1. By: National Traffic Safety Institute

2. Do’s and Don’ts on Safe Driving
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for people in both
developed and less developed countries. Automobile technology may
have improved by leaps and bounds in terms of ensuring road safety
and convenience but because of human error, the grim statistics on
vehicular accidents continue to pile up. The best way to reduce the risk
of being involved in an accident then is to practice safe driving
behaviors.
Here are Driving Tips that can help bring you and your passengers to
your intended destination in one piece:

3. Don’t drive when drunk. Drunk driving is
the No.1 cause of car accidents, the
reason it is a crime in many cities. 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. If
you’ve been drinking and needed to
drive, ask a sober friend for a ride or call
a cab. The mild inconvenience of taking a
cab home is nothing compared to the
disastrous consequences of driving
drunk.Image via Flickr: drnkndrv

4. Avoid speeding. Research shows that
for
every mile per hour you drive on the
speedometer, the likelihood of your
being in an accident increases by four to
five percent (source:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/res
earch/pub/hs809012.html ).
At higher speeds, the risk increases even
more. According to the National
Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is
one of the most prevalent factors
contributing to traffic crashes.
Image via Flickr: Srikanta Mahapatra

5. Don’t use phones. In the U.S., studies
place at 2,600 the deaths caused yearly
by the practice of using cell phones
while
driving. The main reason is that
working
a cell phone behind the wheel can
delay
reaction times by as much as 20
percent.
Image via Flickr: Autorent Car Rental LLC

6. Don’t nod off. A study conducted by
Virginia Tech reported that 20 percent
of
all accidents have sleepiness as a
contributing factor. If a driver is tired
enough to actually fall asleep while
driving, the results are predictable.
Even
on a relatively straight highway, a
sleeping driver will eventually drift off
the road. So get a good night’s sleep
before going on a long drive.
Image via Flickr: Brooke Zumas

7. Wear seat belts. Seat belts save lives
during crashes. 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. 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.Image via Flickr: leta_miller

8. Exercise caution in bad weather. If
you’re driving through fog, heavy rain, a
snow storm or on icy roads, be extra
cautious. 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. 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.Image via Flickr: rodney wills

9. For more information about
Defensive Driving Courses,
please visit the National Traffic
Safety Institute at
www.ntsi.com, call us at
(866) 346-3283, or email us at
corporate@ntsi.com.