Safety and Driving Tips

The wearing of seat belts has long been know to be a major factor in saving lives in automobile collisions. We, the members of the PBA and The Somers PD, can cite any number of cases where injuries were minor when they could have been major if seat belts were not worn.

If your car is equipped with air bags, you still need seat belts. Over forty thousand people die on the highways each year and an overwhelming number were not wearing seat belts. It may not have helped some, the crashes were too devastating to survive, but many would have survived had they been wearing seat belts.

1) Get off to an early start. We all know what it's like to be in a hurry, our natural response is to go faster. Wherever you need to go, leave early so that you allow yourself enough time to get there.

2) Let it go. If someone cuts you off, is tailgating or makes an unpleasant remark or gesture, don't stoop to his or her level. Be the better person and let it go.

3) Cut down on the time spent in your car. If you have flex time at work use it.

4) Mind your manners. Treat other drivers with the same courtesy you would expect from them: Signal before changing lanes, don't tail-gate, maintain your speed limit and don't run red lights.

5) Keep your anger in check. Even the smallest amount of anger may result in aggressive driving.

We have heard the tragic reports lately of accidents involving school buses. Some were determined to be caused by the driver or equipment failure but others were caused by vehicles passing school buses. When you drive your car or truck, it is most important to be aware of school buses picking or dropping off children. Whenever a school bus has the red lights flashing, you must stop from either direction.

All of the things mentioned above are covered in the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course. Besides the benifit of insurance premium reduction or drivers liscence points reduction, it just make you a better driver.

It is very important that you have your street number properly posted.  It is often difficult and time consuming to look for addresses that are not posted.  The 911 system displays the address of the calling party but if the location is not posted we waste time finding you in an emergency. At night finding you can be even more difficult. Please post your numbers clearly and on the proper side of the street. Post your street number in front of the house.

Make sure that the central office that answers your alarm has clear and precise directions to your house or location.  Call them, ask what directions they have, make sure it is accurate. Remember it is your call that is being responded to by people who probably do not know where you live, with information provided by people who also don't know where you live. This is not the time to be wasting time. Minutes count. Clear and exact directions with a cross street and a clearly posted number can be vital. Also make sure your number can be clearly seen at night. If it is hard to see in daylight it may be impossible to see at night.

Some of the calls we respond to are so time sensitive that seconds matter and any wasted time with poor directions and nonexistent house and building numbers is bad for all.