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MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Tech. Sgt. Robert Starkweather, 35th Security Forces Squadron senior patrolman, assesses vehicle damage from an accident that occurred in concrete canyon May 11. According to the 35th Fighter Wing Safety Office, there have been a total of four accidents in concrete canyon in the past three years. (U.S. Air Force photo Staff Sgt. April Quintanilla)
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Misawa's encouraged to drive to arrive
Posted 5/18/2011 Updated 5/18/2011
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by SSgt April Quintanilla
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
5/18/2011 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- As part of the critical days of summer, vehicle safety is highlighted.
At Misawa, this year there have been five vehicle accidents with injuries and eight that involved property damage without injuries, both on and off base.
One area on base prone to accidents is concrete canyon. The speed limit for concrete canyon has gone back and forth from 40-60 Kilometers for the past couple of years. In 2009, the base traffic safety working group decided to leave the speed limit at 60K and educate the base populace during seasonal timeframes.
The 35th Fighter Wing Safety office encourages driver to always maintain three key ingredients while driving:
- Visual - keep your eyes on the road
- Manual - keep your hands on the wheel
- Cognitive - keep your mind on the task at hand (driving)
Distracted driving activities include: talking or texting on your cell phone, eating or drinking while driving, and being distracted by passengers. Although all of these are dangerous, "texting" has been labeled as the most dangerous because it combines all of the three keys mentioned earlier.
Things to do to prevent distracted driving are:
- Avoid gawking
- Don't drive when angry, upset or fatigued
- Limit passenger interaction
In 2010, there were a total of 14 fatalities Air Force wide as a result of speeding or losing control of a vehicle. This year the Air Force has already had 6 fatalities. Everyone should always remember to take the time to buckle up and minimize any distractions while driving to help avoid accidents, according to officials in the 35th FW Safety office.
"If you must use your cell phone, pull over to a safe area and do so," said Master Sgt. Xaviera McFadden, 35th FW Safety Office ground safety officer. "This summer let's drive to arrive safely!"
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