Walmart is less than a mile from my house. To get home from Walmart, I go south to a stop sign at a tee road and turn left. It is a stop sign I have come to thousands of times. However, two years ago, I had my mind on other things and pulled out in front of a pickup going fifty miles per hour. If the pickup had not swerved and nearly gone into the ditch, it would have hit me in the driver’s door, and I could have been killed.

So, to prevent being killed, I decided that when I come to a stop sign or a turn, I would look to the left no cars were coming I would say out loud, OK, LEFT, then look to the right and say out loud, OK, RIGHT. Then, if all is clear, I say out loud GO. Saying the words keeps my mind on making a safe stop and then a safe turn onto Country Club Road.

But, because I had made over a million stops and never said one word out loud, it was hard to remember to say OK LEFT, OK RIGHT, then GO. It took over a month for it to be a habit. Now that it is a habit, it may save my life or keep me from serious injuries. Try it; it may save your life.

Don Searles