Dennis Williams, second from right, receives the International Instructor of the Year and Trendsetter awards from the National Safety Council. Also in the photo are, from left, Joseph Ucciferro, chairman of the National Safety Council; Janet Froetcher, CEO and President; and, John Kennedy, defensive driving course adviser.
Photo: courtesy
Dennis Williams

ADRIAN BOODAN

The name Dennis Williams has been synonymous with driving since 1972. The 61-year-old Sangre Grande resident was recently honoured by the United States—based National Safety Council (NSC) for his role in making the roads of T&T safer.

Williams has trained over 5000 nationals in defensive driving since he started the programme in 1984 and is one of three local instructors authorised by the National Safety Council to teach defensive driving.

Williams and his wife, Leela Williams, made the journey to the Anaheim Hilton Hotel, California in the US on September 20, where he was awarded the International Instructor of the year 2007 for Defensive Driving Courses.

Don’t get distracted

Sharing some road safety tips, Williams said a majority of accidents occur when motorist are engaged in activities such as using cellphones or having distracting conversations while driving.

Williams said restraint system such as seatbelts and airbags are extremely important in saving lives. He said occupants of a vehicle who are not wearing seatbelts can suffer serious or fatal injuries upon impact.

Williams said seatbelts also prevent people from crashing into each other when a collision takes place.

He said passengers in the rear seat can strike people in the front seat and, as a result, increase the front seat passenger’s risk of death. He said in the crash, the victims’ internal organs also collide with each other and the skeleton.

Proper use of airbags

Williams said airbags save lives and reduce the risk of serious head injury by 81 per cent, however airbags can contribute to injuries if the following precautions are not observed:

n move the seat back so your chest is at least 10 inches from the steering wheel;

n adjust a tilt steering wheel towards your chest and not your head;

n wear seat belts properly;

n have front seat passengers adjust their seat as far back as possible from the dashboard;

n place infants in the back seat in a properly installed rear-facing child safety seat;

n make sure children ages 12 and under always ride in the back seat using a properly installed child safety seat or restraint for their age an size. Medication and driving

Williams said an impaired driver is one who drives while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs including illegal drugs, prescription drugs and some over the counter (OTC) drugs such as sleep aids and medications for colds allergies, and coughs.

He said attention must be paid to the side effects of OTC and prescription medication that can sometimes make motorists drowsy and increase their risk of a crash.

He said extreme drowsiness, mental confusion and an increased risk of crash can occur when motorists consume a deadly mix of alcohol and medications.

Emotions and driving

Williams said mental condition such and anger, stress and drowsiness affect drivers. He said drivers must pay attention to several danger signs that may indicate that they may fall asleep behind the wheel including excessive yawning, lack of focus, having trouble to keep their head up and having confused thoughts. He also advised motorists to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy.

Left: Defensive Driving Instructor Dennis Williams lectures to his class.
Photo: Adrian Boodan