OT - wheels straight for safety

Found the story.

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection. He was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the path of an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer, with a heavy tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the deceased either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the instructions he got. And, he's dead.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

Yep. I still do it. Wheels straight until it's clear to turn. If that were the worst of the driving, today, we'd be in pretty good shape. I could start in on cell phones, texting, reading, and farding but...

Not only am I conscious of which way my wheels are pointing when I'm waiting to make a left, I remind my kids and wife about the practice every now and then.

I cringe whenever I see a car halfway into a busy intersection, pointed at a diagonal to the left, with wheels set to send the car into on-coming traffic.

Sure, it's good practice to keep everything pointed straight until actually making your turn. But if you get tail-ended hard off-center, where you end up is in the hands of God or the laws of physics. No indication the driver mentioned in this thread did anything wrong.

Vic Smith wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

That may very well be so, but it doesn't hurt to point out safety measures. I keep this piece of advice always in mind.