Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. (Car crash stuff.)

Came across this scene on the way home from the Roar Before The Rolex this evening:

And there's a lot going on:

Car on fire.

Crashed car in the middle of the intersection.

Zero emergency vehicles.

People sitting in the median. 

No street lights.

Glass everywhere.

Cars stopped on the side of the road.

Not shown, but a tow truck on the right that was hitching up a truck.

And, also not shown, but a BMW driving up towards me on the wrong side of the road.

Know what I don't see, other than anyone attending to the fire? Anyone wearing a safety vest. There were people out and about, but they were pretty much invisible.

Time to throw an inexpensive safety vest in each of the cars?

David S. Wallens said:

Know what I don't see, other than anyone attending to the fire? Anyone wearing a safety vest. There were people out and about, but they were pretty much invisible.

Time to throw an inexpensive safety vest in each of the cars?

It's a requirement in some European countries that you carry one per possible occupant (in other words, if your car seats five, you need five vests).

In reply to 02Pilot :

Yup. I was thinking about that on the way home. If it's dark, you can still see the cars. But can they see you?

Have a vest but stay in the car or get way outta the road ASAP if not actively assisting with a life threatening extraction. Have had 2 or 3 people killed within a couple miles of me after they got hit standing in the road after accidents that were either minor or not an active hazard. 

I carry a bright yellow monkey suit for both visibility and in case I need to keep my clothes clean.

Maybe they didn't lift till they saw Jesus?

This is why I always have a pack out kit with traffic cones, battery operated hand wands, steel toe boots, hard hat, programmable traffic sign, flares, colt revolver, bear spray, whistle, and cb radio.

Don't want to be caught off guard if the need to stand in the middle of a dimly lit highly trafficked roadway presents itself.

Although, I never thought to have extra kits for the kiddos in case they are in the car and want to help. God bless the EU.

Good reminder. I have a vest and a triangle in my car but nothing in the family truckster. 

Yes.  Store it next to the Kiddie fire extinguisher and first aid kit.

Been thinking more about safety stuff lately. 

Grampa (former boyscout/marine/fishing captain) carried a fire extinguisher, tool box, safety flares and a triangle in the back of his blue 300TD.

Might be time to up my game. 

I have a safety vest in the door pocket of my truck. Used it a few times now for side of the interstate trailer tire blowouts. 5 lane wide peak hour traffic going 80.....doesn't slow down.

I have a safety vest in my truck in the same place as the big flashlight.  I occurs to me that it's been 30 years since I've had any first aid training and over 20 since I've used it.  I should probably take a refresher course or two.  I bet I can that through work.  Probably during working hours.

I've had fire extinguishers in my cars for years but realized the need for more basics when I was first to stop after a plumbing van driver fell asleep and drove pretty much directly into a Jersey barrier. Vests are a good idea, also consider adding rubberized cut-proof gloves. Car wrecks make for lots of sharp edges and you neither want to contribute blood or expose yourself to someone else's. Some basic first aid training would be nice, but haven't gotten there yet.

No training or equipment is needed to make the valuable contribution of good 911 calls: stay calm, take a second to note exactly where you are (I felt kinda dumb fumbling for my actual location) and get a quick take on the situation: how many people, visible injuries, fire, etc. 

I carry a pack of electronic flares. Surprisingly bright and annoying. Hopefully enough to keep me alive. These.

A vest would be a good idea as well. 

Just remember always pay attention to the traffic. I am sure you have all heard of the police car with lights blazing getting rear ended by a drunk driver. 

DrMikeCSI said:

Just remember always pay attention to the traffic. I am sure you have all heard of the police car with lights blazing getting rear ended by a drunk driver. 

I've operated a tow truck and done big truck roadside repair.  It never happened to me but I've had coworker's trucks wiped out by stone cold sober drivers.

In reply to Toyman! :

I've wondered about those electric flares. Good stuff? 

And sort of related to all of this, there was some utility work going on across from Daytona Speedway this weekend. 

As I was driving to the Roar, a few guys were out in traffic doing stuff. (I'm sure it was technical.)

Even on a clear day, those green vests do jump out.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I've never had to actually use them in real life, but they do seem to work well. They are super bright, magnetic, and visible 360 degrees. They also have several flash patterns including SOS. 

I keep one clipped to my go bag and 2 more in the car. 

In reply to Toyman! :

I should grab one. Definitely need to get a vest. I've been on the side of the road, and the feeling is not good. I'll do anything to stack the deck in my favor.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Every little bit helps for sure.

My last time on the side of the road with a flat cost me a tire and a wheel. The tire went flat on a bridge approach. While the bridge had an emergency lane there was no way I was trying to change a tire on it. Unfortunately, the bridge was 2 miles long. By the time I found a safe spot to change a tire, the wheel was trashed. I would have probably driven it even if I had the flashy lights and a vest. Even back then, people sucked at paying attention to what they were doing when behind the wheel.  

Trashing a wheel is still a lot cheaper than the funeral costs of getting hit on the side of the road.

In reply to Toyman! :

I remember a PSA to that nature: ride the rim and get the car to a safe place. 

Just had a slightly chilling thought about all of this.

When working an autocross, the cars are passing at maybe 60-70 mph–and that's not for an extended period of time.

How fast are cars passing you on the highway?