safety driving guidelines

7/29/2019 Safety Driving Guidelines

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Top 10 Safe Driving TipsToday, we drive safer cars on safer roads; decades of advertisements and public

information campaigns have made most of us safer drivers. As a result, the U.S. logged

the lowest accident fatality rate ever recorded in 2008 [source:NHTSA]. Despite thisprogress, unfortunately, the number of auto accidents and fatalities nationwide is still

quite staggering: In 2008, there were almost 6 million car accidents in the U.S., leading

to more than 37,000 deaths. What's more, automobile accidents are the leading cause

of death for people between the ages of three and 34 in this country.

Improvements intechnologywill continue to help bring those numbers down, but the

bottom line remains that most car accidents are the result of human error. The best way

to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident is to practice safe driving behaviors.

Whether you're just learning to drive or you've been behind the wheel for decades, it's a

good idea to review some basic rules forsafe driving. Here are 10 driving tips that will

help bring you and your passengers home unharmed.

More than 30 percent of all auto accident fatalities in the United States involve drivers

impaired by alcohol. These accidents led to 11,773 deaths in 2008 alone

[source:NHTSA]. Most of those deaths could've been avoided if the drivers involved

simply hadn't gotten behind the wheel while drunk.

Alcoholcauses a number of impairments that lead to car accidents. Even at low blood-

alcohol levels, intoxication reduces reaction time and coordination and lowers

inhibitions, which can cause drivers to make foolish choices. At higher levels, alcohol

causes blurred or double vision and even loss of consciousness. Drunk driving isn't just

a terrible idea -- it's a crime. In the U.S,getting caughtbehind the wheel with a blood-

alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher will probably earn you a trip to jail.

It's easy to avoid driving drunk. If you've been drinking, ask a sober friend for a ride or

call a cab. If you're planning to drink, make sure you have a designated driver. The mildinconvenience of taking a cab home is nothing compared to the disastrous

consequences of driving drunk.

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Don't Speed|

Image Gallery: Car SafetySafe driving behaviors breed safer drivers. See morecar safety pictures.

Ryan McVay/Getty Images

Today, we drive safer cars on safer roads; decades of advertisements and public


the lowest accident fatality rate ever recorded in 2008 [source:NHTSA]. Despite this

progress, unfortunately, the number of auto accidents and fatalities nationwide is still
















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It's easy to avoid driving drunk. If you've been drinking, ask a sober friend for a ride orcall a cab. If you're planning to drink, make sure you have a designated driver. The mild

inconvenience of taking a cab home is nothing compared to the disastrous


Going fastlooks like fun, but the need for speed may cost you your life.

Fraser Hall/Getty Images

As the old public service campaign so succinctly put it, "Speed kills." Research has

shown that for every mile per hour you drive, the likelihood of your being in an accident

increases by four to five percent [source:ERSO]. Athigher speeds, the risk increases

much more quickly.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains the

consequences of fast driving quite simply: "Speeding is one of the most prevalent

factors contributing to traffic crashes. The economic cost to society of speeding-related

crashes is estimated by NHTSA to be $40.4 billion per year. In 2008, speeding was a

contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, and 11,674 lives were lost in

speeding-related crashes" [source:NHTSA].

For your average drive across town, driving even 10 mph (16.1 kph) faster is only goingto save you a few minutes -- while increasing your crash risk by as much as 50 percent.

Even on long trips, the time you'll save is inconsequential compared to the risks

associated with speeding. Take your time and obey postedspeed limits. If you really

need to get there as fast as possible, there's one fool-proof solution: Leave earlier.
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8Avoid Distractions

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help bring you and your passengers home unharmed.More than 30 percent of all auto accident fatalities in the United States involve drivers



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call a cab. If you're planning to drink, make sure you have a designated driver. The mild





As the old public service campaign so succinctly put it, "Speed kills." Research hasshown that for every mile per hour you drive, the likelihood of your being in an accident


much more quickly.







For your average drive across town, driving even 10 mph (16.1 kph) faster is only going

to save you a few minutes -- while increasing your crash risk by as much as 50 percent.

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Many states in the U.S. have passed laws that ban the use of cell phones while driving.

The reason is the number of deaths attributed to this seemingly harmless activity: 2,600

deaths nationwide every year, by some estimates [source:Live Science]. In fact, those

numbers may actually be too low, due to the continued rise incell phoneuse behind the

wheel. If you think that talking andtextingwhile driving isn't a big deal, consider this:

One researcher compared the reaction time of a 20-year-old driver talking on a cell

phone to that of a 70-year-old driver. What's more, working a cell phone behind the

wheel can delay reaction times by as much as 20 percent.

It isn't just cell phones that cause distractions, however. Eating, applying makeup,

fiddling withelectronic devicesor interacting with passengers also diverts a driver'sattention in potentially deadly ways. Perhaps the best advice on driving distractions

came from rocker Jim Morrison: "Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the

wheel."

Don't Drive Drowsy|







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bottom line remains that most car accidents are the result of human error. The best wayto reduce the risk of being involved in an accident is to practice safe driving behaviors.



















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much more quickly.





















fiddling withelectronic devicesor interacting with passengers also diverts a driver's

attention in potentially deadly ways. Perhaps the best advice on driving distractions

came from rocker Jim Morrison: "Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon thewheel."
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We know you've got somewhere to go, but driving drowsy can be just as dangerous asdriving drunk.

Adam Gault/Digital Vision/Getty Images

A study conducted by researchers at Virginia Tech reported that 20 percent of all

accidents have sleepiness as a contributing factor [source:TheDenverChannel]. If a

driver is tired enough to actuallyfall asleep while driving, the results are predictable.

Even on a relatively straight highway, a sleeping driver will eventually drift off the road.

Trees, utility poles, ravines and bridge abutments turn this into a deadly scenario -- and

that doesn't even take other cars into account.

You might think a few yawns are nothing to worry about, but just being a little drowsy is

enough to increase your risk of getting in an accident. Responses can range from

dozing off for a few seconds at a time to simply "zoning out" and losing all focus on the

road. At highway speeds, one or two seconds of inattention can lead to disaster.

The solution is simple: Get a better night's sleep! Make sure you get a solid eight hours

ofsleep, not just on the night before a long drive, but on a regular basis. Failure to get

enough sleep every night builds a sleep deficit that can leave you drowsy and unable to

focus. If you're driving and feel the least bit groggy, take action immediately. Don't think

you'll get any kind of warning before you fall asleep, or that you can fight it off. People

can move from drowsy to sound asleep without warning. If this happens to you, have a

friend take over behind the wheel, find a rest area where you can catch a few hours of

sleep or take a break until you're feeling more alert.

Wear Your Seat Belt|
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Image Gallery: Car Safety

Safe driving behaviors breed safer drivers. See morecar safety pictures.











to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident is to practice safe driving behaviors.Whether you're just learning to drive or you've been behind the wheel for decades, it's a










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call a cab. If you're planning to drink, make sure you have a designated driver. The mildinconvenience of taking a cab home is nothing compared to the disastrous







much more quickly.








to save you a few minutes -- while increasing your crash risk by as much as 50 percent.Even on long trips, the time you'll save is inconsequential compared to the risks




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wheel."














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Seat beltssave lives. Worn properly, they prevent you from being thrown around the

inside of a crashing vehicle or, worse, thrown through the windshield and flung

completely out of the vehicle. NHTSA statistics reveal that more than half of all accident

fatalities were people who weren't using seat belts [source:NHTSA]. The numbers are

much scarier for young drivers and passengers: A staggering 70 percent of fatal crash

victims between the ages of 13 and 15 weren't wearing seat belts.

Everyone has heard horror stories about people who were killed in bizarre freak

accidents in which they'd have lived if only they hadn't been wearing a seat belt. Even if

these stories are true -- many of them are exaggerations or urban legends -- they're

also anomalies. In the overwhelming majority of car crashes, you have a greater chance

of surviving if you're wearing a seat belt.

Even a low-speed crash can send an unbelted person careening into the dashboard or

side window, resulting in severe head injuries or broken bones. At higher speeds, the

possible fates of the unbelted occupant are gruesome: severe lacerations from being

propelled through thewindshield; struck by other cars because you landed on the road;

slammed into a tree or a house at 50 mph (80 kph). Sound scary? Then buckle up.

Be Extra Careful in Bad Weather|

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Alcoholcauses a number of impairments that lead to car accidents. Even at low blood-alcohol levels, intoxication reduces reaction time and coordination and lowers








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much more quickly.



















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wheel."




















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Bad weather can be especially dangerous for highway drivers.

Altrendo Travel/Getty Images

If you're driving through fog, heavy rain, a snow storm or on icy roads, be extra

cautious. Take all of the other tips presented here and make full use of them: Drive

below the speed limit if necessary, maintain extra space between you and the carahead, and be especially careful around curves. If you're driving through weather

conditions you don't know well, consider delegating driving duties to someone who

does, if possible. If the weather worsens, just find a safe place to wait out the storm.
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If you're experiencing bad visibility, either from fog orsnow, and you end up off the side

of the road (intentionally or otherwise), turn off your lights. Drivers who can't see the

road will be looking for other cars to follow along the highway. When they see your

lights, they'll drive toward you and may not realize you're not moving in time to avoid a

collision.

Don't Follow Too Closely

|

Image Gallery: Car Safety

Safe driving behaviors breed safer drivers. See morecar safety pictures.










bottom line remains that most car accidents are the result of human error. The best wayto reduce the risk of being involved in an accident is to practice safe driving behaviors.



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much more quickly.




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to save you a few minutes -- while increasing your crash risk by as much as 50 percent.Even on long trips, the time you'll save is inconsequential compared to the risks







wheel. If you think that talking andtextingwhile driving isn't a big deal, consider this:One researcher compared the reaction time of a 20-year-old driver talking on a cell







wheel."

We know you've got somewhere to go, but driving drowsy can be just as dangerous as

driving drunk.




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You might think a few yawns are nothing to worry about, but just being a little drowsy isenough to increase your risk of getting in an accident. Responses can range from


























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Bad weather can be especially dangerous for highway drivers.

Altrendo Travel/Getty Images

If you're driving through fog, heavy rain, a snow storm or on icy roads, be extra

cautious. Take all of the other tips presented here and make full use of them: Drive

below the speed limit if necessary, maintain extra space between you and the car

ahead, and be especially careful around curves. If you're driving through weatherconditions you don't know well, consider delegating driving duties to someone who

does, if possible. If the weather worsens, just find a safe place to wait out the storm.

If you're experiencing bad visibility, either from fog orsnow, and you end up off the side

of the road (intentionally or otherwise), turn off your lights. Drivers who can't see the

road will be looking for other cars to follow along the highway. When they see your

lights, they'll drive toward you and may not realize you're not moving in time to avoid a

collision.

Safe driving guidelines advise drivers to keep a safe distance between themselves and

the car ahead. Drivers need enough time to react if that car makes a sudden turnor

stop. It can be too difficult to estimate the recommended distances while driving and the

exact distance would have to be adjusted for speed, so most experts recommend a

"three-second rule."

The three-second rule is simple. Find a stationary object on the side of the road. When

the car ahead of you passes it, start counting seconds. At least three seconds should

pass before your car passes the same object [source:SmartMotorist]. Once you havesome driving experience and have practiced keeping this minimum distance, you'll

develop an instinct for it and know how close to follow without having to count.

However, even experienced drivers should count off the three-second rule now and

then to make sure.
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Atnightor in inclement weather, double the recommended time to six seconds.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how safely you drive. You could be driving the speed limit

and obeying all traffic rules and someone else can crash into you. One good rule of

thumb to use is, "Assume everyone else on the road is an idiot." In other words, be

prepared for unpredictable lane changes, sudden stops,unsignaled turns, swerving,

tailgating and every other bad driving behavior imaginable. Chances are, you'll

eventually encounter someone like this -- and it pays to be ready when you do.

It's impossible to list all the possible things another driver might do, but there are a few

common examples. If you're pulling out of a driveway into traffic and an oncoming car

has its turn signal on, don't assume it's actually turning. You might pull out only to find

that turn signal has been blinking since 1987. If you're approaching

anintersectionwhere you have the right of way, and another approaching car has thestop sign, don't assume it will actually stop. As you approach, take your foot off the gas

and be prepared tobrake.

Of course, being prepared requires awareness, so make sure you check your mirrors

and keep an eye on side streets so you'll know which other cars are around you and

how they're driving. Don't focus only on the road in front of your car -- look ahead so you

can see what's happening 50 to 100 yards (46 to 91 meters) up the road.

This tip is pretty simple to understand if we just put the proverbial shoe on the other

foot. Remember that one time when that jerk came flying down the street out of

nowhere, totally cut you off and almost caused a huge accident? Don't be tha

safety driving guidelines

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