Safe DrivingRisky Business Week

Airbag Safety

Did you know?

Air bags come out of the dashboard at up to 200 mph!   

That’s faster than a blink of an eye!

Air Bag Safety

Prevent air bag-related injuries by following these important safety tips:

Sit back at least 10 inches from the steering wheel or dashboard.

Wear your seatbelts properly.Always seat children 12 years and under, including

infants, in the back seat. If you have small children and your car has back-

seat airbags, check with your vehicle manufacturer to find out if the airbags have been activated.

Air Bag Safety

Airbag Safety Tips Continued:

Check your Owner’s Manual and Car Seat Manual for installation advice and warnings.

If your steering wheel tilts, direct it toward your chest, not your head.

If you are pregnant, place the lap belt low on your abdomen with the shoulder portion over the collarbone and tilt the steering wheel toward your chest.

Defensive Driving Tips

Be aware and ready for whatever happens. Effectively manage visibility, time, and space to avoid crashes.

Check out the following eight tips to avoid crashes:

Defensive Driving

1. Pay Attention

Driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do and it deserves our full attention.

Consciously analyze what you see while you drive.  This will help you recognize hazards and avoid collisions.

Avoid distracting yourself with your phone, food, radio, or passengers.

Don’t take your eyes off the road or break your concentration.

Defensive Driving

2. Allow Enough Space Ahead

30% of crashes involve rear end collisions. Allow 3-4 seconds between you and the car ahead of

you. At highway speeds, increase the gap to 4-5 seconds

or more. If driving in rain or poor weather conditions, increase

the gap to 6 or more seconds. Maintain safe space as cars around you change

position

Defensive Driving

3. Look Ahead

Scan the road and surrounding area for potential road hazards, conditions, and information that can help you plan a clear route.

4. Have an Escape Route

Check your mirrors every few seconds to see what is beside and behind you. This will you maneuver safely to a avoid a crash.

Defensive Driving

5. Separate Risks

If faced with multiple risks, it’s necessary to address them by separating the risks.

Your task is to avoid having to cope with too many risk factors at the same time.

6. Communicate with Other Drivers-Use Turn signals

Neglecting to use turn signals can have catastrophic consequences.

Defensive Driving

7. Don’t Depend on Other Drivers

Be considerate of other drivers – but look out for yourself!  You can’t always depend on other drivers to drive as expected.

8. Keep a Positive Attitude

Aggressive, irresponsible driving puts lives in danger.  If you encounter aggressive drivers, don’t engage in behavior that will escalate the situation.

Preparing for Road Trips

Summer and Winter Car Care

Check to make sure your car is properly maintained and ready for the road.

There are many items you can inspect yourself.

Other items should be inspected by a certified technician.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Battery and Charging System:

A fully charged battery in good condition is required to start an engine in cold or hot weather.

Make sure all connections are secure and remove any corrosion.

Drive Belts: Inspect for cracks or fraying. Turn them over and

check the grooved underside. Replace if older than 5 years or 100,000 miles.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Engine Hoses:Visually inspect cooling system hoses for leaks,

cracks, or loose clamps Squeeze the hoses to check for any that may be brittle or excessively spongy and in need of replacement

Replace if older than 5 years or 100,000 miles

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Tire Type and Tread:

Examine tires for uneven and excessive tread wear. If less than 3/32-inches of tread, it should be replaced. Uneven wear on tires can indicate alignment, suspension, or wheel balance problems.

In winter weather, changing to snow tires on all four wheels provides the best traction.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Tire Pressure: Check tire pressure frequently in cold weather. Proper tire pressure levels can be found on a sticker

inside the driver’s side door jamb or glove box. Don’t forget to check the spare!

Air Filter: Hold air filter up to a 60-watt light bulb. If light can be

seen through it, it is still clean enough to work effectively.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Lights: Check all headlights, taillights, emergency flashers,

turn signals, brake lights and backup lights.Replace any burnt out bulbs. Clean the lenses and

refinish or replace lenses if yellowed.

Antifreeze/Coolant Levels:Check coolant level when the engine is cold. Refill

with 50/50 solution of coolant and water. Check antifreeze level using a tester available at an auto parts store.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Wiper blades

Blades should completely clear the glass with each swipe.

Consider installing winter wiper blades in snowy conditions.

Washer fluid

Fill with washer fluid that has antifreeze components for cold weather use.

Summer and Winter Car Care Checklist

Brakes Have a certified technician ensure all components are in

good working condition.

Motor Oil, Transmission, Brake and Power Steering Fluid Make sure all fluids are at or above minimum safe levels and

conditions.

If you plan to drive in extreme conditions, switch to a motor oil with higher viscosity.

Check owner’s manual for specific oil and lubricant recommendations.

Emergency Road Kit

Keep These Items in Your Car:

Flashlight with extra batteries Window washer solution Cloth or a roll of paper towels Jumper cables Warning devices (flares or triangles) Drinking water and non-perishable snacks First-aid kit with rubber gloves Basic toolkit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable

wrench)

Emergency Road Kit

In winter, add these items:

Bag of abrasive material (sand, salt, cat litter) or traction mats

Snow shovel, ice scraper, and small broom to keep windows clear of snow

Tire chains or traction devices Gloves, hats, and extra clothing

In summer, add these items:

Umbrella Sunblock

Before you hit the road

Travel Tips for Hitting the Road:

Give your itinerary to a family member or friend.Program your mobile phone with important

numbers, including AAA Emergency Road Service. Make sure you have a mobile phone charger for your

car. Check road conditions before you depart. Review tips for dealing with a breakdown so you are

prepared and can stay safe in case of unexpected breakdown.

Before you hit the road

Travel Tips Continued:

Review tips for safe winter driving. Consider delaying trips if bad winter weather is

expected. Take advantage of AAA maps, AAA Tour Book guides,

and AAA TripTik travel program to create your adventure!

Preventing Drowsy Driving

Did you know?

Driver fatigue causes more than 100,000 crashes each year!

It has also lead to 71,000 injuries and 1,500 deaths.

Warning signs

How To Tell You Are Too Drowsy to Drive:

Inability to recall the last few miles traveled Having disconnected or wandering thoughts Having difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes

open Feeling as though your head is very heavy Drifting out of your driving lane Yawning repeatedly Accidentally tailgating other vehicles Missing traffic signs

Avoiding Drowsy Driving

To Avoid Driving While Drowsy:

Get a good night’s sleep◦ Experts recommend 7-9 hours per night

Plan to drive on long trips with a companion◦ Companions can watch for signs of driver fatigue◦ Switching drivers may be helpful

Take regular breaks◦ Rest every 100 miles or 2 hours even if you don’t

feel tired

Avoiding drowsy driving

Avoid Alcohol and Medications While Driving

Check if your medication causes drowsiness. If it does, avoid taking it before driving.

Remember alcohol increases fatigue. If you are already tired limit your alcohol intake. Even

a small amount can increase fatigue.

Driving while fatigued puts you and others at riskRecognize the signs that you are fatigued.Take the necessary steps to avoid fatigued driving!

Winter Driving

Winter brings a variety of inclement driving conditions to the roadways.

Make sure you are prepared and know how to drive in winter conditions.

Winter Driving

Safe Winter Driving

Drive at a speed that matches the prevailing visibility, traffic and road conditions.

Be prepared for challenging situations.

Keep your gas tank full. Fill up when approaching mountain passes. If they appear unsafe you may need to change routes, idle, or turn back.

Winter Driving

Turn on headlights for extra visibility

Stop periodically when taking long trips to clean headlights of mud and dirt.

Steering in snowy or icy conditions requires smooth, careful movements.

Anticipate lane changes, turns and curves. Slow down in advance.

Braking on slippery surfaces requires more distance.

Increase your following distance and allow for long slow and steady stops.

Driving in Rain

Safe Driving in the Rain

Reduce your speed to the appropriate limit for the weather conditions.

Drive in middle lanes to avoid pools of water. Increase the distance between you and the car in front of you. After driving through standing water, lightly apply breaks to

dry them. Don’t speed up when driving through standing water. It can

cause tires to lose contact with the road (hydroplane). If you are following another car, drive in its tracks. If it is raining so hard that you can’t see the road or the car in

front of you, pull over and wait it out.

Front Tire Skid

Front Tire Skid:

Your vehicle pushes wide through the turn and tends to run off the outside of the turn.

Continue to look and steer toward your intended path of travel.

Smoothly ease up on the accelerator. Lifting off the accelerator too quickly in a skid may cause the rear of the vehicle to slide sideways.

You may need to smoothly apply the brakes a bit to regain traction to turn toward your intended path of travel.

Rear Tire Skid

Rear Tire Skid:

The rear of your vehicle begins to slide sideways; the front of the vehicle may deviate from your intended path of travel.

If you do not take corrective action, the vehicle may spin around completely.

Continue to look and steer toward your intended path of travel.

Avoid using the brakes. As the rear tire regains traction, continue steering

toward your intended path of travel.

If you get stuck

If You Are Stuck:

Apply power slowly. Do not spin your wheels – it makes it worse.

Turn your front wheels side to side a few times to clear the snow.

Keep wheels pointed straight ahead while trying to move. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the

underside of the car. Pour sand, kitty litter, or salt in the path of the wheels to

help get traction. Shift from forward to reverse, and back again trying to

move a little more each time.

Handling a Vehicle Breakdown

Safety First◦ Stay in your car as much as possible.◦ Use caution when interacting with others who offer

assistance.

Get Noticed◦ Alert passerby's that you need help by lifting your

hood, turning on your hazard lights, and/or using flares and reflective triangles.

Seek Help◦ If you don’t have a phone with you, when someone

does stop, ask them to contact local authorities and AAA.

◦ Look for a callbox, but don’t roam too far to find one.

Handling a Vehicle Breakdown

Know Your Area◦ Once you reach AAA or local authorities, tell as much

as you can about your surroundings, where you came from, where you are headed, and nearby landmarks or road signs

Move to the Right◦ If you are in a left lane, signal and begin moving to the

right if it’s safe. Make slow and deliberate motions to alert other drivers

Keep Away From Traffic◦ If you can’t move your vehicle off the road, exit the

car when it’s safe and stand away from traffic

Handling a Vehicle Breakdown

Send Text MessagesEven if you are out of cell phone range, sometimes a text will still go through.

Let Others Know Your RouteTell a friend or family member of your planned route and the general time you should arrive. Have an agreed upon plan if they don’t hear from you.

Carry Water!

Most importantly…

Stay Safe!

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