Growing up, I decided in my early teens never to drink alcohol or smoke. Why? I got drunk on my 15th birthday and remembered feeling awful. The vomiting and headache were enough to steer me in the opposite direction. Thankfully, I’ve stayed on that course, which in my line of work may seem nerdy to most.

Throughout my life I’ve learned that going through life unconsciously is a life not worth living. Artificial stimulants only give a short burst of fake ecstasy. But, at the same time, it blocks your ability to strengthen your real-life skill muscles and blurs your ability to experience beauty, failings, and purpose.

I never wanted to be a partial or high-functioning drug addict. While it may not appear on my resume, it undoubtedly would’ve been displayed in my attitude. And, despite its imperfections and unfairness, life is beautiful, with moments to take your breath away, and I wanted to experience them fully.

The truth is, however, that sometimes we don’t need alcohol to alter the chemistry of our personalities. Instead, we can toxically and unwittingly do it to ourselves through our apprehensions of fear, stress, and rage.

You may be wondering, where am I going with this.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been observing our societal pulse and how we drive, teach, and engage with one another. One of the things that has sharply struck me is the level of disharmony and anger we have in our humanity towards each other. It takes nothing now to either make someone snap, shout, shut you up, shut you out, or shoot you. So all of us involuntarily assume a semi-comatose state to ensure our manner doesn’t push an encounter in the wrong direction to our detriment.

Driving on our roads perhaps best illustrates my point. Most drivers in the Corporate Area appears to have a very short fuse, whether they’re frustrated with the traffic or with their life. However, there is a daily rage for those who drive in more rural areas because of the lousy interior road networks that make them suffer financially from having to buy front-end parts repeatedly for their vehicles.

For me, it is the mad rush. Everyone is in a hurry to get to their destination. As a result, I encounter drivers making dangerous manoeuvres to cut long traffic lines, buses and others overtaking around corners every day, or two drivers having a heated exchange side by side on an active roadway. It feels dystopian most days.

Where’s our fail-safe switch?

In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that, in the event of a specific type of failure, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, the environment, or people.

For example, in the case of our homes, if there is a power overload that could cause a fire or damage electrical equipment, the fail-safe switch in the circuit breaker trips into shutdown mode to prevent a damaging surge.

People actually have fail-safe switches, better known as self-discipline, emotional intelligence, and discernment. That is how the individual displays a sense of self-regulation, empathy, and self-awareness, which leads them to make a good judgement call, especially around other people.

Every day, approximately 3,700 people worldwide die in road crashes. In the United States, it’s more than 35,000 people who die in motor vehicle accidents annually, with 2 million more becoming injured. (defensivedriving.org)

Last year 488 people were killed in traffic crashes in Jamaica, 46 of whom died during December, according to the Ministry of Transport’s Road Safety Unit (RSU). The December death toll resulted from 41 fatal collisions. In addition, 11 motorcyclists and 11 pedestrians were killed during the month, so too were seven private motor car drivers and seven private motor car passengers. (Jamaica Observer, January 7, 2023)

This data does not include the number of accidents resulting from people not paying attention, driving carelessly, or being drunk. Whatever the reasoning, the truth is that navigating our roadways today is like a minefield that needs your sharp vigilance and a defensive strategy at all times.

Driving defensively saves lives

Most car insurance companies and driving instructors explain that defensive driving is a set of safe responses to potential hazards, including other drivers, damaged road surfaces, debris, inclement weather, and other forms of chaos.

So here are 10 simple techniques that may help you to enjoy and be more engaged in your everyday driving experience on our roadways:

1) Plan ahead: In an age of technology, phone applications will help to show where traffic, police, construction, or other delays may be. Find one that works for you and use it. It will help with your time management and reduce stress.

2) Know your surroundings: You may have driven the route a thousand times; however, stay focused, especially if there is a hidden corner on your path.

3) Brake early: It would be best if you never took it for granted that others drivers are as prepared and focused as you. Therefore, never hesitate to allow others to pass you if you feel uncomfortable with their speed and precision, or pass them if they appear reckless with their skills.

4) Never go on the offensive and stay away from other road rage situations.

5) Don’t get distracted: We are all guilty of doing several things at once, and talking and texting on the phone while we are driving may be some of the dangerous habits we have been practising. Put the ‘do not disturb while driving’ and the ‘voice to text/e-mail’ features on your phones.

6) Know where the blind spot is on your vehicle, and do not drive in the blind spot of another vehicle often located along each side of the car, slightly behind the driver (where they are unable to see it), usually to the back left and to the back right of the car.

7) Don’t take an antihistamine or other form of medication which may make you drowsy if you know you have school rounds, long drives, or traffic.

8) Never drink and drive; keep your distance from other motorists who appear drunk.

9) Make sure your tyres have adequate treads or you could hydro-plain on a wet road. Drive slowly on wet roads and at least five car lengths if the person stops suddenly or goes into a skid. Slow down before entering a curve or bend. Also, remember speeding into a turn or braking suddenly while going around a bend may cause skids.

10) If you encounter a rear wheel skid, that is, when the back end of the car slides to the right or left, do not brake suddenly and don’t turn into the skid. Focus on the direction the vehicle needs to go and begin easing off the gas while carefully turning the vehicle just enough to straighten the car to bring the front wheels in line with the rear wheels. As you turn, keep easing off the gas. (Defensive driving.com)

Whatever your labours and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, Jamaica is still a beautiful country to see and explore. Therefore, be safe on the roads.

Lisa Hanna is Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, People’s National Party spokesperson on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and a former Cabinet member.