Dec. 14 -- If you're driving a car built within the last five years, there's a good chance it is equipped with blind spot monitors, radar-assisted cruise control and some form of automatic collision-avoidance system. Nearly every passenger car or truck on the road today has airbags and anti-lock brakes, and many of them automatically switch to four-wheel drive when conditions warrant. Add it all up and today's automobiles are safer than at any point in history.
And yet, as of Dec. 10, 437 people had died this year in crashes on Minnesota roads. That's 61 more fatalities than last year at this time, and if the approaching holiday season takes its usual toll, Minnesota will see more than 450 traffic fatalities this year -- which would be more than double MNDOT's goal of 225 or fewer deaths by 2025.
Mechanization, it seems, does not eliminate human error. Perhaps one day we'll all be riding in driverless vehicles, but until that day comes, the safety of ourselves, our passengers, other drivers and pedestrians will still depend largely on the attentiveness, skill and caution of drivers.
We got a reminder of this fact on Monday, when a passenger car rear-ended a stopped school bus -- with flashing lights and stop sign displayed -- in Pleasant Grove Township on County Road 19.
Fortunately, this accident didn't end in tragedy. No one on the bus was injured, and a child passenger in the car was taken to a hospital just as a precautionary measure. The driver of the car was cited for careless driving.
That driver got off easy. If you drive too fast, text behind the wheel, fail to buckle your seat belt or drive after a few drinks, you might not be so lucky.
There's never a good time for distracted, drunken or reckless driving, but December in Minnesota is especially dangerous. A lot of us drive to and from work in the dark, and our kids get on the bus before sunrise. Roads can be frosty, snowy, ice-covered or simply wet -- and today's ultra-bright headlights can create blinding glare for other drivers.
It's been a couple years since we had a real Minnesota winter, and if we have one this year, it will be the first time many young drivers have faced snow-packed roads, icy hills, narrowed streets and snow piles that can obscure oncoming traffic and pedestrians. And really, based on the hundreds of accidents that occurred a couple weeks ago when an inch of snow blanketed parts of Minnesota, it would seem that plenty of experienced drivers need reminders about how to drive in less-than-perfect conditions.
So here goes:
* Slow down. Posted speed limits mean next to nothing when streets and highways are snow-covered or icy.
* Eyes on the road, not your phone. Operating a handheld phone while driving is illegal in Minnesota, and police can pull you over and cite you for that offense alone.
* Maintain a safe stopping distance. That car in front of you could slow or stop suddenly, and two or three car lengths won't be enough room if roads are snowy or icy.
* Thoroughly scrape and/or defrost all of your vehicle's windows, and brush snow off its top and hood, too. Otherwise, a sudden stop or wind gust could blind you or an oncoming driver.
* Check your tires and replace them if necessary. Don't listen to that inner cheapskate that says, "Oh, you can probably get by for one more winter."
* Approach all intersections with caution. You might have the right-of-way, but another car could come sliding into your path.
* Pedestrians, keep your head on a swivel. Always use crosswalks, especially in high-traffic areas, but remember that being in a crosswalk is no guarantee that an oncoming driver sees you or will be able to stop in time. Don't stroll across the street. Move with purpose. Being "in the right" will be small comfort if you're in the hospital with a fractured pelvis.
* When you see a school bus, slow down and be ready to stop. Bus drivers try to provide plenty of yellow-light warning before they turn on the flashing reds and extend the stop arm, but expect the unexpected. Kids on corners are unpredictable.
* Plan for a sober ride. We all know about the dangers of drinking and driving, but this year's holiday gatherings might well include a lot more recreational marijuana than in years past. Don't be the driver who says "Oh, one gummy won't affect me."
* Don't doze and drive. Your family wants you home safe for the holidays, and if you're 10 hours late because you stopped at a motel, they'll understand. Caffeine is no substitute for sleep.
* Don't swerve to avoid a deer. Slow down if you can, but don't go into a ditch or cross a median to miss an animal. A deer will cause much less damage than will a tree, telephone pole or oncoming vehicle.
* Wear your seat belt, and make sure your passengers do, too. Airbags and high-tech crumple zones serve no purpose if you or your child is ejected from a vehicle.
We all have to share the roads. If we expect other drivers to drive safely, then we must do so, too.