Car Safety Tips

Car safety tips 1

These car safety tips will help you stay safe while on the road.

As more cars crowd the roads, it is important as ever for adults and children to take safety measures while riding or driving in the car. Here are some tips to help you reach your destination safely:

- Make sure children are safely buckled as well as yourself. When buckling up in the car, make it a habit to assure everyone is safely buckled before the starting the car. Safely buckled means 1) using all straps, not just the lap belt 2) One person per buckle and 3) Young or short children (5’ 2” or under) in the backseat. Passenger-side airbags are designed for normal-height adults. If deployed, the airbag creates a safety hazard for children or short people sitting in the passenger seat.

- Do not use cell phones while driving the car. Pull over to the side of the road to make and complete your call. There are three reasons it is not safe to talk on the cell phone while driving: 1) You must look away from the road while dialing or hanging up. 2) Your attention is elsewhere while completing the conversation and 3) In the case of hand-held telephones, you lose mobility as you juggle the telephone.

- Do not eat while driving the car. Both your attention and ability to react are impaired. The same goes for reading, putting on make-up, shaving, etc.

- Look forward at all times. This keeps you alert to changing traffic and unsafe road conditions.

- Keep both hands on the wheel. This allows you to react more quickly if you have to make an emergency stop or swerve suddenly.

- Stay calm. If someone in another car cuts you off or does something you do not like, stay cool. Getting angry or retaliating creates a safety risk. Remember that in the big scheme of things, IT DOESN’T MATTER. Brush it off and move on. It isn’t worth an injury or your life.

The next time you get into the car, remember these safety tips. They could very well save the life of you or your children.

Car safety tips 2

Don't make it easy for thieves

An estimated 1.2 million cars are stolen in the United States every year. Below are some tips on preventing theft or carjacking.

To prevent your car from being stolen:

1. To keep your car from being stolen, install an alarm system.

2. You can also use a security device like a steering wheel lock or a gear shift column lock.

3. Keep your car in a garage and lock the garage door.

4. If possible, always try to park in a well-lighted spot

5. It's also a good idea never to leave valuables inside in plain sight. If you have to leave personal property in your car, leave it in the trunk.

6. Keep your registration card in your wallet instead of your glove compartment. Often when thieves are pulled over or confronted by police, they can produce license and registration.

7. Use paint or an indelible marker to put the vehicle identification number (VIN) under the engine hood and trunk lid and on the battery. This number is usually found on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the car.

To minimize the danger of being carjacked:

1. If confronted by a carjacker, do not resist. Think of saving your life first. Only then, think of your car and what's in it.

2. Beware of the "bump and rob" techniques. If another car bumps your car, stay inside with the windows shut and the door locked and drive to the nearest police or fire station.

3. Don’t stop at isolated pay phones, cash machines or newspaper machines where you could become a carjacking victim.

4. Stay alert to people lurking near or moving toward your parked car.

5. Always keep the windows of your car shut and doors locked, whether you’re in or out of your car.

6. Park only in well-lighted areas.