Winter’s most dire road hazard: laziness
By David Menzies
Ah, motoring in the good ol’ wintertime. Black ice, zero visibility, frigid temperatures, poor traction ... what’s not to love?
Yet, who would’ve guessed that of all the various winter road hazards, one of the most dangerous is something that rarely gets any publicity: sheer laziness.
A recent international survey has found that one-third of motorists fail to properly clear their windshields before hitting the road, the most common excuse being they were in “too much of a rush.”
The survey, conducted by Continental Tyres and involving approximately 4,000 European drivers, found that one in three drivers failed to fully clear their windshield before driving off. Of those drivers, more than 50% believe such neglect is wrong… yet didn’t stop behaving this way nonetheless.
“Men appear to be worse offenders than women, and are a staggering 129 per cent more likely... to have had a near-miss on the roads in the winter because they set off before clearing their windscreen properly,” says Tim Bailey, Continental’s head of safety.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Automobile Association confirms that drivers who don’t bother clearing the “igloo” of snow and ice from atop their vehicles make for one of the “most significant” winter driving perils.
“It’s a very serious issue,” says Jeff Walker, VP of public affairs for the CAA. “Most people are pretty focused on themselves, making sure that they can see out their window. But they forget about the ‘igloo,’ which is what impacts other people.”
Indeed, Walker notes that if a car remains parked for a number of days, “you get snow-ice-snow – like layers in a cake – and [a chunk] can end up going through somebody’s windshield.”
Case in point: an Illinois driver earlier this month required reconstructive facial surgery after an icy projectile crashed through his windshield, smashing his nose, shattering the lower portion of his eye socket and tearing his iris.
Bottom line: Be nice; clear your ice.
Posted by: Eleanor Dorst | 2010-01-25 10:48:34 AM
here is my story
http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/1/4693
about "laziness" on the part of the driver... maybe this will make some sit up and take notice
Eleanor Dorst
still crippled still suffering...