March is National Collision Safety Month, and its a great time to take a few minutes to review some basic safety tips and make sure that we are doing all we can to prevent accidents on the road. Unfortunately, we all, at times, do things that take our full attention off the road. Now may be the time to recommit to changing some of our bad habits behind the wheel.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of 102 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes – one every 14 minutes. Driver inattention is often a contributing factor to many of these crashes. Are you always paying as much attention to your driving as you are to other things? Do you try to multitask behind the wheel? Do you find yourself lost in thought periodically while driving, only to realize that you don't even remember how you got to your location? Do you talk on your cell phone while driving?
Attorney and Parent Jeffrey Kroll offers us some commonsense tips that, though they may seem obvious, are good reminders for all of us. Because we do, from time to time, forget these basic safety rules. Please focus this month on making some changes, and keep your family from becoming part of a terrible statistic.
Here are Kroll's tips:
- Do eliminate distractions. Before pulling out of the driveway, conduct an audit of potential distractions. Are the kids still arguing in the backseat? Do you really need that steaming cup of coffee, without a lid, in the cup holder? Are you trying to put on your seatbelt as you are moving? Get rid of these and other distractions to preserve your focus behind the wheel.
- Don't multitask. Texting or emailing while driving is now banned in Illinois, but there are other temptations that can take your focus away from the road. Adjusting the radio, putting on makeup, having a snack from the drive-through, or verifying directions are all activities that "only take a second" - but that one second can create a lifetime of loss.
- Do clean your vehicle. All it takes is one water bottle or other piece of clutter to shift under the brake pedal for an unkempt car to be a serious safety hazard. If you store a lot of items in your vehicle for work, use the trunk instead, which also ensures you won't be tempted to rummage around for something in the back seat while driving.
- Don't drive impaired. No matter what, this is the easiest safety hazard to control. Calling a friend, taking a taxi, using public transportation, getting picked up or even walking are all tried and true ways to avoid getting behind the wheel while impaired.
- Do keep your lights on. Driving with the headlights on during the day makes you more visible to pedestrians as well as other vehicles on the road. Many vehicles come equipped with daytime running lights; otherwise, make it a habit to switch them on and off every time you drive.
"Because so many of us have been driving for years, we may let simple safety concerns slip through the cracks, but we can all use a gentle reminder during this month-long holiday to get back on track behind the wheel," said Kroll.
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