Buckle Up. Every Trip, Every Time
Wearing your seat belt can save your life and reduce the risk of
injuries if you’re in a crash. Always place the shoulder belt across
the middle of your chest and away from your neck, and place the lap
belt across your hips, not your stomach. You should never put the
shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm. Misuse can have
dangerous consequences. If you have passengers, make sure everyone is
properly buckled before hitting the road. Remember: Buckle Up. Every
Trip. Every Time.
Ensure Children Are in the Right Seat
It’s important to choose the right seat, install it correctly, use it
every time your child is in the car, and know when it’s safe to
transition to another type of car seat or seat belt. NHTSA can help
you through the process with car seat recommendations based on your
child’s age and size, detailed car seat installation instructions, and
finding a car seat inspection station to have a certified technician
check your work. NHTSA also offers seat belt safety tips for tweens.
Remember that the back seat is the safest place for children under 13.
Drive Sober
Driving while impaired is a dangerous, deadly crime. In every state,
it’s illegal to drive impaired by any substance—alcohol or other
drugs, whether legal or illegal. Being a responsible driver is simple:
if you’re impaired, do not drive. Instead, plan ahead and arrange a
safe ride home before the event. You can schedule a rideshare or taxi,
call a sober friend, or use public transportation to get home safely.
If you’re hosting an event where alcohol will be served, make sure all
guests leave with a sober driver and don’t hesitate to stop someone
from getting behind the wheel after drinking.
Pay Attention to the Road
Distracted driving includes talking or texting on your phone, eating
and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, adjusting the stereo,
entertainment, or navigation system—anything that takes your attention
away from the task of safe driving. Texting or holding a cell phone to
talk is illegal in many states. Remember that driving safely always
requires your full attention.
Obey Speed Limits
Speeding puts you, your passengers, and all the people you share the
road with in unnecessary danger. Speeding also increases the risk for
more severe injuries in a crash. Remember that speed affects your
safety even when you’re driving the speed limit but too fast for road
conditions, such as in bad weather, at dawn or dusk, at night, or
through a construction zone.
Never Drive Drowsy
Making sure you get enough sleep daily is the best way to protect
yourself against the dangers of drowsy driving. If you take
medications, make sure to understand how they may affect your ability
to drive safely and adjust your schedule or arrange for alternative
transportation if necessary. If you must drive during the peak
sleepiness periods (midnight to 6 a.m. and late afternoon), be alert
for signs of drowsiness, such as driving over roadway lines or rumble
strips.
Share the Road Responsibly
Be mindful that you share the road with not only other motorists, but
also motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Learn about the
safety challenges motorcyclists face because of their size and
visibility and motorcycle riding practices like downshifting and
weaving to know how to anticipate and respond to them. Make sure to
give bicyclists enough room on the road, yield to them as you would
other motorists, and don’t underestimate their speed. Always be on the
lookout for pedestrians and use extra caution when driving in
hard-to-see conditions.
Pay Attention to Flashing Lights
If you see a vehicle with flashing lights stopped on a highway, move
over into a lane not adjacent to the vehicle. If moving over isn’t
safe, slow down. All 50 states have Move Over laws to protect law
enforcement officers, emergency responders and other roadside workers.
Flashing lights also include watching out for school buses in
neighborhoods and communities. If a school bus has its yellow lights
flashing, you must slow down and prepare to stop. If the bus’s red
lights are flashing and its stop-arm is extended, you must come to a
full stop and wait until the bus’s flashing lights turn off and the
bus begins moving again. It’s illegal to speed up and pass a bus as it
slows to a stop with its yellow lights flashing or is stopped with its
red lights flashing. Even when a bus doesn’t have flashing lights,
take extra care to look out for children.
Talk to Teen Drivers
If you have a teen driver, remind them to always wear their seat
belts, obey speed limits, put away their phone and limit the number of
people they allow to ride with them to reduce distractions. Remember
that you have more influence on your teen than you may think, so be a
good role model and get and stay involved in your teen’s driving
habits.
Check for Recalls
You should check for vehicle safety recalls at least twice a year.
There are many ways to check for recalls: You can visit
NHTSA.gov/Recalls and enter your vehicle’s license plate or VIN. You
can sign up for email alerts that will notify you if your vehicle is
affected by a future safety recall. You can also download NHTSA’s
SaferCar app, enter and store your vehicle’s information in the
virtual garage, and let the app automatically send you a notification
if there’s a recall. If a vehicle does have a recall, contact the
automaker’s local dealership to schedule a free recall repair. Make
sure to also search for recalls related to other vehicle equipment
such as car seats and tires.
