Driving a motor vehicle can be a dangerous proposition. While traffic fatalities have hit their lowest level in decades, it still pays to err on the side of caution.
Driving can become so second nature to you that it's easy to overlook safety, especially if you've never been involved in an accident. And the minute you take your luck for granted, that's when you'll be sideswiped by fate.
It's easier just to do all that you can do to prevent accidents in the first place, rather than depending on things beyond your control.
Observe these basic tips:
1. Wear your seat belt all the time. Roughly 15,000 lives a year are saved by seat belts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2. Make sure your children's car seats are installed correctly and that you are using the right car seat for your child's age and physical proportions.
Until they are up to 3 years old, your children's car seats should be facing toward the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limits permitted by car seat makers. After that, they should be in front-facing seats with harnesses, until they outgrow them. When they're too big for their car seats, give them boosters until they can wear an adult seat belt. Leave them in the back until they're at least 12 years old.
3. Resist the urge to use smartphones and/or to multitask -- whether that be eating, putting on makeup, or changing the radio station -- while driving. Multitasking reduces reaction time, which drives up your chances of getting into an accident.
4. Watch out for other people on the road. As gasoline prices hit record levels, people are finding other ways to get around. So, be kind to pedestrians and those using two-wheeled transportation. Give cyclists and motorcyclists some space when navigating near or around them.
5. Be sure to have a basic emergency kit in your vehicle to be ready for the unexpected and warn oncoming cars of your presence.
The kit should include a cell phone, first-aid supplies, hazard triangle, fire extinguisher, tire gauge, jack and plug kit or foam sealant, a lug wrench, tire plug, jumper cables, gloves, flashlight, towels, a little bit of money, and a roadside assistance card. Or you can just purchase such a kit from your local auto retailer and customize it to your own needs.
With just a few precautions, you can avoid major problems and sail through life's little road emergencies. For more details visit http://hftb.org/
Driving can become so second nature to you that it's easy to overlook safety, especially if you've never been involved in an accident. And the minute you take your luck for granted, that's when you'll be sideswiped by fate.
It's easier just to do all that you can do to prevent accidents in the first place, rather than depending on things beyond your control.
Observe these basic tips:
1. Wear your seat belt all the time. Roughly 15,000 lives a year are saved by seat belts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
2. Make sure your children's car seats are installed correctly and that you are using the right car seat for your child's age and physical proportions.
Until they are up to 3 years old, your children's car seats should be facing toward the rear until they reach the maximum height and weight limits permitted by car seat makers. After that, they should be in front-facing seats with harnesses, until they outgrow them. When they're too big for their car seats, give them boosters until they can wear an adult seat belt. Leave them in the back until they're at least 12 years old.
3. Resist the urge to use smartphones and/or to multitask -- whether that be eating, putting on makeup, or changing the radio station -- while driving. Multitasking reduces reaction time, which drives up your chances of getting into an accident.
4. Watch out for other people on the road. As gasoline prices hit record levels, people are finding other ways to get around. So, be kind to pedestrians and those using two-wheeled transportation. Give cyclists and motorcyclists some space when navigating near or around them.
5. Be sure to have a basic emergency kit in your vehicle to be ready for the unexpected and warn oncoming cars of your presence.
The kit should include a cell phone, first-aid supplies, hazard triangle, fire extinguisher, tire gauge, jack and plug kit or foam sealant, a lug wrench, tire plug, jumper cables, gloves, flashlight, towels, a little bit of money, and a roadside assistance card. Or you can just purchase such a kit from your local auto retailer and customize it to your own needs.
With just a few precautions, you can avoid major problems and sail through life's little road emergencies. For more details visit http://hftb.org/
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