Safe Driving PSA Gives Me Chills Every Time [Video]

As I progress through life – from a cocky, selfish, indestructible teenager to a (hopefully) humble, considerate husband and father of two amazing kids – I most definitely look at things differently. Driving, and more importantly the driving of others, is one thing that scares the crap out of me. Hopefully this PSA reminds us all to be a bit more conscientious.

One thing I actually remembered from driving classes is the concept of “defensive driving.” Hopefully this is still being taught these days. This simply reminds us to look out for “the other guy.” While I have control of my own actions behind the wheel, I can’t control what someone else does – and I need to be ready for that. In fact, more than just being ready, I need to anticipate what someone else might do and know how I’ll react in any given situation. Of course I didn’t always do that when I was younger. I did my thing and was somewhat oblivious to my surroundings. Now that I have children and am responsible for that “precious cargo” I am always on the lookout for some knucklehead.

This PSA is from New Zealand, and specifically references speeding – but the overall message, which we all need to remember, is that PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES. We have to be prepared for these mistakes. Have you ever accidentally left on your turn signal? Sure, we all have. It's a simple mistake. But what if someone who is trying to turn left, out in front of you, sees that and assumes you are actually turning? They pull out and you smash into them. That’s just one example to think about. Another, like this video presents, is speeding. You may be in total control of your car, but what if someone else makes a mistake and you don’t have time to react. It might be their fault, but that doesn’t change the fact that something tragic could happen.

Ok, enough from me. Watch the video and drive carefully.

Oh, one more thing, on a much much lighter note. How cool would it be if we referred to each other as "mate" more often? It seems so positive. Wonder why that hasn't caught on here in 'Murica.