Drive Safe This Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is a time for road trips, long weekends, and time spent with family and friends€"no matter the distance you must drive to join the festivities. But when long distances mix with alcohol-impaired and/or sleep deprived drivers, danger is unavoidable.
Along with the barbeques, family and festivities, July 4th is statistically the most dangerous holiday to be driving on the road. According to The Advertiser, 410 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009 and 40% of those deaths were related to alcohol-impaired and/or sleep deprived drivers.
In 2010, the number of fatalities was reduced due to national crackdowns which included press release templates and police training provided by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Banners, posters and other promotional material are available for any state police agency to download and use as part of the €Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.€ program initiated by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Help reduce car accident fatalities this July 4 with these safe driving tips for holiday weekends:
Do not drive intoxicated! Of the 400+ fatalities over the Fourth of July weekend every year, 40%-60% are due to the driver having a blood-alcohol level above the limit. Secure a designated driver€"a trustworthy friend or family member who will not drink a drop of alcohol before driving home from the fireworks and festivities.
Make sure to get sleep over the holiday weekend. The second cause of driving fatalities is drowsiness. Drivers party so hard they simply fall asleep at the wheel. Easy solution? Pull over once you feel drowsiness overtaking you. It's perfectly legal to do so, and can save your family/friends' lives.
Recognize and avoid impaired drivers. If you do happen to spot a vehicle obviously endangering others (swerving, switching lanes erratically, etc.) maintain a safe following distance and don't attempt to pass them. When safe, have another passenger in your vehicle report the car (via drivers' license number) by calling your local non-emergency police line.
BUCKLE UP! It's not always you that can cause fatalities on the road€"other drivers might not be so smart (see tip above). Ensuring your entire car is safely buckled will increase your chances of a safe drive home at the end of the long weekend.
Keep travel plans flexible. Don't set in stone times to travel to or from parties, fireworks, family members' homes and other festivities€"allow yourself an extra few hours (or even a day in the case your designated driver doesn't keep his word). Flexibility in your plans means you can spend the night at whatever party/family member's BBQ you attended. This will leave everyone fresh, sober and ready to hit the road in the morning€"safely.
Following these simple tips will help keep you safe during the upcoming Fourth of July long weekend.
Here at AutoNation, we value your safety€"please be safe€"and have fun!
Along with the barbeques, family and festivities, July 4th is statistically the most dangerous holiday to be driving on the road. According to The Advertiser, 410 people were killed nationally in motor vehicle crashes during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009 and 40% of those deaths were related to alcohol-impaired and/or sleep deprived drivers.
In 2010, the number of fatalities was reduced due to national crackdowns which included press release templates and police training provided by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Banners, posters and other promotional material are available for any state police agency to download and use as part of the €Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.€ program initiated by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Help reduce car accident fatalities this July 4 with these safe driving tips for holiday weekends:
Do not drive intoxicated! Of the 400+ fatalities over the Fourth of July weekend every year, 40%-60% are due to the driver having a blood-alcohol level above the limit. Secure a designated driver€"a trustworthy friend or family member who will not drink a drop of alcohol before driving home from the fireworks and festivities.
Make sure to get sleep over the holiday weekend. The second cause of driving fatalities is drowsiness. Drivers party so hard they simply fall asleep at the wheel. Easy solution? Pull over once you feel drowsiness overtaking you. It's perfectly legal to do so, and can save your family/friends' lives.
Recognize and avoid impaired drivers. If you do happen to spot a vehicle obviously endangering others (swerving, switching lanes erratically, etc.) maintain a safe following distance and don't attempt to pass them. When safe, have another passenger in your vehicle report the car (via drivers' license number) by calling your local non-emergency police line.
BUCKLE UP! It's not always you that can cause fatalities on the road€"other drivers might not be so smart (see tip above). Ensuring your entire car is safely buckled will increase your chances of a safe drive home at the end of the long weekend.
Keep travel plans flexible. Don't set in stone times to travel to or from parties, fireworks, family members' homes and other festivities€"allow yourself an extra few hours (or even a day in the case your designated driver doesn't keep his word). Flexibility in your plans means you can spend the night at whatever party/family member's BBQ you attended. This will leave everyone fresh, sober and ready to hit the road in the morning€"safely.
Following these simple tips will help keep you safe during the upcoming Fourth of July long weekend.
Here at AutoNation, we value your safety€"please be safe€"and have fun!