On Physicians Driving Safely
By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
By Nalley Collision Center
Bus drivers take their lives into their hands every day on city streets and interstate highways. Despite challenging traffic conditions and the responsibility of a large vehicle and numerous passengers, bus drivers find ways to stay safe while keeping up with demanding routes and schedules. These unsung heroes of the road universally command respect, but they also offer important lessons to ordinary drivers who share busy roads with buses every day.
So – as summer is upon us – and in the spirit of safe driving – allow our ME-P team at to share a few bus-driver inspired driving tips with you.
Distracted Driving
Modern technology has caused an addiction for many bus drivers as they struggle to communicate while safely driving a bus.
An Italian bus driver was caught on video simultaneously using two cell phones while steering his bus with his elbows. This talent showed the world that cell phone use behind the wheel might not present the extreme danger most people expect.
Seriously, bus drivers can provide some good examples of how not to drive. Although many states have laws in place restricting the use of electronic devices while driving, many states do not. All drivers, and every doctor, should avoid risking their lives and the lives of passengers by reserving cell phone use to emergencies while driving.
Road Rage
A New York City school bus driver named Juan DelValle side-swiped a car on a crowded city street and was subsequently attacked by the offended driver. DelValle was within days of his long-awaited retirement and died from severe injuries to his brain.
This one example shows how a minor traffic incident can quickly escalate into a life-changing event for unprepared drivers. Drivers should exercise extreme caution every time they have an incident with another driver. After an accident, drivers who feel threatened can call police and wait in their cars until help arrives.
Rest
Bus drivers illustrate why no one should sit behind the wheel of a vehicle when fatigued.
Investigators determined that a tour bus crash in New York that killed 15 passengers was caused by a sleepy driver. The bus driver, Ophadell Williams, was charged with criminally negligent homicide. His life might never return to its previous state.
Drivers who spend time getting the sleep they need might arrive late at their destination, but they also arrive with a clear conscience, an alert mind, and living passengers.
Defensive Driving
A Transit bus in Los Osos, California rolled down an embankment after colliding with a car on a dark and wet stretch of road. Bus drivers know they cannot count on the driving skills of other motorists for safety, so they drive defensively. In the Los Osos case, the bus driver managed to stay alive after the Mercedes crossed the center line.
Although the driver of the automobile died in the wreck, all the bus passengers lived.
More
Assessment
Every driver should periodically take time to review defensive-driving tactics or to attend a defensive driving class to improve their ability to respond to unexpected circumstances on the highway.
Conclusion
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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com
OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:
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Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/product/9780826105752
Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790
Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421
Hospitals: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900
Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org
