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Published on Thursday, April 1, 2004
in the Palatka Daily News
It's a situation in which you shouldn't trust your first instincts. Overcorrecting, or quickly snatching the steering wheel back in the direction of the road to get back on it when your vehicle goes onto the shoulder, is one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities in Putnam County, according to Capt. Brent Coates of the Florida Highway Patrol.
When the front tire goes off the shoulder and then hits the raised surface of a paved road, that difference can be deadly. "That's what causes the vehicle to lose control," Coates said. "That's when the vehicle flips and people are ejected if they're not wearing a seat belt."
According to Coates: n In 2001, out of Putnam's 21 traffic fatalities, eight were a result of drivers veering off the roadway and then overcorrecting. None of the eight victims were wearing seat belts. n In 2002, six out of 32 traffic fatalities were blamed on overcorrecting. None of the six victims were wearing seat belts. n In 2003, overcorrecting was blamed on eight out of 25 fatalities. Of the eight victims, four were not wearing seat belts. n Of the eight traffic fatalities so far this year, three have been blamed on overcorrecting. One of the victims was not wearing a seat belt.
Momentary distractions such as changing a CD, dropping a cigarette or answering a cell phone can cause drivers to straddle the shoulder of the road, but panic becomes their worst enemy.
Coates said in that split second, he knows a driver's first instinct is to snatch the wheel to get back on the road, but a driver should immediately do two things when their vehicle veers off the roadway.
"The first thing is to let off the gas and get a firm grip on the steering wheel," he said. "Then, once the vehicle is slowed down, the driver should ease the vehicle back onto the roadway." If no obstacles are on the side of the road, a driver can just slow down and stop, then get back on the road when there's no traffic and they've calmed down.
"Drivers should look for what's on the side of the road as they're driving in case they have to leave the road like that," Coates said. "Planning ahead while you're driving is second nature for us (troopers), but drivers don't always do that."
Coates said FHP officers were available to speak to community groups and businesses about traffic safety issues like preventing overcorrecting. For more information, call the FHP office in East Palatka at 329-3738.