Driving Safety Precautions

Driving Safety Precaution Tips By: Niru Prasad, M.D. The Silent Causes of Traffic Death and How to Avoid Them Motor vehicle accidents account for the majority of accidental death in all age groups, however, it is more common in teenage drivers and in any driver with alcohol or drug abuse. Some of the common causes are: a. Careless driving. b. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs . c. Falling asleep while driving. d. Unable to follow traffic signals. e. Not using seatbelts. Who are the common victims? 1. Highway drivers - since people tend to fall asleep on high-speed monotonous highways especially at night. 2 Truck drivers - since they work long unusual hours and nearly half of the fatal truck crashes are caused by driver' 5 fatigue. 3. Night shift workers. 4. Young people and teenage drivers - since they tend to stay up late, sleepless and drive at odd hours and often have temptations to use alcohol and drugs for pleasure and parties. How to keep yourself awake and alert while driving 1. Take a break - schedule a break every 2 to 3 hours while driving on the highway. 2 Pick your time - avoid driving during late evening hours while you are feeling tired. 3. Pull over - When you feel sleepy and tired while driving, pull off the road and try to nap for at least 10 to 15 minutes before starting your journey again. 4. Changing lanes - DO NOT try to drive too fast and change lanes since most of the traffic accidents occur during changing lanes. 5. Always put