Ahhhhhh, summertime, sweet summertime. If you have young children, they are out of school. For many of us it’s time for vacation. Heck, I’ve already taken a week off and let me tell you, it was fun.
But summer is also a time to remember to be safe. During my recent vacation, I drove more than 3,400 miles in a week and I saw constant reminders of how a split second decision could leave a person injured. Before my son, Brian, and I had been on the road for 30 minutes, we saw an accident scene on I-55. We’d left his graduation at Mississippi College and began heading north to see family. Heavy rain was falling and as we got closer to the blue lights, we saw a truck that had hit a wall in a construction zone.
But the first accident wasn’t the only one we saw. Later, as we drove through Memphis, we saw a horrific scene. Traffic was backed up on the interstate, and as we got closer I saw why there were so many fire trucks and police cars around. On the ground next to a badly mangled vehicle was a blue tarp covering the body of the driver. It made me think about how a split second decision or hydroplaning in the rain could cost you your life.
At the end of our week, we also witnessed another horrific accident on I-65 in Kentucky. It happened in a construction zone. Five cars and a motorcycle collided. The accident happened just a few hundred yards in front of us. The interstate was closed for more than an hour as troopers, first responders and even two helicopters came to the scene.
We made it back safely to Columbia, but I felt fortunate that we had not been involved in any of the mishaps. With that said, whether you are driving to the Coast or California, be aware of your surroundings and stay safe.
Another thing to watch is your exposure to the sun. Trust me; I’ve seen friends who have gotten burns that were bad enough to require treatment at the hospital. I’ve done it myself before, thinking that a few hours at the beach would be fine without sunscreen. Another big summer tip is to be prepared for summer sun and to hydrate – drink plenty of water. Our temperatures have been in the 90s this week, and it is easy to suffer the effects of the heat.
I also received information from the U.S. Coast Guard earlier this week about safe boating. I used to have a pontoon boat and had a blast with it, but there are so many things that can go wrong, so the Coast Guard wants people to stay safe this summer.
Coast Guard officials said there was some good news as boating injuries decreased by more than 9 percent from 2,903 to 2,629 in 2017 over 2016 and fatalities decreased by 6.1 percent. However, the report also shows it was the second highest number of fatalities on record in the last five years.
“Although these lower numbers are encouraging, I ask those who boat to continue to do so responsibly, especially by donning a life jacket,” Capt. Scott Johnson, chief of the Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety at Coast Guard Headquarters, said in a press release. “Wearing a life jacket is the single-most important thing you can do to save your life or the life of someone you care about.”
Johnson cites a heart-wrenching case where an 18-year-old victim who had been preparing to wakeboard unexpectedly fell overboard with a life jacket in his hand. He never resurfaced.
“When you need a life jacket, you need it on, not in your hand or stowed away out of reach on your boat,” Johnson said. “This tragedy was entirely preventable.”
Have a safe and happy summer. Make memories with your family; and most importantly, stay safe.
Mark Rogers is managing editor of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him at news@columbianprogress.com.
