• Always wear a seat belt, and position it correctly. Wear the lap belt snugly and place it low across your hips, never across your stomach or abdomen. Position the shoulder belt across your chest and collarbone. Don’t wear the shoulder belt under your arm; it could break your ribs or cause internal injuries in a collision.
• Always place a child weighing fewer than 40 pounds in a properly installed child safety seat. Place the seat in the middle of the backseat. Infants under 20 pounds must ride in a safety seat that faces the rear of the car; they should also ride in the backseat.
• Keep your gas tank full and your car in good running condition. Keep the windows, lights, and mirrors clean and free of ice.
• Stay within the speed limit. Drive slower in bad weather or under unsafe road conditions.
• Drive defensively. Stay far enough behind the car in front of you to be able to stop safely, and stay even farther behind a reckless or erratic driver.
• In bad weather, find out the current road conditions and weather forecast before you leave. Leave early to allow extra time to reach your destination.
• Keep an emergency driving kit in your car. Some things to include in the kit are jumper cables, reflectors or road flares, jack, lug wrench, adjustable wrench, insulated pliers, insulated screwdrivers, all-purpose wire, duct tape, spare light fuses, spare fan belt, pocketknife, quart of oil, gallon of water, blanket, shovel, bag of sand, and first-aid kit. And make sure your spare tire is in good condition.
• Watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially children and the elderly. Remember that pedestrians have the right of way at a crosswalk with no traffic control signal.
• Never drink alcohol and drive. Alcohol affects your judgment and timing. Always appoint a nondrinking designated driver if you know you will be drinking.
• In rural areas, be alert for lowered speed limits when approaching towns or curves.
• Comply with no-passing zones. Look out for slowly moving farm machinery, as well as livestock and wildlife.
• Be extra cautious at railroad crossings. Never drive around lowered gates or flashing lights. Don’t drive onto a railroad crossing unless you are sure you can clear the tracks. If your vehicle stalls on a track, get everyone out of the car immediately.
• Don’t stay in the blind spots of large commercial trucks and buses. Large vehicles have long blind spots on each side of and directly behind them. If you cannot see one of the vehicle’s sideview mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
• Take special precautions when driving a motorcycle. Always wear a helmet and bright clothing or reflective material so you can be seen clearly.
