Night driving

It was about 4 a.m. when my cell phone began to ring. I always dread such calls, and with this one, my anxieties were quickly amplified when I heard my daughter’s faint voice, telling me right away that something had happened.

She had been caught in a multivehicle mishap and was in the emergency room of a small district hospital, waiting for X-ray results. Miraculously, she did not seem to have sustained any injuries despite the impact of the collision. No one was injured, but the vehicles were badly wrecked. My daughter said the airbags in her car were activated upon collision, and that saved her.

I won’t burden you with details. The mishap gave me the idea to do a column emphasizing night driving’s many risks, especially for young people (my daughter turned 21 recently) and the elderly (that’s me).

I wouldn’t worry as much about the elderly with fewer reasons to go out. For the young, there are just so many more reasons to chill out with friends, what with the number of restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, bars (okay, restobar sounds better), fitness gyms.

Yes, there are gyms now that are open 24/7. I wouldn’t worry if the gym is within a condo complex, targeting students and call center workers. I worry about other places that are not as accessible and safe at night.

I discourage any night destination because our streets just aren’t safe. I speak from experience, having been harassed during night driving by all kinds of extortionists—from wipe-your-windshield gangs to traffic “enforcers” to barangay tanods and their instant one-way streets.

The bottom line: if a night trip is absolutely necessary, then don’t drive alone. (At least bring a dog, preferably a dachshund, who may be tiny but barks like German Shepherds, especially in the dark!)

Never allow anyone—”enforcers,” valet attendants to take over your car. I would like to believe the new Philippine National Police chief is serious when he warned his men not to plant drugs (presumably in homes, workplaces, and let’s not forget, people’s cars), but the bad habits of “tokhang” might still be lingering.

My kids and my students are constantly being reminded about the dangers of drinking and driving. They know all about designating someone as a nondrinking driver, but you can’t have that if you’re driving alone.

The dangers are not just about alcohol. Even if you’re sober, it’s the end of the day, and drowsiness is inevitable. All it takes is a few seconds to lose control of the wheel. I tell my daughters, if you’re drowsy, just pull over to the side, lock all doors, and take a nap. Even 15 minutes can be a sufficient recharge.

Again, having other people in the car will save you from having to take that nap.

My older readers will remember how the early years of martial law actually provided young people with an excuse to stay out late at night. There were no cell phones then, and landlines were rare, so we could always tell our parents, “Sorry I couldn’t call so I decided to stay at my classmate’s place.”

Such excuses can’t be used now, so young people will just have to be convinced that it’s to everyone’s advantage for parents and children to be in touch when you’re out at night. I feel parents and guardians should also let their children know if we, oldies, are going to be out late, together with an estimated time of return to the house. It’s good to also mention where you will be when you’re out at night, to make it easier to look for you if, the gods forbid, something happens.

Check, too, with your kids about their driving routes. Waze is amazing, but it works only on efficiency, which means it sends you into some of the most obscure and dangerous streets without understanding that by nightfall, they may as well have sent you into the labyrinths of hell, what with narrow streets, little or no street lighting, and men on drinking binges.

Young people and their parents and guardians need to be sure about the condition of their vehicles. A badly maintained car increases the possibilities of problems during the night on the road. Even changing a flat tire puts your young driver at risk if it’s at night.

Finally, if you sense your kids are depressed or are dealing with a big problem, ask them if they want to talk, instead of seeking solace in the night. At the very least, if they need to get out of the house, make sure they are with trusted friends.