Safety Driving Tips

Safety Driving Tips

	Drinking and driving is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 17 and 24.
	The cost of an average DUI is $3,000.
	Deer are most active between 5 and 8 pm.
	Headlights have an illumination range of 200 to 250 feet.  To allow for sufficient brake time, reduce your speed to 45 miles per hour at night.
	Keep in mind that deer wander in groups.  If you see one crossing the road, be alert for more deer that could be following.
	Keep headlights on one hour before dusk and one hour after dawn to increase your vehicle’s visibility.
	Regularly clean the interior of your windshield to eliminate glare while driving at night.
	Light is reflected back off of the fog, so using your high beams can reduce visibility.
	Drunk-driver-related accident fatalities are at their highest on Friday and Saturday nights.
	Distances are more difficult to gauge at night.
	If your car breaks down at night, turn on emergency lights and the inner dome light and don’t get out of your car until assistance arrives.  You are safer in your car with your seat belt on.
	Adjust your car’s headrest to a height behind your head – not your neck – to minimize whiplash in case you are involved in an accident.
	Never try to fit more people into your car than you have seatbelts for.
	Never use cruise control in wet or slippery conditions.
	Never attempt to make repairs to a vehicle while it is in an area exposed to other traffic.
	Keep items in your vehicle such as flares, flashlights, blankets, water, and a first aid kit.
	Avoid smoking while driving at night.  The nicotine and carbon monoxide in smoke impairs night vision.
	Using your headlights during the day and early evening makes it easier for other drivers to see you.
	If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly.  Ease your foot off the gas pedal until the car slows and you can feel the road again.
	Avoid hydroplaning by keeping your tires inflated correctly and maintaining good tire tread.
	When signs of fatigue begin to show, get off the road.  Take a brisk walk or a short nap in a safe and well-lit area.
	The best defense against a drunk driver is wearing your seat belt.
	A flagger in a work zone has the same authority as a regulatory road sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.
	Never ride around with your car’s gas gauge on empty – you never know where you might get stranded.
	Use headlights during daylight driving, especially on long stretches of deserted highway and rural roads.
	When using a GPS system, always set your destination before operating the vehicle.
	Don’t blast your music while driving.  You might not be able to hear sirens or horns that could warn you of possible trouble.
	People who talk on cell phones while driving are four times as likely to have an accident.
	Don’t leave your car in cruise control when driving late at night or when you are tired.
	Always designate a sober driver before you make the choice to drink.
	Check your tire pressure at least once a month.
	Using the grade of motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer can improve your gas mileage by as much as 10%.
	If you see an emergency vehicle approaching, pull to the right shoulder of the road and stop.
	Remember that as your speed increases, so does your braking distance.  If you double your speed, you quadruple your braking distance.
	If you double the weight of your vehicle, you also double your stopping distance.
	Texting and talking on a hand-held device while driving is illegal.
	Air bags can seriously injure or kill children who are sitting in the front seat.
	New Jersey law requires drivers to remove snow and ice from their vehicle before driving.  If snow or ice is dislodged from a moving vehicle, it could strike another car or pedestrian and cause injury or property damage.
	More than 95% of the information that a motorist needs is visual, so drivers should have eye exams at least every two years;
	Vehicle deaths and serious injuries now total more than the number of wartime fatalities and wounded since 1776.  Pay attention to the road when driving.
	Accidents at intersections make up approximately 23% of all fatal crashes.
	Most rear-end accidents are caused by tailgating, so always be sure to maintain a safe following distance.
	Ice tends to develop more frequently and quickly on bridges, overpasses, shady spots, and intersections.
	When driving in snow, traction is better in the ruts made by other vehicle traffic.
	When your tires lose traction or your car begins to skid, immediately take your foot off of the gas pedal and do not brake.
	Each teen passenger added to a car driven by a teen increases the accident risk by 50%.
	In the last five years, New Jersey has seen the highest increase in deer collisions in the nation.
	The average cost of vehicle damage after a deer collision is $3,000.
	If you can’t avoid hitting a deer, it’s better to stay on the road than to swerve violently and risk losing control of your vehicle.
	When traveling with pets, always secure them in the backseat before driving to ensure   their safety and cut down on distractions.
	Most deer collisions occur in New Jersey between October and December.
	60% of deer collisions in New Jersey occur on county and municipal roadways as opposed to state highways or interstates.
	The majority of deer collisions occur in clear-weather conditions.
	When properly installed and used, child car seats reduce accident fatalities by 54%.
	Infants should always ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.
	After outgrowing a car seat, children should stay in a booster seat until an adult seat belt fits correctly, usually until they are 4’ 9” tall and between the ages of 8 and 12.
	Drinking and driving accidents occur with more frequency around the holidays due to holiday parties.  If possible, avoid the roads during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the 4th of July.
	Know your legal limits.  More than one-third of all fatal traffic accidents involve at least one person with a B-A-C over 0.08%.
	During long road trips make frequent rest stops.  Getting out of the car and stretching for five minutes will significantly improve alertness.
	31% of all drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in their lifetime.
	Staying awake for 24 hours straight before driving is equivalent to drunk driving.
	Caffeine does not combat drunk driving.