This MAY have been caused by the driver sending a text message!
During the Easter week celebrations it is estimated that more than three million journeys were undertaken that would not have otherwise been done. That raised the level of danger on the roads to the maximum level. As a result of so much more traffic underway, twenty-one people, who only wanted to enjoy time with each other and relatives, actually lost their lives. They will never see another Easter, and that was too high a price to pay for simply leaving home.
My own response to statistics like these is to stay off the roads during such peak times. If I don't have to add to the problem, I would rather not. What contributes to spikes in road deaths during these times? Probably every possible situation that one can think of. Take for instance one very simple situation that happened to me. I was at the exit from my estate when a car approached from my left, swas ignalling that he was going to turn to the right. In other words it appeared that he was coming into the road from which I was leaving. However, there was another estate turning to my right, and as a consequence I am always on alert that the car indicating a turn to the right might mean the road to my right. (Hope that was not too confusing.)
This man gave every indication that he would turn into my road, so I began to move on out, but I took one more glance to the left and noticed that he had changed his mind and wanted the next exit. He was travelling too fast, and had I not braked hard he would have broadsided me, a slam that could well have placed me in the hospital. This is one of the most common causes for accidents.
Other people drink alcohol or partake of drugs that will likely impair their driving and end up killing either friends and/or family members travelling with them, as well as others in traffic.
That can be avoided by simply not drinking or doing drugs then driving, but there is another menace that should know better. That is the person who insists on text-ting while driving. Talking on the phone while driving, hands-free is bad enough, but text-ting is the ultimate form of insanity. When the crash comes it cannot be called an accident because text-ting quite naturally leads to a collision, sooner or later.
None of these things add to driving pleasure, and the weather problems of high winds and lashing rain that caused a tail-back that extended for 160 miles between Madrid and Alicante city, that also caused a three hour delay must have been the things that nightmares are made of.
The message seems to be clear: perhaps you should not do as so many other drivers did and all travel at the same time if you would prefer to avoid such stressful situations.
Copyright (c) 2013 Eugene Carmichael
