While you may not be able to avoid all the hazards of the road, you can certainly put the odds in your favour. Your safety is primarily in your hands and starts with good driving habits.
10 December 2015
While you may not be able to avoid all the hazards of the road, you can certainly put the odds in your favour. Your safety is primarily in your hands and starts with good driving habits.
10 December 2015
Driving tips
- Take the time to properly adjust your headrest.
- Buckle up! More than 30% of drivers and occupants who died in an accident were not wearing a seat belt.
- Always keep a good distance between your car and the one in front of you.
- Follow the speed limits. They were implemented for a good reason. If you want to arrive earlier, leave early.
- Be careful if you drink alcohol. Avoid driving or limit your consumption. But above all: don’t overestimate your abilities. In 2013, 41% of deceased drivers had been drinking.
- Don’t drive when impaired and don’t let someone under the influence of any kind of drugs get behind the wheel.
Distractions and cell phones
- Using your cell phone while driving is dangerous and prohibited.
- No texting! Driving a vehicle while texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated!
- Talking to other passengers can seem natural but it is also a distraction. Stop talking if road conditions are not optimal or if you need to concentrate on the road for a bit.
- Don’t turn around to interact with children in the back seat. All parents have done it at least once but these precious seconds you’re looking back can represent a significant distance when you are not looking at the road. Five seconds of distraction at 100 km/h represent 139 metres!
Driver fatigue
According to the SAAQ, every year, an average of 84 people are killed and nearly 9,000 people are injured in a fatigue-related accident in Quebec.
- Drive only when you are well rested.
- Don’t take the wheel if you feel tired, no matter the time or place.
- Don’t rely on coffee to keep you awake.
- If you start feeling signs of fatigue while you are driving, stop and take a break. If necessary, take a 15-, 20- or 30-minute nap. Get out of the car and stretch your legs. Ideally, let someone else drive who is well rested.
- Don’t count on the radio or fresh air to help you stay awake as they will only have a temporary effect. At best, use one of these tricks to gain a few minutes while looking for a safe place to stop.
