Almost every adult in North America has access to a motor vehicle. The average driver will drive approximately 10,000 miles (16,000 km) per year, for an average of 50 years. The chances of having a collision are high. In the United States in 1993 there were 40,115 deaths and 3.2 million injuries related to motor vehicles. In Canada every year, an average of 3,200 people are killed and 170,000 injured in motor vehicle accidents. Most of these deaths and injuries can be prevented.

Keep the following information in mind to protect yourself while driving:

The old expression "speed kills" is true. The higher the speed, the greater the chance of the driver losing control. As speed increases, so does the distance necessary for the driver to come to a stop. The severity of the injuries increases greatly at speeds over 50 mph (80 km/h). The chance of serious injury or death doubles with each 10 mph (15 km/h) increase of speed over 50 mph (80 km/h). Approximately three out of 10 drivers in fatal collisions were going too fast at the time of the crash.

• Pay attention to the posted speed-limit signs; they indicate the maximum speed considered safe.

• The posted speed is meant for ideal conditions. It is dangerous to travel at those speeds during a snowfall, heavy rain, or conditions of black ice. Slow down according to the conditions.

• Stay alert when an oncoming car is passing another vehicle. It’s difficult to judge the car’s speed. Be prepared to slow down in order to give the car time to finish passing.

Adverse conditions including rain, snow, ice, and fog affect your visibility even in daylight. In these conditions, other drivers also have trouble seeing you. Your car becomes difficult to control on curves or even on straight stretches when the surface if slippery. As well, it’s more difficult to stop and it takes longer.

A few tips to remember when traveling in adverse conditions:

• If conditions are bad, don’t travel unless absolutely necessary. When the police or other officials advise against travel, heed their warning. The roads are bad.

• Keep your headlights on; it will be easier for other drivers to see you.

• If conditions are extremely bad (such as a whiteout) you may have to pull over. Pull off the road as far as possible and turn on your emergency flashers.

• Adjust your speed to suit road and weather conditions.

• Obey road construction signs. At night, it can be confusing to try to read signs with flashing lights. Slow down.

Seat belts work. Using seat belts or child restraints will reduce the likelihood of being injured or killed in a traffic crash by 55% and 75% respectively. If you’re involved in a collision at 30 mph (48 km/h), the force is equivalent to a fall from a third floor window to hard ground below. It’s common for a person to be thrown from a vehicle in a collision or a rollover. If this happens, the chances of being killed or seriously injured are extremely high.

A few things to remember about seat belts:

• A lap belt prevents the occupant from being thrown from the vehicle. It also transmits much of the force to the lower body. The shoulder belt adds protection by reducing injuries to the head and face.

• Use the lap belt and shoulder belt together.
• Wear the lap portion of the seat belt low on the hips. Don’t wear it over the abdomen. The shoulder belt must pass over the shoulder and not the neck. It should fit snugly over the chest.

• Don’t wear the shoulder belt under the arm. In a collision, the belt will exert tremendous pressure on the chest and cause internal injury.

• Pregnant women should sit upright and wear the lap belt under the abdomen and as low on the hips as possible.

Buckle your children up! Make sure they use seat belts or child restraints each time they are in the vehicle. In the event of a collision, if they aren’t restrained, there’s a good chance they’ll be thrown from the vehicle or thrown violently into other occupants of the vehicle.

Infants and small children should be buckled into the appropriate infant or child carrier. Many parents think they would be able to hold their infants in their arms in the event of a collision. This is nonsense. In a vehicle traveling only 30 mph (50 km/h), a 10 lb. (4.5 kg) infant will be ripped from a belted adult’s arms with a force of almost 200 lbs. (91 kg).

In Canada, and in most states, it’s the law that children be protected by seats specifically designed for them. If used correctly, they will prevent your child from being thrown around in the vehicle.

Rear-facing infant carriers are designed for children weighing up to 20 lbs. (9 kg). A combination seat can be used in the rear-facing position for infants. It may be turned around to the forward-facing position for toddlers who weigh approximately 20 to 48 lbs. (about 9 to 22 kg.). Check the manufacturer’s directions. Use booster seats for children who are too large for a child seat. The child will then be in a better position to use the adult seat-belt system. For more information on the proper use of these seats, contact your branch of the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the Canadian Motor Association (CMA).

Prime times for "asleep-at-the-wheel" crashes are between midnight and 7 a.m., when it’s natural to feel sleepy, and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The comfort and ease of driving today’s cars can lull drivers into a drowsy state. The combination of cruise control, power steering, and soft seats, along with the hypnotic effect of highway driving can induce sleep. When you start to feel drowsy pull over and have a nap.

A few things to remember about drowsiness and driving:

• Get plenty of sleep. Experts recommend seven to nine hours. If you can’t get enough, try to make up for it when you have a chance, such as on weekends.

• Take a break at least every two hours on long trips or when you first start to feel drowsy. A walk around the vehicle in cool weather can refresh you. It will also be good for your back.

• If possible, switch drivers. At least have someone stay awake with you. Talking with someone or listening to the radio will help.

• Alcohol will increase the drowsiness. Don’t drink.

• If you feel drowsy, don’t fight it; get off the road immediately! Pull off, preferably at a rest stop or off the highway. Don’t park on the shoulder except as a last resort. Vehicles parked on the shoulder are sometimes rear- ended and the occupants are injured. If you must stay on the shoulder, pull off as far as you can, leave your seat belt on, and leave the dome light and your emergency flashers on. You want to be visible to the vehicles coming from behind.

• Microsleep is a 1 to 15 second loss of awareness. If this happens to you, get off the road right away.

Backing up is one of the more common causes of collisions. Your visibility is not as good as when traveling forward. Most of these collisions happen at a low speed. Even so, there are many fatalities every year related to vehicles backing up.

When backing up, remember to:

• Walk around your vehicle to check for children and their toys. Many children have been killed in their own driveways when a parent unintentionally backed over them.

• Always back up slowly and use both mirrors. Preferably, have a responsible person direct you.

• Avoid backing up around corners.

Animals seem to appear from nowhere on the highway, especially at night. They cause many collisions, injuries, and deaths. A vehicle may swerve off the road or into oncoming traffic in an attempt to avoid an animal, or the animal might crash through the windshield and kill the occupants.

Drive with extreme caution when traveling on roads frequented by wildlife, especially at night.

• Signs warn drivers to watch for animals crossing the highway. These signs mean there’s a good chance animals are in the area. Slow down and watch for them.

• At night, drive with your high beams on as much as possible. This will increase the distance from which you can see an animal.
• When you notice an animal, slow down and switch the lights to low beams. Be prepared to stop.

• Don’t swerve suddenly to avoid small animals. You may cause a collision or lose control.

• Be aware of the traffic around you in case you have to take evasive action.

• If you hit a large animal such as a moose or a horse, it could crash through your windshield. Be careful.

Drive down any busy street and you won’t have to wait long before you see someone driving while talking on a cell phone. They may even be sorting through papers at the same time. Driving requires concentration. If you’re going to use a cellular phone, use it with extreme caution. Preferably, pull over in a safe spot, than use the phone. If you use a phone often when driving, consider buying a hands-free phone and use the memory dial as much as possible.

Use caution when boosting dead batteries. Batteries can explode and the acid inside them can be extremely harmful.

Many people have been blinded or have had serious facial injuries from exploding batteries and splashing acid. If your skin or eyes come into contact with this acid, flush immediately with lots of water. Seek medical aid. It’s wise to wear safety goggles when working around batteries.

• Make sure booster cables are in good shape and well insulated.

The correct procedure for boosting a battery is as follows:

1. Make sure vehicles are shut off.
2. Connect the positive of the discharged battery to the positive of the charged battery.
3. Connect the negative of the charged battery to a stationary, metallic part of the engine no closer than 18 in. (45 cm) from the battery.
4. Stand clear and start the engine of the car with the dead battery.

The right air pressure in your tires will help prevent collisions and save fuel. Tires will wear longer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper inflation pressures. See your owner’s manual.

• Serious injury may result from tire failure due to over-loading or under-inflating tires.

• It’s a good idea to purchase a tire gauge from a tire dealer or auto supply store. Many garage gauges may be inaccurate.

• Check tire pressure at least once a month. Don’t forget to check the spare. Also check before a long trip.

• Check the pressure when the tires are cold (when they have traveled less than 1 mile (1.5 km), or have been standing for 3 hours or more).

• Under-inflation or over-loading can create excessive heat and could possibly lead to tire failure.

• Once a month, check closely for uneven tire wear. This can be caused by improper balancing, incorrect tire pressure, misalignment or other mechanical problems. If you find uneven wear, have it checked at your tire dealer or garage.

• If a tire continually needs more air, have it checked at a tire dealer.

Always be prepared for an emergency when driving in the winter. You never know when you could get stuck. Listen to the radio and advice from the local police or motor association. If they advise against travel, take the warning seriously.

Remember when traveling in the winter:

• Be prepared if you travel. Carry these items in your trunk: a blanket, extra clothes such as ski mask, mitts, socks, winter boots, a parka, and a sleeping bag.

• Other items you should carry include
• a flashlight with batteries
• a first aid kit
• matches, a lighter, and candles
• food such as trail mix and candy bars

These items can be stored in a coffee can

• Also carry

• a shovel
• a small bag of sand to improve traction
• small tools such as pliers and wrenches
• booster cables
• a bright orange piece of material to use as a flag
• tire chains or traction mats
• a spare fan belt

• In winter, fuel up often and make sure your vehicle is in good running condition. A simple thing like a broken fan belt can be a major problem if you’re driving on an isolated road and it’s minus 30 C outside.

If you’re trapped in a car in winter:

• Don’t leave the vehicle unless help is very close by. It’s very easy to become disoriented in a blizzard. Rescuers can spot a vehicle more easily than they can a person.

• Hang a bright-colored cloth from your radio antenna.

• Occasionally run the engine to keep warm. Turn it on for about 10 minutes each hour. Run the heater when the car is running. Be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow, and open a downwind window slightly for ventilation. See Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. See Hypothermia

• If several people are in the car, one person should always be awake to attract the attention of rescuers.