Safety, Posthaste

Particularly here in the Mecca of motoring, driving is hardly something to take lightly. A ton or more of moving metal can cause a lot of damage after even a fleeting moment of inattention. No one knows that better than Richard Ordonez, the U.S. Postal Service supervisor who designed an innovative training course that teaches novice letter carriers to keep their eyes on the road. The course--just the second of its kind in the country--was built near a postal center in Santa Clarita and attempts to show new mail carriers that driving one of the post office’s heavy, boxy Grumman Long Life trucks is a far cry from the family sedan. Throughout the course drivers are challenged by everyday hazards such as children running into the street after a ball. The goal is to keep drivers on their toes and teach them to expect the unexpected. It’s common sense, really, but always worth a refresher course. Like police officers, taxi operators and truck drivers, postal workers spend a hefty part of each day navigating neighborhoods. All that time behind the wheel increases the risk of accidents. Although drivers in the Van Nuys District--which includes most of northern Los Angeles County--have reduced their accident rate over the past year, Ordonez wants to cut it even further. The course should help.