July 2015 Archives

Whatever method of transportation you prefer, at one time or another, we are all pedestrians on Oklahoma's roads. We've all been in the situation of trying to cross the road on foot, wondering if the oncoming cars are paying attention. And those fears are well founded. We were already plagued with drunk drivers and bad drivers and then the advent of smartphones added a whole new breed of danger: distracted drivers. People feel as if a quick glance at the phone isn't enough to cause any damage, but all it takes is one second of inattention to turn a pedestrian into a victim.

There's not a person in this country that doesn't know how wrong it is to get behind the wheel drunk. We've all seen the devastation wrought by these types of bad decisions. And yet, every day people come out of the bar intoxicated and fool themselves into thinking that it's OK to drive home. They use every excuse in the book, from "I can drive just fine when I'm drunk," to "Home is only five minutes away." Sadly, for the victims of these drunk drivers, those excuses don't go hold much water.

The Fourth of July weekend is a time to celebrate our great country and remember the sacrifices others have made so we can have the freedoms we enjoy. Many choose the holiday weekend to drink and enjoy the fireworks shows and live music that most towns in Oklahoma offer. Sadly, many of these revellers also choose to get behind the wheel inebriated or make bad choices by speeding or driving distracted. No one is more affected by this than motorcycle drivers, who have no outer structure to protect them from collisions. This past Fourth of July weekend was no different.

It's an obvious thing to say, but every driver wants to avoid accidents of any type, because even the most minor fender benders can ruin your day with phone calls, repair shops and the inevitable dealings with the insurance company. So, while no accident is a picnic, there's one type that is usually head and shoulders above the rest in terms of injury and damage. Truck accidents can be the most catastrophic, for reasons that are obvious.