How to drive safe - few tips from Samarins.com.

From the author

Do you know that according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) statistics, in 2000, more than 41,000 people were killed and more than 3,000,000 were injured in USA in traffic crashes? This means on average, 115 people were killed and almost 9000 people were injured each day. Crashes are happen not somewhere there, they happen all around us. It could happen to any of us. And most distressing is that according to NTHSA, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of deaths among the young people. What can we do to protect ourselves from being in the next year statistics?

• Message to the teens
• You are responsible
• Keep you car in good shape
• Never start driving if you are not ready
• Always keep your attention on the road
• Keep the distance
• Communicate with other drivers
• Few tips on winter driving

Message to the teens

Don't blame the others, start with yourself

Admit, you're the one who is responsible for driving your car safely.
Not your father, not your uncle.
You are the one who can restrain yourself from driving being drunk.
You are the one who can keep the safe distance.
You are the one who must keep your vehicle safe.
And you are the one who can make things better.
Start with yourself. Drive responsible.

Keep your car in a good shape

Keep your car safe to drive, fix any problems right away before they cause serious troubles.
- If you feel that there is something wrong with your car, have it inspected by a mechanic.
- Every time you go to a garage for an oil change or any other occasion, ask to check your car what it may need. Often dealers and garages offer such an inspection as a package with tire rotation and an oil change.
- Periodically check the tire pressure, all the lights, horn and wipers operation.
- Once you note the wipers stop cleaning the windshield properly simply replace wiper refills - it's really worth to spend few backs for ability to see clearly in a foul weather.
- Tires are not something you can save on - worn tires significantly decrease your ability to control your vehicle.
One more thing to remember: tinted rear window increases the risk of rear end collision because the driver behind you can not see the stop lights of the car in front of you.

Never start driving if you or your car is not ready

Never drive being drunk, in a bad mood or under stress - it's risky for you and for others.
Before start driving, be sure to check, and if needed, adjust the mirrors, seat, steering, etc. Clean your windows before you start driving.
If you have noisy baggage in the trunk, secure it tight; it may distract you during a trip.
Fasten the seat belt and make sure you passengers have done the same. Seat belts do save lives.
Learn your route before a trip. Spending a few minutes with the map can save you a lot of time.

Keep your attention on the road

Always keep your attention on the road. If you want to take off your coat, re-adjust your seat, look for something in the glove box, or anything alike, never do that while driving. A friend of mine broke his neck in a very serious accident when he tried to put his jacket on while driving.

Keep the distance according to the road condition

Dry asphalt 50 km/h (31 mph)	Wet asphalt 50 km/h (31 mph)	Snowy road 50 km/h (31 mph)

Communicate with other drivers

Before making any maneuver, make sure to show the others what you intent to do - use your turn signal, a horn if needed. Don't assume they know what you're going to do. When it's not clear who's going to drive first from intersection, be nice - let the other driver go first - show your respect. Always look behind before reversing.

Few tips on driving on snowy roads

• New winter tires will be extremely helpful during a winter.

• If you have a car with very wide tires consider some other transportation because wide tires have very low traction on the snow.

• Sometimes roads may be covered by thin ice ("black ice"), which you may not notice. When you are not sure how slippery the roads are, try a low-speed braking test while driving slowly in a safe area (e.g parking lot). This will give you an idea what is your vehicle's braking ability.

• Snow becomes more slippery when the weather gets warmer.

• Before start moving, clean the windshield, windows, mirrors, and lights from snow. Don't drive until you have clear visibility.

• Start moving very slowly. If the car is stuck, don't accelerate too hard, it's useless in most situations. Plus, it can damage your automatic transmission. Instead, try to start from a second gear, accelerating very slowly and gently. If the car doesn't move again, try to rock your car back and forth - move a little backward, then forward - this tactic always works. If there is still no result try to remove snow from under the wheels and (or) spread a sand or something alike under the drive wheels.

• If you have four-wheel (4WD) drive or all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle, don't overrate it. A 4WD car accelerates better on slippery road, but its braking ability is almost the same as of any other vehicle.

• The ABS gives a great advantage on slippery roads if you know how to use it. The ABS system can help to slightly reduce the braking distance in some situations. However, under certain conditions (e.g. on loose snow or gravel), the braking distance may be longer. The main purpose of the ABS system, is to help a driver maintain steering ability during hard braking. If you never used the ABS, check your owner's manual to familiarize yourself with it.