Road Safety Tips and assistance
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Maintain awareness of your surroundings when entering, exiting, and operating your vehicle. Awareness enables you to detect potential threats and take action to avoid or deal with them. Be especially observant at red lights, in parking lots, and at crosswalks.
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When approaching your parked vehicle visually check the area around the vehicle for any suspicious person or activity. If you observe anything suspicious walk directly to a location where there are other people and notify the Police. Insure that you have the local police telephone number captured as a contact in your cell phone.
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Have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle to reduce the time needed to enter. Visually check the interior before entering.
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When operating your vehicle keep the doors locked and the window rolled up. Avoid travelling alone at night, if at all possible.
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Any valuables in your vehicle should be carried in the trunk or otherwise kept out of sight.
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When stopped at traffic lights or in traffic, allow space between you and the vehicle in front of you so that you can drive away if necessary.
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Do not open your window if someone approaches your vehicle to ask for directions, the time, etc. Keep the door(s) locked.
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Do not pick up hitchhikers!
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Buckle up. When lap and shoulder belts are used correctly, they reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passengers by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
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Know your route. Before hitting the road, take the time to map out your route. Motor clubs such as the AA provide auto travelers with maps and detailed directions to their destinations. Be aware of traffic, construction and weather advisories along your route so you can make alternate plans should these conditions affect your drive.
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Reduce driver distraction. Traffic, construction and careless drivers are distractions beyond your control. However, you can reduce the risk of an accident by decreasing the distractions inside your vehicle.
