20 tips for safe driving

8/10/2019 20 Tips for Safe Driving

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20 Tips for Safe Driving


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Whats Your Driving Skill Level?

As you can see, this national survey1found that drivers rated

themselves highly.The tendency of people to exaggerate their

driving ability can lead to misplaced confidencewhich can

contribute to crashes.

My driving skills are much better or better than average

My driving skills are average

My driving skills are below average

1Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, December 2002.

74%

1%

25%

Liberty Mutual 20 Tips for Auto Safety

Select a designated driver before youand your companions start drinking.

Dont wait until you arrive at your destination to decide who will

drive home.

Watch out for road rage. If you see adriver exhibiting aggressive behavior, back off.Often

a driver becomes violent over what seems to be a trivial situa-

tion.While you cant control the actions of other drivers, you can

control your own. First,be courteous... its contagious. Second,

dont engage in aggressive actions that could provoke road rage,such as tailgating, blocking the passing lane, failing to use turn

signals, beeping the horn excessively or using high beams to

punishother drivers.

Watch Our

Decision Driving VideoFor a copy of our safe driving video, Decision Driving,call1-800-4-LIBERTY. If you would like a Liberty Mutual representa-

tive to present our video to a school or community group,you

may contact us at 1-800-526-1547.

For more information about

Liberty Mutuals auto, home andother personal insurance products

and services, visit one of our

branch offices, call us at

1-800-526-1547 or visit us online at

www.libertymutualinsurance.com.

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Road Safety Begins at Home

People tend to view themselves as being good drivers,

capable of controlling what happens to them on the road.

However, in 2001 there were 42,116 fatalities in the estimated

6.3 million motor vehicle crashes in the United States.

Assessing how you drive and how you react to others on

the road, understanding the limitations of your vehicle and

maintaining your car so that it performs well are all critical

factors in crash and injury prevention.

Liberty Mutual has created 20 driving tips to help keep you

and your family safe on the road.The following tips,grouped

by common accident, can help you avoid car crashes. Many

of the tips apply to multiple accident types. Our goal is to

help you become a safer driver.

As one of the largest auto and home insurers in the country,

Liberty Mutual is in the business of helping people protectthe things they own and cherish. For more than 90 years, our

continuing mission has been to help people live safer,more

secure lives.

More Tips for Safe Driving

Here are four additional tips to help keep you and

your family safe on the road.

Watch your speed. Speeding is one ofthe most prevalent factors contributing to traffic

crashes, according to the NHTSA. In 2001, speeding was a

contributing factor in 30% of all fatal crashes, resulting in 12,850

lost lives.

Check your tire pressure and treadsat least once a month. Cooler outdoor

temperatures can cause tires to become underinflated.Also, worn

tires and improper pressure can affect the steering and handling

of your car, putting you at risk for a crash.Buy a tire gauge, and

use it to check pressure on the same day each month.

Hint #1: For the automobile manufacturers suggest-ed tire pressure levels, check the placard located on the

inside of your drivers side door. For a more accurate

pressure reading, check your tire pressure within one

mile of leaving your home.

Hint #2: To check treadwear, insert a penny upsidedown in the groove of the tread on each tire. Look at the

distance between the top of Lincolns image and the

edge of the penny. See the top of Lincolns head? Time

to purchase new tires (1/16 of an inch is the minimum

acceptable tread depth).

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Liberty Mutual


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Tips to Reduce Rear-ImpactCrashes

In 2001, rear-impact crashes accounted for 22%

of passenger vehicle crashes and 4% of the

fatalities.1 Here are five tips to help you avoid a

rear-impact crash.

Dont tailgateit wont get you toyour destination any faster. Use an

adequate following distance between yourvehicle and the one in front.When the vehicle infront of you passes a stationary object, begin counting.Your car

shouldnt reach that same object until you count 1,001, 1,002.

Thats the minimum distance you should follow a vehicle in

good weather (thats about three car lengths when traveling at

20 mph or nine when traveling at 60 mph).

Make it a habit to signal early. Innormal driving conditions, turn your signals on 5 to 8

seconds before you turn or change lanes to give drivers behind

you adequate time to react. Be sure to turn off your signal after

youve completed the action.

Size up the whole scene. Dont just lookdirectly in front of you; instead, look 10 to 12 seconds

down the road to where potential trouble spots begin.This will

allow you to stop carefully, which will not only help you main-

tain better control of your vehicle,but will save on fuel econo-

my and prolong the life of your brakes.

1Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA), 2002.

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A Tip to Reduce Rollovers

In 2001, rollover accidents accounted for 32% of

all vehicle occupant fatalities but only 3% of motorvehicle crashes. And fatalities, in single-vehicle

rollovers increased by 22%, with pickup trucks

accounting for the biggest gain.

Be aware that driving a sports utilityvehicle (SUV) isnt like driving a car.

SUVs have a higher center of gravity and are therefore more prone

to roll over. So avoid sudden lane changes, be careful on curves

and drive your SUV with the flow of trafficnot faster than the

flow.Also keep in mind that an SUV occupant is three times

more likely to die as a result of a rollover than an occupant of a

passenger car. Because of the increased risk of a rollover, it is

especially important that everyone in an SUV wear seat belts.

Unfortunately, teenagers, as a group, use seat belts less frequently

than those in other age groups.This has led to an epidemic of

teens being thrown from their vehicles in SUV crashes.You, your

teens and all other passengers need to buckle up!

A Tip to Reduce Car-TruckCrashes

In 2001, 5,082 people were killed and 131,000 were

injured in crashes involving large trucks.1A 2002

research study prepared for the AAA Foundation

for Traffic Safety found that automobile drivers

contribute more to crashes involving large trucks

than do commercial vehicle operators. Seventy-five

percent of all driver errors were attributed to car

drivers compared to 25% for truck drivers.1

Know how to drive around largetrucks. They cant stop or swerve as quickly as

automobilesdont force them to brake or swerve suddenly.

Large trucks have blind spots, or no-zones, around the front,

back and sides of the truck.These no-zones make it difficult for

the driver of the truck to see vehicles that are very close to

them. So dont linger alongside a truck. Remember, if you cant

see the driver in the trucks mirror, the truck driver cant seeyou.While passing a truck, avoid pulling back in front of it until

you can see the entire truck in your inside rearview mirror. For

more information, visitwww.sharetheroadsafely.org.

1Source: NHTSA, 2002.

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Tips to Reduce Front-ImpactCrashes

In 2001, 46% of the passenger-vehicle crashes

were front-impact crashes, and they accounted for

the greatest percentage of fatalities39%.1 Follow

these seven tips to help avoid a front-impact crash.

Stay focused at the wheel. Many accidentsoccur when drivers let their eyes and minds wander.

Distractions are a factor in 25% to 50% of all vehicle crashes,

according to the NHTSA.1 One study found that the three most

common distractions are: outside distractions (e.g., accidents,

vehicles stopped by police, construction and aggressive driv-

ers), adjusting music controls, and other occupants in the car

(people or pets).2

Driving is a full-time jobavoidusing your cell phone. Instead, pull safely

off the road and out of traffic before making a call. Studies have

found that drivers are four times more likely to be involved in

a crash when using a cell phone.3 So, if you use your cell phone

while driving just 15% of the time, you are 45% more likely to

be involved in a crash than someone who doesnt use a cellphone while driving.Using a hands-free device is not the solu-

tion for avoiding a crashphone conversations take your mind

off the road and off the important task of driving. If you want to

be a safe driver, you cant spend a lot of time talking on the

phone.

Avoid solar glare. Each day the sun rises andthe sun sets; so there are two times when you will

encounter intense solar glare.Have sunglasses handykeep an

extra pair within arms reach so that you are always prepared.

1Source: NHTSA, 2002.

2Source: AAA Foundation for Safety, 2001.

3Source: New England Journal of Medicine, Feb. 13, 1997.

Tips to Reduce Side-ImpactCrashes

In 2001, 29% of passenger-vehicle crashes were

side-impact and they accounted for 24% of

fatalities.1 Consider these two tips to help avoid

a side-impact crash.

Green does mean GO...but first

make sure the intersection is clear!A good rule of thumb: Count 1,001, 1,002, then look left, right

and left again and proceed if no other cars are in the intersec-

tion. Many side-impact accidents occur as a result of people not

stopping for red lights.

Adjust your mirrors to reduce thatblind spot next to your car. Make sure

that the mirrors are properly adjusted for youespecially when

you share your car. Eliminating the blind spot is especially

important when you drive on a multilane highway.

Three Easy Steps for Adjusting Your Cars Mirrors

1.Adjust the interior mirror so that the rear window is framed.

2. Before you start your car, sit in your normal driving position

and put your head against the drivers side window. Look in

your left sideview mirror and adjust it so that you see as little

of the left side of your car as possible.

3. From your position in the drivers seat, place your head along

the centerline of the car. Look in your right sideview mirror

and adjust it so that you see as little of the right side of your

car as possible.

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If your car has adjustable headrests,properly adjust and lock them

into place.A correctly positioned headrest can reduce your

chances of head or neck injury in a collision. Although youll alsoneed to initially adjust an active headrest for proper fit, it may

protect you better than a passive restraint.Thats because an active

headrest is designed to move into position if youre involved in a

rear-end collision.To find out the rating of your vehicles headrest

and for cars equipped with active head restraints, visit our Web

site atwww.libertymutual.com/lm/headrestraints.

Know how to use your antilock brakes.In an emergency, stomp hard on the brakes and keep

your foot firmly on the pedaldo not pump the brakes. Antilock

brakes keep your wheels from locking up and allow you to main-

tain control of your car.

Hint: Be aware that a four-wheel-drive vehicledoesnt stop any quicker. In fact, it may take longer

to stop because many of these vehicles are heavier

than other vehicles.

be aware

Turn on your headlights when youuse your wipers. It will help increase your

visibility and will also help other drivers see you. In many states,

its the law!

Keep your car windows clear. Cleanthe outside and inside of your windows, and fill

your windshield washer reservoir on a regular basistry

choosing a specific day each month to perform routine mainte-

nance on your car. Sun or headlights reflecting off a dirty

windshield can cause momentary blindness, preventing youfrom seeing whats in front of you. And remember to clear snow

and ice off your entire car so that it doesnt slide off your roof

and cover the windshield as youre slowing down, or fly off onto

someone elses windshield, causing that driver to lose control.

Dont use cruise control when theroads are wet.An activated cruise control

system continually applies power and keeps your wheels

spinning.However, in snow, ice, slush or rain you need to reduce

power and wheel spin to maintain control of your vehicle.For

more information on your cars cruise control system, consult

your owners manual.

Buckle up every trip...every time.

And make sure your passengers do, too. Every 15seconds, someone is injured in a car crash; every 13 minutes,

someone is killed. Seat belts are the most effective means of

reducing serious injuries and fatalities and are estimated to save

more than 11,000 lives each year. For more information, visit

www.buckleupamerica.org.

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20 tips for safe driving

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