Traffic Safety Checklist
Here's what the CFA learned from its crusade to
improve automotive safety through devices such as LiveDrive:
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| 1. Drive clear-headed. |
15% of habitual drunk drivers eventually die in a
traffic accident; many more end up in jail.
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| 2. Drive cool-headed. |
Two-thirds of fatal accidents involve risky
driving maneuvers that are often done in an impulsive or
negatively emotional state of mind.
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| 3. Eyes on the road. |
About half of all auto accidents involve
distracted drivers. Don't fiddle with anything else
while driving: if you let this slide, eventually something
will distract you enough to kill or maim you.
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| 4. Buckle up. |
It halves your chance of death or serious injury.
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| 5. Beware of the Dark Side. |
At night you are three times as likely to get into
an accident.
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| 6. Know your limits. |
Driver fatigue or drowsiness is a factor in about 25% of
accidents. If you're tired, don't take a chance: pull
over and rest.
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| 7. Youth needs guidance. |
16-year-old drivers are 45 times more
accident-prone than mature adults. 18-year-olds are still
15 times more likely to get into an accident.
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| 8. Navigate intersections carefully. |
In urban areas, 65% of accidents occur at intersections.
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| 9. Keep looking ahead. |
Don't just concentrate on the car in front of you,
watch the traffic in front of that car too. This improves
your chance of seeing a problem soon enough to save you from an
accident.
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| 10. Maintain a safe distance. |
Don't tailgate, and try to stay three seconds behind other cars
to allow enough room to stop. Get away from any cars that
appear to be driven unsteadily. Be aware when passing cars
that their drivers might change lanes without looking
back.
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| 11. Avoid the "fast lane." |
Most fatal crashes occur at higher than average speeds. The
left lane of highways is where most highway accidents occur, and
staying off it will give you more ways to escape danger if you
encounter a problem ahead of you. And remember, you're more
likely to be noticed by police patrols in the "fast
lane."
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| 12. Maintain your car well. |
Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule to
ensure that your car doesn't break down. Inflate your tires
to the correct pressure once every few months. This will
help prevent a tire blowout or a rollover accident, and it can
also improve gas mileage dramatically.
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(For more tips covering safety equipment and adverse weather, see
AutoSafetyHub.org.)
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Life
