Saving the junk in your trunk
Decisions, distractions, focus; these are all things we face each time we drive. Keeping your mind on driving is important every time you drive; we know that. We tend to do it to ourselves though. We distract ourselves often enough that we can cause damage to our vehicle or ourselves. How many times have you done things while driving that you can’t remember if you did it or not? What about before entering your vehicle? Have you done things and then forgot that you did them or maybe thought you did them but didn’t?
We tend to do many things out of habit, but having a conscience thought is also important. I saw this driver heading out at city speed with their trunk open. They were driving for a few minutes with their trunk bouncing up and down while they drove along. What happened that caused this to happen? Did the driver even look to see if it was closed before they entered their vehicle? Was it the passenger who didn’t close the trunk well enough?
Regardless of who closed the trunk, it’s up to the driver to ensure the vehicle is safe to put in motion. It’s their responsibility. Walking around the vehicle prior to entering it is always a good way to verify the safety of the vehicle and its contents. Check to see if the doors, trunk and hood are closed. Check for any damage to the vehicle and ensure the windows and mirrors are clear enough to be used. Also check the tires for obvious under inflation, damage and the direction of the front wheels.
Imagine what the driver was doing while their trunk was bouncing; possibly looking in their rear view mirror more than looking ahead. Perhaps they were concentrating about what they should do as opposed to what they were doing at the time. I’m sure it became a visual distraction for them as it was for the drivers passing them. But what about their time before they saw their open trunk? Why did they drive for so long before they noticed it and pulled to the side of the road? Did they even notice it much sooner to where they pulled over?
Doing a simple walk around can help you maintain control of your vehicle without it also being a distraction to other drivers. However, checking your mirrors regularly will also help you stay aware of what’s happening around your vehicle, including if your trunk is open. The interesting thing is this isn’t the only time I’ve seen vehicles motoring along the road with their trunk open for no reason. If you need to carry an oversized item in your trunk, remember to tie the trunk down with rope or a bungee cord. Nothing should fall out while you’re driving if it’s tied down; which will help to keep your junk in the trunk.
For many different reasons we sometimes forget what do we do. I can’t blame the driver, since I also forget things, simple things to be exact. Thanks for reminding us of this responsibility again. I am really enlightened.
I would like to also add that if you have something hanging out of your trunk or the back of your pick-up please put a red flag on it so that it is seen better. I have seen this many times and also seen many people run into the product hanging out the back. thank you
Good advice. Thanks for the comment.