Page 14 - Safety - Issue 1

14 | Safety

DON’T BECOME

ANOTHER STATISTIC

ou’re driving roads. Teens were the navigate, make calls or send
along minding largest age group reported texts on your behalf if it’s
your own as distracted at the time of imperative.
business when fatal crashes.” As cliché as it is, being
Ysomeone So what can you do to a defensive driver can save
swerves into your lane, prevent distracted driving your life. When stopped at
nearly hitting you. When you fatalities? a light or in traffic, look into
recover, you look over and see If you’re the parent of your rearview at anyone
that the driver is shamelessly a teen, there are plenty of approaching from behind.
staring at their phone without driving apps you can put Notice whether they are
any knowledge of what just on your child’s phone that slowing appropriately,
occurred. Unfortunately, this prevent them from texting or looking down or if their face
is all too common nowadays. accessing other parts of their is lit up by a cell phone. Turn
It isn’t unusual to glance at phone while driving. You your music down or off to
the drivers around you and can also lead by example. listen for sudden braking.
witness them looking down Do not use your phone while If you are the first car at
at directions, music choices, driving, especially in front a stoplight, glance in every
texts, Facebook, eBooks or of your child. Ask them to direction before moving on
TV shows. green. Distracted drivers
The National Highway plow through red lights all
Traffic Safety Administration
alone, 3,477 people were ❞ In 2015 alone, of the time. When you see
a driver swerving, braking
(NHTSA) says, “In 2015
killed, and 391,000 were 3,477 people suddenly or repeatedly
going outside of their
injured in motor vehicle were killed, lane, slow down to create
crashes involving distracted and 391,000 distance and assess whether
drivers. During the day, or not the driver presents
approximately 660,000 were injured in danger to others. If so, call
drivers are using cell phones motor vehicle the police. Make sure you
while driving. That creates have the plate number as
enormous potential for crashes involving well as the make and model
deaths and injuries on U.S. distracted drivers. of the vehicle.
❞