least once within an hour of using drugs. When asked if the students had been a passenger in a vehicle where the driver had used drugs, 50% said yes. Indeed, data in some reports show (e.g. Stop Drugged Driving) an increase in driving under the influence of drugs--across the spectrum of age-groups--in contrast to a, albeit slow, decline of alcohol-impaired driving.

The most common drugs found in fatalities, as reported by the Canadian Safety Council, are "central nervous system depressants (i.e., sedatives and tranquilizers, such as Valium, Xanax and other benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines--e.g. zolpidem, and zalepon--, as well as barbituates) used to treat anxiety or sleep disorders, cannabis (marijuana), stimulants and narcotics. That same report states that "females are almost equally as likely as males to test positive for drugs. And it's not just the young: among fatally injured drivers ages 55 and older, drug use is more prevalent than alcohol. 

As the Canadian Safety Council further elucidates, Canada is becoming more intentional in cracking down on drugged driving, with, e.g., a growing body of 491 drug recognition experts (DRE) who exclusively work to enforce penalties for driving under the influence of drugs. In cases of alleged drug use, a DRE can be called in to further assess the condition of the suspect by collecting a urine or blood sample, or a swab. If determined positive for drug use, charges can be laid under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Below are some recommendations to stop drugged driving before it happens:

• Don't drink while impaired
• Do not combine drugs with alcohol
• Don't use illegal drugs
• Don't use varieties of drugs to get high
• Really understand the side effects of your medications. Talk to your pharmacist about the impact the prescription drug may have on your driving abilities
• Be aware that drugs react to one another when taken simultaneously or in tandem
• As a host, monitor those guests who enter your home for drug use. If you suspect someone is impaired, speak up, and make alternate arrangements. Do not let them drive away.
• Refuse to be a passenger in a car whose driver is impaired. Make every safe effort to prevent the impaired driver from operating the vehicle.
• Quite simply, report impaired driving to the police.

Here Are 5 Ways You Can Avoid Being A Victim Of Road Rage

It’s a split second impulse: You whip your car into the next lane to avoid a possible collision as cars in front of you come to a screeching halt, cutting off the person next to you. This seemingly innocent act got you out of one troubling situation, but into another much more precarious: The cutt-off driver charges toward your back bumper honking his horn, flashing his lights, and lurching at you against his front wind-shield like he wants to put his middle finger through your teeth and out the other side. You are alarmed, but don’t think much of it until the guy jerks into the lane next to you, and charges up alongside your window, screaming, and trying to edge you either off the road or into another car.

You stop your vehicle and pull over toward the side of the road, and the guy races ahead about 200 feet—before hurtling the half-ton up onto the curb, pulling a u-turn, and screaming back at you with the all the fury of hell. This time you don’t know what to do: You’re heart is pounding and shots of cortisol are erupting into your brain causing you to lose focus, attention, and rationality. You are under attack; the aggressor is blind with rage; you feel like you might die.  

What do you do now?

Road rage is a serious and troubling occurrence, and often marked by the victim being chased, cut off, and the vehicle being hit by the aggressor’s vehicle. The most tragic side of road rage is what follows when the victim decides unwittingly to get out of the vehicle to ‘settle matters’ with the aggressor, which often results in physical harm, and, in extreme cases, even death.

So what do you do to avoid becoming (or worse yet are) a victim of road rage? The following are some simple tips to help you:

·      Take road rage seriously: When it happens, do not underestimate the rage of the aggressor, or what he/she is capable of. Don’t mess with them or provoke them or somehow try to assert some foggy sense of self-appointed justice. Treat every incident as potentially highly dangerous and explosive.

·      Disengage: Do whatever you can reasonably to avoid this conflict: smile, wave, mouth the statement “I’m sorry,” etc. Acting in such a way can diffuse the situation by showing the other person that you are only human, and that you made a mistake without any intent to offend.

·      Steer Clear: If you are being pursued, put as much distance as possible between you and the aggressor, and get out of the way as quickly as possible. Do not try to pull over on the side of the road to settle things “man to man.”

·      Avoid Eye Contact: Looking and staring another driver can be perceived as an act of aggression, and thus will only add gasoline to the flames. Look away, focus on the road, and get your breathing slowed down, which will help you calm down.

·      Get Help—Fast!:  If you believe the other driver is following you, or is literally pounding fists of fury against your window and spattering saliva-threats against the glass, do not get out of the vehicle.  If you have a mobile phone, call the police immediately. Otherwise, drive to a place where there are people around, such as a mall parking lot, police station, or even a hospital. When you arrive, honk your horn relentlessly—this will possibly deter the aggressor from continuing his onslaught, as well as put you in a more protected situation.

Road rage is serious. Our world is a place full of speed and stress. The slightest thing can trigger an explosive situation. Slow your pace down, signal when turning lanes, check blind spots, and have a mannerly posture, letting others into lanes and even have a parking spot if you and another vehicle roll up to it at the same time. Most importantly, have patience. 

We are all humans, and for the most part do not willingly want to do harm to another. Remembering that is important for both aggressor and victim.

Don't Think You're An Aggressive Driver? Take This Test And Find Out.

According to a 2012 Leger Marketing poll, nearly 80% of Canadian drivers admit to aggressive behaviour that could be considered road rage, such as use of profanity, yelling, or following other vehicles too closely, with speeding as the most common.

Here's How Some of the Stats Break Down:

• 8 in 10 Canadian drivers are guilty of aggressive behaviour
• 83% are men, while 76% are women
• 2 in 5 admit to using profanity during traffic
• Young drivers aged 18-34 are most guilty of cutting people off
• 1 in 5 are guilty of tailgating
• Seeing other people distracted by mobile phones or other ways is the most common trigger for most road-ragers
• Men are more likely than women to experience road rage when cut off
• Women express road rage more than men when they are running late
• Drivers under the age of 45 are more likely to blame their road rage on a bad day than those age 45 and older

Behaviours Of And Conditions That Trigger Road Rage:

• Speeding
• Swearing during traffic
• Tailgating
• Yelling/swearing directly at someone
• Rude hand gestures
• Cutting people off
• Weaving in and out of traffic

Take the Self-Test By Answering Yes or No To the Following Statements:

• I regularly exceed the speed limit in order to get to a given destination.
• I tailgate other drivers, especially those who sit in the left lane.
• I flash my lights and honk my horn to let drivers know when they annoy me.
• I verbally abuse other drivers whether they can hear me or not.
• I frequently weave in and out of traffic to 'get ahead'.
• I feel that I am the only person on the road who 'knows how to drive'.
• I have a compulsion to set drivers straight when they violate my own set of road rules.

If after reading this you realize that you fall into the aggressive driver camp, you're not alone. More importantly, however, you can change your behaviour. By being aware of your tendencies while driving, you can make a different decision each time you get in your vehicle and get triggered. By stepping back, taking a deep breath, and resisting the urge to retaliate, you are making yourself and others safer.

It's important to realize that traffic is part of a larger system: poorly designed roads, complexities and rapid pace of modern life, work/life stressors, faster vehicles, and the list goes on. As drivers we are part of that larger system, and therefore it is not any one person's fault on the road. We are the result of innumerable complex factors colliding to create the reality called 'traffic'. The guy that flipped you off is part of a larger system beyond merely driving that is causing him to react in such a way. It's not just the traffic. Remembering this, and remembering to be patient, is another way to stay cool when the roads heat up.

The Future Of Driving In Ontario? REALLY?

Many of us believe that the future will for the most part resemble the past; however, a striking spike in technology forces us to pause.

The Ontario Government announced early this year that it is "looking into testing self-driving automobiles," according to Ontario Car & Auto Insurance News. The article continues that it will be a five-year auto pilot project which the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario "sees in its proposal to test the safety of autonomous vehicles not only a first for Canada, but also an opportunity to thrust Ontario into the limelight as a starring performer in technology development leadership."

But an abstract concept such as leadership is not the main reason for this pilot, rather it is the ability to attract new business and jobs to Ontario that is of greater importance and tangibility. According to a statement by veteran auto insurance consultant Willie Handler, also quoted in the article, "This is a billion dollar industry and it could save the auto sector in Ontario."

In the fall of 2010, Google made headlines by claiming that it had developed a fleet of "self-piloting" Toyota Prius Hybrids, which had already logged over 140,000 miles (combined) mostly on Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Powered by artificial intelligence software and outfitted with a sophisticated GPS system, mapping software, and optical reader and laser sensors, the car could stay on track, know where it was going and see what was happening around it. The car, in spite of its marvels, caused an uproar: not over that people were sharing the car with driverless cars, but that Google wan't sharing the cars with them. According to a recent Fast Company article, "Google's autonomous vehicle has gone on to log 300,000 accident-free miles, mostly on the highways of California and Nevada." And this striking invention has compelled a host of early adopter car companies to follow suit, announcing that their version of the driverless cars will be ready by 2020: Audi, BMW, GM, Nissan, Toyota, and Volvo.

One significant barrier, however, to this technology becoming ubiquitous is not the technology itself, but rather, according to the same Fast Company article, us, for "the winner of the race to roll out a mass-produced AV is the one who can finally convince us to take our hands off the wheel." And this is why car manufacturers are beginning now to persuade customers to give up more control of their cars, such as with GM's connected systems that is touted as a link in a chain that will one day lead to autonomous driving and an accident-free, congestion-free future.

Our reluctance to give up full-control of a vehicle is actually based on very real legal and ethical issues, such as in the event of an accident is the driver, car company, or software company liable? If the human isn't driving, is it his/her fault if a collisions occurs? There is also the issue of the kind of innovative road and highway infrastructure that would accommodate both normal and driverless cars.

And these issues are just a few facing Ontario as it looks ahead to this five-year pilot. Indeed, under our current laws, one needs to be in control of one's car at all times; however, what is considered "under control" must be expanded over time. Indeed, as mentioned above, the concept of 'fault' in the Insurance Act will need to be expanded to facilitate driverless cars from an insurance perspective. Hence, the insurance issues alone throw up a bees nest of complexity for this seemingly simple pilot.

In spite of these issues, however, technology has a history of moving faster than conventionally foreseen. A story in the Wall Street Journal, for example, states that such driverless cars are closer to mass-market development than conventionally believed.

Shocking Insights About Teen Driving That You Can't Afford To Overlook

Bruce Murakami lost his wife and daughter to a tragic accident: a teen, street racing in a rented car, lost control of his vehicle and slammed into the mother and daughter's van killing them both. Over a period of tremendous mourning, Bruce decided to turn the tragedy into an act of forgiveness and humanism: he forgave the teen, and started a non-profit, called Safe Teen Driver, that raises awareness of the importance of teen realization of the real dangers of driving. As part of his work, Murakami has been working with Justin Cabezas--the teen who killed Murakami's wife and daughter--partnering up on their high school visits during which they talk to teens about the importance of safe driving habits and awareness. Of Cabezas, Murakami states that "he's a good kid who did something really stupid."

Here are some findings by Murakami that will strike you:

• The greatest cause of teen death is car accidents.
• Teen drivers carrying one teenage passenger have twice the risk of a fatal crash as teens driving alone.
• Teen passengers have twice the risk of a fatal crash as teens driving alone; and teen passengers are killed more frequently than teen drivers
• There is a higher level of distractibility with this generation of drivers than ever before: cell phones, texting, music, iPods.
• The part of the brain that controls judgment is not developed until the age of 22-24.

There are ways that you can talk to your teen about the dangers of driving, and better prepare him or her for the challenges and dangers of being a driver or passenger:

• You need to be concerned with all aspects of teaching your child road safety, as both driver and passenger. Some basic research of the risks before your child begins driving or going out with friends who do is both essential and basic.
• Know what your teen is doing, such as whom he or she is getting into the car with, where your child is going, and the number of passengers. You must take a proactive role when it comes to whom your child rides with.
• Look into safety options for your vehicle, for instance Ford's "MyKey" allows parents to disable their child's cell phone with a key, and sound continuous alerts if the driver and passengers don't wear seat belts. 
• Consider your own bad driving habits: riding without a seat belt, talking or texting on your phone, speeding, etc. Your behaviour is being modelled to your child.
• Have continuous discussion with your child about safe driving techniques, including learning how to communicate with him or her, and keeping those lines of communication open.

For two great websites in this regard, check out Kidproof, and Bruce Murakami's website Safe Teen Drivers--it is U.S.-based, but remains compelling and insightful for us here in Canada.

A Startling Discovery About the Effects of Driving--On the Brain!

Distracted driving is now conventionally understood as driving while texting, updating your Twitter page, or talking on your phone. However, what is not often discussed is what neuroscience tells us about the impact driving actually has on our brains: 

Did you know that driving is actually one of the most distracting activities for a human being to take part in, and that which can lead to serious attention lapses simply because it can be so boring? 

According to research in lapses of attention done by Ian Robertson (A neuropsychologist),  keeping one's mind on a particular routine task, such as driving a bus or car, is one of the most difficult things for the human brain to do. In fact, as Robertson explains in Psychology Today, since the Autobahns in Germany were built, civil engineers have discovered that they have needed to build unnecessary bends in the highways--simply to keep the drivers alert. And this is not just the Autobahn; for other highways are putting such neuroscientific research to work on the designs of their roads, spending, collectively, trillions of dollars simply to keep switched on a crucial network in the driver's brains that controls attention.

The system, according to Robertson, is called the "Sustained Attention System," and is controlled by the right-half of your brain. The core feature of this system is that it is "internally drive": you keep your mind on a book, lecture, or the road, even though those stimuli are not offering you any attention-grabbing features. Your cognition is thus 'internal controlled,' meaning that you are the one who has to keep yourself engaged. Conversely, an external stimulus is one that is controlled from the outside, such as a really exciting computer game, or a hilarious movie. Here your attention is in the hands of the director or creator of the game. As such, we can give our internal control system a rest, and let the external system take over. 

The problem with driving is that there is very little external stimuli to keep your attention focussed, which thus leads to distraction and accidents.

The rhetoric is that cell phone use is a distraction that can increase the likelihood of accident. What neuroscience tells us is that the biological reaction driving has on our brains leads to lapses of attention before the distracted driving activities can even have a chance to start.