Always Fasten Your Seat Belt

             Aside from always following traffic signs and obeying the rules of the road, buckling up your safety belt may be the single most dramatic move you can make to reduce your health risks. Make sure that everyone in your vehicle is strapped in, and that small children are secured in safety seats before you take off. It can save your life, and it's the law!

 

       Never Drink and Drive

            Alcohol is the major cause of fatal car crashes caused by human error. People are killed on the road every day because they or others had alcohol-impaired judgment or reflexes. Drunk driving results in hundreds of thousands of injuries including lifetime disability from brain damage, paralysis, blindness, or amputated or deformed limbs.

 

       Air Bag Guidelines

            To help prevent injuries in the event your car's air bag deploys: Properly restrain all infants and children in safety seats or lap and shoulder belts, whenever they ride in a motor vehicle. Never use rear-facing child safety seats in the front seat of a vehicle. Have children ride in the rear seat whenever possible. When a child rides in the front seat, make sure the seat is pushed back as far as possible - away from the air bag.

 

       Hot Cars

             On a warm day, the temperature inside a car can shoot up in minutes - even if the windows are partially open. Even if it is not so hot outside, the danger of overheating exists - especially if you have a dark-colored car. Don't leave pets or children unattended.

 

     

 Have a clear head

            Alcohol and certain drugs, both illegal and legal, can severely impair your driving skills. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause dangerous drowsiness. Get a good night's rest and don't drive for long stretches without a break. If you are tired, don't risk the safety of yourself and others on the highway by trying to drive.

 Limit Driving Alone when Tired

             Driving with someone else in your vehicle can increase your overall alertness. It is well recognized that when driving alone, especially when sleep deprived and at night, your chances of a crash are dramatically increased.

 Plan Ahead

             Allow yourself plenty of extra time to reach your destination and allow for emergencies or traffic jams. In todays busy world most of us are in a hurry to get where we are going. By allowing extra time we can be more relaxed when operating our vehicles and thereby cut down on the incidences of road rage, such as excessive speeding, tailgating and weaving in and out between cars.

 

 KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD

             Avoid taking your eyes off the road by eliminating any possible distractions ahead of time. Before setting out on a drive, be sure that important items are within easy reach, i.e. directions and maps, sunglasses, etc. Reduce to minimum possibly dangerous diversions of your attention from the tasks of safe driving such as changing tapes or compact discs and always pull over to a safe place to use your cellular telephone

   Flares.                                           

   Bottled drinking water.

    Blanket.

   Flash Light and spare batteries.

   First Aide Kit.

   Tire in a Can

   Spare change.

   Cellular phone

   Spare tire in good condition

   Window scraper for cold climates

   Jumper cables

    Owner's Manual.

   Roadside Assistance Program information