Who’s your most loyal friend? If you have a dog, that’s likely your answer. Your dog doesn’t care what you look like, where you live, or what you do for a living. Your dog just wants to be with you and expects that you will be there for them.
In Iowa, our statewide seat belt usage rate is 93.4 percent. While you might think that is great, and it is, it’s not great enough. Last year at least 82 of the 318 people who died in Iowa crashes in 2018 weren’t wearing seat belts.
That means more than one-third of those who died last year may have survived with a simple click of the belt.
Many times unbuckled passengers, especially those in the back seat, can become projectiles in a crash, bouncing around the vehicle. They can cause death or serious injuries to themselves or others in the vehicle, even those who are buckled up.
Over the years you’ve probably seen dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands of messages reminding you that it is dangerous to get behind the wheel if you’re not sober. Many people have heeded these messages, and with ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft, finding a safe ride home is easier than ever.
Yet, about one-third of the fatalities on Iowa highways are caused by an impaired driver. Why do you think drunk driving fatalities are still so high? That’s the million-dollar question. Could it be that younger drivers aren’t getting the message?
Take control of your vehicle on wet or icy roads. While cruise control is a great tool on dry pavement when you want to maintain a constant speed, did you know that setting the cruise on icy roads could actually cause you to lose control of your vehicle?
Icy or wet roads cause your vehicle's tires to lose contact with the pavement. When this happens, the best way to maintain control is to take your foot off the gas to slow your vehicle down until your tires can make contact with the pavement again. Cruise control is designed to keep your vehicle going at a constant speed. When it is on and your car starts to slide, instead of slowing down your car continues to accelerate giving you little or no control over where your vehicle ends up.
You know that it’s dangerous to use your phone when you’re driving. You may have even lectured others to put the phone down when behind the wheel. But when you hear that “ding” of an incoming text message, curiosity can get the best of you.
Need an easy win on your New Year’s resolutions? Resolve to improve traffic safety by simply using your turn signal every time you want to change lanes or make a turn. Using your blinker is so simple and so effective to let those around you know what you’re planning to do.
Don’t underestimate the power of a turn signal. When you think about it, that’s the only indication other drivers have of where your car is going to go. A study conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers made a rather surprising claim: Turn signal neglect is causing millions of crashes per year and may be more dangerous than distracted driving.
