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Regular Maintenance Checks
Perhaps one of the main ways in which individuals can ensure their safety while driving is to make sure that their automobile undergoes annual maintenance checkups. Maintenance appointments where a mechanic checks out the important components of the vehicle can help to reassure the driver that the vehicle is in good working order.
Check Tire Pressure on a Regular Basis
One may think that regular tire checks are unnecessary and a hindrance, however, it is important to note just how important properly inflated tires are when discussing safety matters. Having good tire pressure can aid in avoiding accidents by being able to brake quickly and helps against blowouts as well. Therefore, taking the initiative to check ones tire pressure every now and again is a definite must with regard to safety.
Stay Awake and Alert
The National Safety Council has cited that traffic deaths are three times more likely to occur at night than in the daytime. A good portion of accidents which occur at night are due to a distracted and sleepy driver. For this reason, it is important to take breaks when one feels that he/she is getting tired and to stop driving altogether if ones tiredness is affecting their driving ability.
Dont Drink and Drive
Vehicle collisions and fatalities occur at an alarming rate due to drunk drivers. Just one drink can alter an individuals driving skills which can lead to an automobile accident. Not only is it dangerous to drive after having been drinking, but alcohol is also a depressant which can make a driver feel more tired than normal. It is crucial that individuals do not drink and drive both for their safety and others around them.
Keep Car Doors Locked
Making sure that ones car doors are locked while traveling is something that is often overlooked. Some individuals only lock their doors when driving in the city or through a bad neighborhood. However, it is important to note that crime, carjackings in particular, can occur anywhere at anytime. Therefore, the best defense against becoming a victim of a carjacking is to take the necessary safety precautions. The number one safety precaution in this regard is the locking of the car doors.
Dont Perform Distracting Tasks While Driving
Some people are the types of individuals who like to multi-task while driving. Every once in a while, one will see other drivers on the road who are talking on cell phones, reprimanding their children, putting on makeup and even reading the newspaper. A large portion of accidents occur when one or both of the drivers are not paying attention to the road and tending to other things within their vehicles. It is quite imperative that drivers perform one task and one task alone while behind the wheel of the automobile, and that is driving.
Many states these days are enacting hands-free laws whereby individual drivers who are using cell phones while driving must have hands-free capabilities on their cell phones. The legislature is enacting these types of laws to make it safer for other drivers on the road and individuals who must use their cell phones while driving as well. However, limiting or restricting the use of cell phones while driving altogether is the best alternative. Even when drivers are using their cell phones which have hands-free capabilities, they are still doing something besides driving and this leads to a potential for accidents to occur.
Wearing Seatbelts and Using Child Safety Seats
Wearing seatbelts, for both drivers and passengers, is the most effective way to prevent injuries in the case of a car accident. For this reason, many states are initiating a Click It or Ticket campaign whereby law enforcement officials are handing out tickets to those individuals who dont buckle up. The fear of the law in and of itself is a great way to help persuade those individuals who dont feel that using their seatbelt is beneficial to them to do so.
As for child safety seats, the use of these restraint systems are vital in order to prevent injuries from occurring to the little ones. The use of these systems is so important and their utility is realized at such a great magnitude that 99% of all individuals use child safety seats for those children of appropriate ages.
Drive Responsibly
Another way to help ensure automotive safety is to drive responsibly. By driving responsibly, this means that the driver should obey all posted speed limits, properly signal when changing lanes, obey all traffic laws and be courteous to other drivers. A responsible driver who makes safety an important factor in their daily travels may reap the benefits by getting into little or no accidents as a result of their driving tactics.
Know Where You Are Going
Another way in which to aid in automotive safety is have a travel plan. When individuals are distracted whether by looking for street signs or peering down at maps on their lap, there is an opportunity for accidents to occur. Therefore, it is important to read over directions before hopping into the drivers seat and know where one is going prior to leaving for that destination.
Use Extra Caution While Driving In Bad Weather
Accidents are also more likely to occur when bad elements are at hand. Rain, snow and ice are all contributing factors to accidents whereby the driver would not have gotten into a car accident had it not been for the bad weather. With this in mind, it is very important that individuals driving in one of these aforementioned elements are sure to leave extra space between vehicles, strictly abide by the speed limits and pay extra attention to other vehicles and objects around them.
Driving is a necessary and enjoyable thing to do. It is even that much more enjoyable when done in a safe manner. The aforementioned tips are just a few reminders of ways in which to help ensure automotive safety while on the road.
