Health is easily affected by the manner in which a motor vehicle is operated. Road related mishaps could be avoided if, across the board, more caution were exercised. The incidence of wanting to ‘Get There’ is rampant among today’s motorist. Following recommended guidelines would greatly reduce the risk of accidents that are the result of ‘Getting There”. Attitudes also play a key role in staying healthy on the roadways. Staying healthy while driving is akin to transporting a delicate treasure (one’s body) to a sacred location (the destination).
The expressway is a high speed roadway. Drivers utilize it to reduce the commute times. Recently, where I live, there was an accident, involving four cars, that occurred in the expressway toll lane: cars can travel in that lane at even higher speeds. The expressway can be a dangerous place. Cars travel in packs and create a situation whereby one miscalculation by one driver can affect other drivers. The speeds traveled on the expressway mandate that caution be a top priority. Whether or not there were any injuries in that incident is unknown. However, one car in particular looked really bad. There may have been one injury.
The rush from point A to point B is for . . . . what? To beat the clock? To get home to unplug from a mundane existence? Wanting to crank up a newly purchased a Muscle Car? None of these are good reasons for speeding in a car. In many cases, people speed up to beat a traffic signal or rush through a residential area. Terrible life-altering mishaps could occur in either situation. To get somewhere faster is to compromise getting there in one piece, in a healthy state. This rushing puts the driver and others on the road at risk. Why take a chance?
One of the best guidelines for driving is that of following distance. In situations such as rush hour or backed up traffic, close quarter driving is a forced necessity. However, driving at higher speeds, especially at close distances, can result in grave consequences. The recommended following distance for driving is a minimum of 2 seconds. This time frame yields a 58 foot space at 20 mph and a 176 foot space at 60 mph. That really is not much time or space when considering other factors like reaction time (how quickly one can hit the brakes), vehicle weight (a mini cooper vs a loaded semi-trailer) or road surface conditions (wet vs dry roads, etc). Awareness of surroundings is critical for safety on the road.
People are displaying a lot of emotionalism on the road. Impatience is a factor that can lead to mishaps. Rushing through stop-signs is a calculated risk but people do it. Road rage erupts more than it probably should. Situations where people stop in the middle of traffic to vent their frustrations. Sometimes these interactions can become violent. None of this is really necessary. The road is not a place for displaying ill-tempers nor is it a place for blowing through stop signs. These situations can take away from the need to pay attention to the road and being considerate of all conditions.
There is a way of conducting one’s self in order to be healthy. Exercise, diet, rest, mindset – these all play important parts in one’s health. However, not much thought is given to the health effects of driving an automobile. Excessive speed, inattentiveness, unsafe habits, emotionality are all ways in which driving can lead to negative impacts on one’s health. By approaching the act of driving with a safety focus, one’s health and welfare will be more certainly assured.
In the Austin area, the trainers at Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness can help you with your health goals.
Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness 