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“Ten Deadliest Things Kids Do (or Don’t Do) Behind the Wheel”

1. TAILGATING:
A common myth is to maintain a distance of one car length per every 10 mph. However, the faster a car is traveling, the greater the distance it needs to stop. For example, a car accelerating from 30 mph to 40 mph requires a 15ft. increase in braking distance. A car accelerating 10 mph more (going from 40 mph to 50 mph) needs a 30ft. increase!

2. BACKING UP:
Cars are designed to drive forward, not in reverse because vision and control are hugely limited-- drivers can't see out their rear view mirror any closer than 40-50 ft behind the car. Avoid backing up at all costs.

Tip: Park the car so that you can pull through to the next parking space (i.e., in a mall parking lot.) Likewise, when attending an evening event, park so that when you leave, you won’t have to back up in the dark, when you are tired.

3. BEWARE THE AIRBAGS:
Airbags deploy at a rate of 250 mph. If hands are not properly positioned, the airbags can turn them into a projectile that cause broken facial bones, bruises and burns.

4. SEATBELTS PREVENT STEERING OBSTRUCTIONS
Seatbelts are not just to keep occupants in their seats in case of a crash, but also to prevent passengers from being thrown into the drivers’ way, blocking their ability to control the car.

5. SEATBELTS FOR CONTROL:
Drivers obviously cannot control the car while going around a turn or swerving to avoid a crash if they are too busy hanging on to the steering wheel to keep from flying around the interior.

6. LOOK BEYOND THE CAR IN FRONT:
A common habit is to watch the car directly in front of you so that when it stops, you stop. Keeping an eye on the vehicles two or three cars ahead, however, allows for longer reaction and fewer unexpected, sudden stops.

7. SLAM ON THE BRAKES/DON'T SLAM ON THE BRAKES/PUMP THE BRAKES/DON'T PUMP THE BRAKES
Many people complain about Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS) because they have not been properly trained how to use them. Correct braking procedure is dependent upon whether or not a car has ABS.

With ABS: Slam on the brakes with all your might—you cannot push down too hard. Don’t pump the brakes!

Without ABS: Don’t slam on the brakes, but still do NOT pump the brakes. Apply steady, even pressure. Should wheels “lock up”, release a little brake pressure and hold. This is called “threshold braking” and is used to avoid skidding.

TIP: Always try to buy a car with ABS, the #1 feature to help avoid accidents.

8. SWERVING
Many believe the best way to avoid an accident is to swerve away from the obstruction. FALSE! Braking first provides better traction, hence greater control of the vehicle and reduced risk of rollovers.

9. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES (SUV)/ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
SUVs and AWD vehicles also provide a false sense of security. These types of vehicles do not offer safety advantages, but rather performance advantages. For example, SUVs may allow drivers to accelerate faster on slippery roads and you may not get stuck in the snow as often, but they are also harder to stop, tend to roll over and their high narrow bodies make turning more difficult. If buying an SUV, proper training on how to drive it is lifesaving.

10. FATIGUE:
Driving while tired is far more prevalent than driving while intoxicated or on drugs; yet a person driving on four hours of sleep or less is the equivalent of a legally drunk driver.


	In MA, the average fender bender with $500 deductible costs the consumer $4,100.
	43% of first year drivers, and 37% of second year drivers get into accidents.
	The average drivers ed student in MA only gets 6 hours of professional training. Plumbers and electricians often apprentice for 8,000 hours to get a license to practice their job!
	Driving accidents are the #1 killer of teens. The rest of the top ten killers (#2 - #10) combined don't kill as many teens!
	93% of all teen accidents are caused by "driver error". The majority of fatal teen accidents don't even involve alcohol or speeding.