June 30, 2015

Distracted Scooting is Dangerous Too

June 30, 2015

Post

Distracted Scooting is Dangerous Too

a drivers perspective: nero — A Drivers Perspective: Nero

By Nero

Towards the end of my summer stint with Teens Learn To Drive I booked a trip that was a combination wedding/min-vacation to Bermuda.

We touched down on a beautiful morning, armed with an activity-packed itinerary. First on the list was a scooter (moped) day, exploring the island.

Armed with a new way of looking at the road (from my TL2D experience), I opted out. I went through my mental checklist – brand new driver – CHECK, unfamiliar country with road rules I didn’t know – CHECK and lastly, vehicle I had ZERO experience on – CHECK. It was pretty obvious to me that it wouldn’t be a very safe decision for me. Unfortunately this wasn’t so obvious a decision for others.

I understand the thinking. You’re on vacation so live a little, right? Step outside your comfort zone. Wrong! This ended up being an awful vacation for one of people in our group. She decided to scoot around Bermuda – knowing she was a novice driver with little experience – knowing she didn’t know the roads or the rules – and with no scooter experience.

Then she made the incredible decision to TEXT AND SCOOT! That ended up in a collision that ruined her vacation and nearly ended her life. She fell and the scooter dragged her for quite a distance. Her arm and leg was stripped of skin and her face was scraped to the point where she will have scars.

Still – she is lucky to be alive! She will have to live with those scars that will be a sad reminder of a collision that resulted from a poor decision and could have been completely avoided.

Anne Marie Hayes

I am an advocate for driving safety, armed with a passion for educationg and promoting safe driving habits to teens, parents, and seniors alike. I am a member of the board of directions of NOYS (National Organizations for Youth Safety) and a member of GHSA (Governor's Highway Safety Association), as well as a member of 7 international driving safety organizations. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from York University, and I am a certified driving instructor. I am also the author of "3 keys to keeping Your Teen Alive: Lessons for Surviving the First Year of Driving." which provides parents and their teens the tools to keep them safe while driving.

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