Drivers get to know your car

The latest Toyota runaway story demonstrates how we’ve become a lowest common denominator society. A Prius with a stuck accelerator took its driver along a 30-mile high speed drive along a busy California highway. According to published reports, the driver had no idea what to do when faced with this horrifying spectacle. All he could think to do was call 911 for help. We should not accept this as the answer from drivers facing a crisis. We would not expect Capt. Sally Sullenberger to put a call in to the control tower asking for instructions on how to land his plane. We should expect more from drivers, including common sense and a basic understanding of how a car works.

Cars are complex machines driven in environments full of moving interferences and distractions. The electronic devices of today, much like the carburetors of the past, can have a mind of their own and do unexpected things. Brake systems, whether electronic or hydraulic, can fail. Ball joints can snap off like twigs, especially after a few potholes. Drivers should be expected to know what to do in case of mechanical failures. Most cars have backup systems to help drivers take control of the vehicle should an emergency arise. Drivers need to learn how to use them.

Our driver education classes woefully fail to teach drivers what to do in case of an emergency. Our drivers’ license exams are so basic that most drivers only need to know how to buckle up, turn on the ignition, and avoid stationary orange cones at 15 miles per hour.

A police officer, traveling at 90 MPH, should not be what it takes to tell a driver to turn the engine off to stop a runaway car. Drivers should take the time to learn the basics so that they know what to do in an emergency and practice, practice, practice. Common sense and knowing how a plane works allowed Capt. Sully to deal with the challenge he faced. Common sense and knowing how a car works can also help drivers land their vehicle and avoid catastrophe.