After recently watching a school bus driver in Louisiana drive a school bus full of children into floodwaters and almost turn over, and hearing of little children drowning here in Arkansas because their parents either didn’t have enough sense or weren’t cautious enough to avoid driving into roaring floodwaters, I feel compelled to write about the dangers of flooding. And other things, as I’m wont to do on occasion. OK, it’s more than that, but bear with me.
We see it almost every time there’s a flash flood. For some unknown reason, people will drive a vehicle into running water or water so deep they can’t tell if they’re on the road bed or not. Even if the water isn’t running, a person can still drown if their vehicle stalls or if they drive it into deep water. Trying to get out of a flooding vehicle is no picnic, and even if you do, the vehicle is basically destroyed. I know, you have insurance, but my experience with that is that you come out somewhat worse than when you started. The lost time, vehicle rental, repair, and a myriad of other things is a hassle.
Back to the subject: First and foremost, do not drive a vehicle into running water or into water that you don’t know the depth of or what’s beneath the surface. As the saying goes, “turn around, don’t drown.” That’s excellent advice, but apparently it’s not getting through to the people who need to hear it most. So, “what we got here,” as the captain of the guards told Luke (Paul Newman) and the other prisoners in the movie Cool Hand Luke, “is a failure to communicate.” And that’s the crux of the problem.
I have what I consider to be a solution. It may not be the best or only solution, but it’s something. Every school should have a “Don’t Be Stupid” class that begins sometime in grade school and ends in high school. It doesn’t have to be every year, but should be often enough so that kids won’t forget the things they’ve learned. And while we have them, we should teach a few more items besides driving a vehicle into running water in the “Don’t Be Stupid” category.
Here are a few ideas for the class:
Don’t get in an inner tube, canoe, kayak, or any other vessel (short of an aircraft carrier), and try to float a river, stream or creek when it is in flood stage. I know, it looks like fun, but you have to respect the power of running water.
Don’t dive into shallow water, or water where submerged objects are not visible. Ever. And while we’re on this subject, everyone should learn to swim. Everyone. Now. There’s not a year goes by that some young person doesn’t drown unnecessarily because they couldn’t swim. If you can’t swim, stay out of the water until you can. Parents, make sure your children learn to swim. Red Cross certified swimming lessons are given at Southern Arkansas University every summer. Though not free, the cost is quite reasonable. I’m sure there are other options as well.
Don’t park your car or truck in the middle of a busy street so you can visit with a friend. Move it up into the driveway. Be considerate of other people, as you could cause an accident. And you may have one of those unnecessary encounters with a police officer, so be smart. You’re breaking the law and endangering other people’s lives.
Don’t drink and drive. It can mess your life up now and later, with fines in the thousands of dollars, a suspended driver’s license, and a record that follows you when you seek employment or professional development (think nurse, teacher, etc.). Taking illegal drugs or the improper use of prescription drugs goes without saying. That can land you in jail or cause you many years of lingering health and mental problems, or all of the above.
Don’t text while you’re driving. People should know this, yet I see it almost every day, especially by young people. Checking the status of a Facebook account can be just as dangerous. A young driver in Texas recently caused the death of 13 people on a church bus and himself while allegedly texting and driving. Calling people, talking on the phone, and a number of other actions can also result in distracted driving. Pay attention to the road and the act of driving once the vehicle is moving.
Don’t drive at excessive speeds and obey seatbelt laws. These actions can save your life, as thousands of young people are killed and maimed in auto accidents every year, most due to excessive speed.
If you absolutely have to ride a motorcycle or related vehicle, wear a helmet and protective clothing. Seeing “road rash” just one time was enough to cure me of any desire to ride a motorcycle again. This applies to four-wheelers and other all-terrain vehicles, as does the excessive speed rule.
I could go on forever, but I am limited by space and time (aren’t we all?). There are many other things I’m sure other people can think of that fall into the Don’t Be Stupid category. Teachers probably see as many of them as anyone, so I feel confident a class could be formed that would deal with the problem in a rational and sensible manner.
I know many of these things fall under the category of common sense, but many young people are sheltered today from actions that teach common sense. For the most part, kids no longer do farm work or physical activities that would give them a lot of life experience, so they must be taught another way. I know experience is the best teacher, but I can’t stand to see so many young people lose their lives due to ignorance. It’s past time to do something.