SOMETIMES IT’S LACK OF COMMON SENSE THAT KILLS
Reckless motorists who flout rules put themselves and others in danger
IN July, I witnessed an accident near a traffic light in the neighbourhood where I stay in Ipoh, Perak. A lorry was moving on the right lane while a Perodua Kelisa was behind it. I was closely following the two vehicles.
Motorists heading for Hulu Kinta from Tambun slowed down as they approached the traffic light.
The Kelisa attempted to overtake the lorry from the left.
The Kelisa was in between the two lanes when the lorry began moving to the left.
In the next few seconds, like a scene out of an action movie, the lorry hit the right side of the Kelisa, causing the driver to lose control.
The lorry driver braked as hard as he could, which could be seen from the skid marks on the road before it came to a stop.
Because of the impact, the Kelisa spun a few times in front of the lorry and flipped into the air before landing on its side.
By then, the Kelisa looked like a smashed-up can with the owner’s belongings strewn on the road.
My eyes were glued to the Kelisa as I stopped my car, which was less than 10m away.
It took a few seconds before my car stopped moving.
During this time, a few bystanders ran to the Kelisa driver’s aid who, thankfully, escaped with minor injuries.
Only then did I realise how close my car was to the lorry.
In those few seconds that I took to stop my car, it crossed my mind how the other car driver had stared death in the face during the time he was airborne.
After the incident, I felt jittery whenever I drove past the area and it took me some time to overcome this.
Neither drivers in the incident were speeding, but the accident occurred as both had failed to follow the essential rule of time and space.
The Kelisa was in a blindspot in relation to the lorry when both vehicles collided.
Time is when you give at least three seconds and to make sure that the coast is clear before changing lanes.
Space is important to ensure that the one intending to overtake us has ensured a safe distance from our car by slowing down to give way to other vehicles.
The driver who intends to overtake must ensure that there is a safe distance between other vehicles before changing lanes.
It is important for drivers to leave a sufficient gap between their vehicles and others to ensure they are visible to others, especially heavy vehicles.
I could have hit the lorry from behind in the accident.
This is the reason I get upset when other motorists get too close to my car.
Having been involved in several accidents myself, I can say that bad judgment also played a role.
Last year, I got hit by a car on the North-South Expressway near Bukit Gambir as I was driving towards Johor Baru.
Due to the impact, I ended up rear-ending another car in front as the gap between us was small.
A few years ago, I hit the back of a taxi on the MRR2 during the morning rush hour while on the way to an assignment.
In 2007, I hit the back of a bus that was turning right at a junction.
I remember trembling with fear before breaking down in tears when talking to my editor on the phone to inform him of the incident.
Over and over again, I made the same mistake of not giving enough space between my car and other vehicles.
The recent accident, which was caught on video by another driver and shared on Facebook, serves as a reminder for me and other drivers to take the space between vehicles seriously.
I am grateful to the driver who posted the video even though I felt that I had given sufficient space between my car and the lorry. I could have done better by allowing a larger space.
And the driver who took the video was smart to give ample space. If not, we would have ended up in a pile-up.
I am fortunate to live to tell the tale of poor judgment on the road.
Reckless drivers put themselves and others in danger.
Driving slowly does not always mean it is safer. Most of us can relate to drivers who hog the fast lane, as well as heavy vehicles plying the right lane.
Those slowing down to look at wrecked vehicles after a crash expose themselves to the risks of getting hit by unsuspecting motorists. Sometimes, it’s the lack of common sense that kills.