There are good drivers and bad drivers. Safe vehicles and not so safe vehicles. While using advanced safety features help increase safety on the road, most car accidents are due to human error. In order to protect you and your passengers, check out our list of top driving don’ts.
Don’t Forget to Buckle UpSeat belts save lives – it’s a fact. When worn correctly, they have the ability to prevent you from being thrown around or flung from a vehicle during a crash. This is even true during low-speed crashes. Statistics have revealed that over half of all accident fatalities happened to those who weren’t wearing their seat belts. The number of crash fatalities due to a lack of seat-belt are even higher (70%!) for passengers between the ages of 13 and 15. If these stats scare you, then don’t forget to buckle up!
Don’t Drive DrunkYou’ll hear it time and time again, long before you are even of drinking age, to never drive drunk. It may be common sense and something you swear you’ll never do, but alcohol has the power to make you do things you shouldn’t and wouldn’t normally do. It is estimated that 30 percent of all automotive accident fatalities in the U.S. involve drivers impaired by alcohol.
Alcohol causes a number of problems that can lead to accidents on the road. At low blood-alcohol levels, intoxication causes:
Slowed reaction timesDecreased coordinationLowered inhibitionsAt higher levels, it can also cause blurred or double vision, and loss of consciousness.
To avoid dangerous, even deadly situations, it’s simple – don’t drive drunk. Instead, ask a sober friend for a ride or call an Uber.
Don’t Get DistractedDistractions are a part of life, especially with all of the smartphones and tech gadgets that absorb our daily lives. You may be the best multi-tasker in the world, but distractions behind the wheel of a car pose a very dangerous threat to the safety of yourself and others. One of the biggest causes of distractions while driving is cell phone use. Whether talking or texting, using a cell phone behind the wheel can delay reaction times by up to 20 percent.
But, it’s not just cell phones that are causing dangerous distractions on the road. Eating, interacting with passengers, applying makeup and handling other electronic devices all divert attention away from the road. To help avoid on-road distractions, keep your smartphone out of reach and your electronics away.
Don’t SpeedAs a whole, drivers are impatient behind the wheel. This is a problem that results in driving too fast and too reckless. Speeding is very dangerous and can lead to serious consequences, like expensive tickets and fatal collisions. While you may think that going faster will save you time, chew on this: for every 10 mph faster you drive, your risk of a car crash increases by as much as 50 percent – and you’ll only manage to get to your destination a few short minutes sooner. Don’t risk it. Take your time and obey the speed limit.
Don’t TailgateOne of the most dangerous things to do behind the wheel of a car is driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you. This is called tailgating and is an easy way to get into an accident. Drivers need enough time to react to the maneuvers of the car ahead in case they make a sudden turn or stop. Following too closely can lead to an inability to stop in time, a problem that will quickly cause an accident.
A good rule to follow in order to avoid tailgating is to leave two car lengths between your car and the car ahead of you. If driving at night or in poor weather conditions, be sure to increase space from two lengths to four.
For more automotive tips and tricks, we can help. Visit our dealership in Mechanicsburg, PA.
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