Table of contents
- What Does Driving Safety Mean?
- Teen Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Car Maintenance
- Drunk Driving
- Drowsy Driving
- Aggressive Driving & Road Rage
- Driving Emergencies
- Driving Anxiety
- Senior Driving
- Additional Driving Resources
What Does Driving Safety Mean?
Driving safety is the ability of you as the driver to have full control of a motorized vehicle and react safely to changing traffic conditions to avoid crashes and injury to yourself or your passengers.
There are many things to keep in mind when you’re driving. For most people, driving is something you do naturally without a thought; and every time you do, there is always a risk. About 1.3 million people die every year as the result of a car accident. This is an average of Over 3,200 deaths every day. Even cautious, safe drivers can become victims in accidents.
In this guide you’ll learn the importance of safe driving, the dangers of distraction and tips for every age. Before we get into that, take a look at this infographic:
Teen Driving
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens and young adults have the highest rate of cell phone use while driving.
Almost 400,000 people were injured and more than 3,000 people were killed in 2015 because of distracted drivers. Most of the stories have one thing in common: cell phones. The statistics on distracted driving deaths and injuries remain alarming and a symptom of a much bigger problem.
When a teen receives a driver’s license, a parent’s biggest role is ensuring that they arrive safely at their destinations. This means educating them not just about the rules of the road, but the rules of the information superhighway as well.
Most teens know how dangerous texting while driving can be. In fact, 97% of teens said they agree that it is dangerous, according to a survey by AT&T. Sadly, 43% of teens still text and drive despite knowing the dangers involved.
The majority of today’s teens have access to a smartphone. Most teens carry their cell phone everywhere. While many teens feel the need to answer those text and social media alerts, as soon as they are received, they don’t realize it could be the last thing they do.
Additional Teen Driving Resources
- Creating a Teen Driving Contract
- Teen Driving Safety Stats, Facts, Conversations, Pledges, Devices for Parents & Teens
- Back to School Tips for Drivers
- Diagnose your car and track your teen driver
- Teen Drivers and What Parents Need to Know
- Driving apps to keep your teen driver safe
- How To Set Rules With Your Teen Driver
Distracted Driving
All forms of distracted driving take attention away from safe driving. This puts the driver at risk and all other drivers on the road.
Distracted Driving Facts:
Additional Resources
Car Maintenance
As a car owner it’s important that you get your vehicle serviced on a regular basis. Without regular service, you increase the chance of your vehicle having serious problems down the road.
Vehicle Maintenance Tips:
Here are some services that need done on a regular basis to prevent serious damage to your vehicle.
- Regular fluid checks of oil, transmission fluid and engine coolant. If these fluids are running low, make sure to replenish fluids immediately. If you don’t, your engine can overheat.
- Regular oil changes. Changing the oil regularly helps the engine run smoothly. Suggested oil changes should be about every 3000 miles. This is important for the performance of your engine and avoiding engine problems.
- Tire pressure checks. The wrong tire pressure can lead to excess wear and can cause the tires to be changed more often. Too much air in the tires can result in a tire blowing out.
- Air filter checks: A dirty air filter can shorten the life of an engine and may reduce your gasoline’s mileage by 10%.
Car Maintenance Resources
- Car Troubleshooting and Symptom Guide
- Goodbye Cracks! Tips for Windshield Repair and Replacement
- Vehicle Belts & Hoses 101
- How Often Does My Car Need A Tune-Up? Car Performance Advice
- Have Troubles With a Car? Here Is When You Really Need a Tow!
- OEM or Aftermarket Parts: Which Is Better For You?
Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence of alcohol can cost you your license, affect your finances, relationships, employment and ultimately could cost you, your passengers or the vehicle you hit their lives. If you plan on drinking alcohol, plan ahead before you take your first drink:
Take These Steps To Prevent Drunk Driving:
Additional Resources On Drunk Driving Prevention
Drowsy Driving
Sleep-related crashes are most common in young people, especially men, adults with children and shift workers.
People who sleep six to seven hours a night are twice as likely to be involved in such a crash as those sleeping 8 hours or more, while people sleeping less than 5 hours increased their risk four to five times.
Being awake for 18 hours produced an impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration .05, and .10 after 24 hours; .08 is considered legally drunk.
Adults between 18-29 are much more likely to drive while drowsy.
Men are more likely than women to drive while drowsy and are almost twice as likely as women to fall asleep while driving.
Adults with kids in the household are more likely to drive drowsy than those without kids.
Shift workers are more likely than those who work a regular daytime schedule to drive to or from work drowsy at least a few days a month
Sleep deprivation increases the risk of a sleep-related crash; the less people sleep, the greater the risk. Sleep deprivation and fatigue make lapses of attention more likely to occur, and may play a role in behavior that can lead to crashes attributed to other causes.
Additional Resources
- Prevalence of Drowsy Driving Crashes: Estimates from a Large-Scale Naturalistic Driving Study
- How Does Technology that Deters Drowsy Driving Actually Work?
- Asleep at the Wheel: The Dangers of Drowsy Driving
- Help Prevent Teen Drowsy Driving
Aggressive Driving & Road Rage
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, there is a difference between aggressive driving and road rage. Both can be caused by the following:
Aggressive driving is when a person commits a combination of moving traffic offenses that endangers another person or their property. Here are 6 common offenses:
These actions are ticketable offenses. Aggressive driving is a factor in 50% of all crashes.
Road rage is when a person commits an act of violence against another driver. This is a more serious criminal offense. You can go to jail for it. These acts include:
Additional Resources:
- Dangerous Driving Habits: How to Prevent Personal Injury Accidents
- Top 20 Defensive Driving Tips to Keep You Safe
Driving Emergencies
Even if you consider yourself to be a good driver, you can still find yourself in a sudden driving emergency. Here are 6 common driving emergencies and solutions:
Additional Resources
- How to Prep Your Car for Extreme Cold
- Tips for Driving on Snowy Roads
- 7 Vital Items You MUST Keep in Your Car to Be Prepared for Emergencies
- Slippery When Wet: How to Prevent Hydroplaning
Driving Anxiety
Anyone can experience anxiety while driving but usually in different ways. Some people are afraid to ride in cars. Others experience fear driving to keep themselves out of danger. Some people may have panic attacks while in their car but are not necessarily afraid of the car itself. All of these are different types of driving anxiety, and all of them require different techniques to fight the anxiety.
Two Common Causes Of Driving Anxiety:
- Panic attack: Can control your entire mind and body, making it hard to focus on anything else. If you’re behind the wheel, it can feel like there is no way out and that the panic attack may be putting your life in danger. Eventually, the person becomes afraid to get into a car fearing that driving will cause another panic attack. Sadly, because of the way panic attacks work, that fear often produces another panic attack.
- Dangerous situations: Anxiety can occur as a response to dangerous experiences or the thought of a dangerous experience. Having an accident or several near accidents may also cause fear of driving. In addition, if a person hears about an accident or sees an accident, this can also cause fear and anxiety
Driving Anxiety Resources
- How to Reduce Anxiety While Driving
- Driving Anxiety as a Passenger: What Causes It, and How You Can Control It
- Scared to drive? Ways to conquer driving anxiety.
Senior Driving
In order to stay safe as a senior driver, it’s important to recognize and understand the physical and mental changes that come along with age that can affect a senior’s driving ability.
Here Are Some Driving Behaviors To Look Out For:
Having the discussion: It can be difficult to have this discussion with a senior driver. Here are some tips for a successful discussion:
Senior Driving Resources
- When — and how — to talk about turning over the car keys
- 3 Gears of Seniors and Driving – How Caregivers Can Help Loved Ones Make the Shift
- How to Talk to Elderly Adults About Giving up the Keys
Additional Driving Resources
Take A Defensive Driving Course.
Learn the rules of the road, defensive driving safety, and how to operate your motor vehicle in a safe way. This course can also be helpful for older drivers who may need a refresher course on driver safety. Taking a defensive driving course can possibly dismiss a traffic ticket or even reduce insurance rates. The average cost of a driver’s safety course is about $25 and can be done in a classroom setting or an online driving safety course.
Rely On Your Own Driving
The greatest chance for an accident happens right in front of you. Be sure to leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you to allow enough time to stop in a hurry if needed. Speed is also a factor to insure safe driving. Pay attention to speed limit signs. If you’re going too fast, you won’t be able to control your vehicle, especially when road conditions are present.
Keep An Eye On Others Drivers
Be alert. If you spot a vehicle in front of or behind you showing signs of aggressive driving, slow down, or even better, pull over to avoid the situation. If the driver is driving in such a way that you’re scared, try to safely turn right or take the next highway exit. Look out for pedestrians, bicyclists, and pets as you are exiting the road.
Protect Your Passengers:
It’s your responsibility as the driver to make sure your passengers are safe. All passengers should wear a seat belt. It’s required by law. If a child is your passenger, make sure the child is secured in a properly installed child safety seat according to their age and weight.
What To Do When You Have An Accident
Being involved in car accident can be scary. Remember to stay calm. Asses yourself and any other passengers for injuries. Then check on the passengers in the other vehicle and/or pedestrians who may have been near the scene. It can be easy to get into an argument with the other driver if it’s clearly their fault. Don’t do it. Calmly exchange insurance information. If there were witnesses to the accident, get their contact information and do the following: