Primary Care
When it comes to safe driving, we often think about what we can do to keep ourselves and others safe on the road. With recent local events, many of us are starting to be even more considerate of our surroundings while driving.
Todd Colvin, Chief Information Security Officer at Rochester Regional Health, and Aaron Springer, Senior Director of Safety and Security at Rochester General Hospital provide alert driving tips for employees, patients, visitors, and all members of the community.
Most of us know the basics of safe driving: wear a seatbelt, keep your eyes on the road, use a turn signal, don’t tailgate, and more. But we also must remember to stay alert and aware of our surroundings in order to keep ourselves and passengers safe while on the road.
Here are a few things you can do to stay safe and secure while driving.
“With the level of technology embedded in today’s vehicles it’s easy to be distracted by what is happening around us while driving. We all would benefit from ignoring these devices so that we can watch for signs of aggressive or suspicious behavior that may signal harm by others,” said Colvin.
If you see anything suspicious, go to a safe place and call for help. Even if you feel some doubt that the situation is dangerous, it’s always better to be safe by finding a safe location and calling 9-1-1.
Having physical duplicates of important documents, both front and back, is an important security measure to take. These important documents include:
“Keep these duplicates somewhere safe where you can retrieve them if you lose access to your vehicle. I don’t recommend storing them on your phone, rather a secure location in your home,” advises Colvin.
There are a lot of things we often don’t think about on the road until we are in situations that may be concerning. In order to protect yourself when driving, stopping, or pulling up to a traffic light, you should:
“It’s easy to jump in your car and go without necessarily thinking through dangers that may arise along your intended route. However, taking a moment to remind yourself of the need for situational awareness before even starting your vehicle will help attune your mind to suspicious behaviors that should be avoided,” comments Springer.
Ensuring a safe work environment is our top priority--the Safety & Security team at Rochester Regional Health care about your well-being, whether you are on the job, at home, or on the road.
If at any point you do not feel safe or you are concerned for your safety while working at or visiting our locations, please call 9-1-1 when necessary.
