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SAFE DRIVING AND SAFETY TIPS

Halloween should be a fun holiday for children. Make sure your trick-or-treaters keep safety in mind! They should approach only houses they are familiar with and that have turned on outside lights. Emphasize to your children that they should never enter a stranger’s house or car for any reason. Parents are encouraged to accompany small children on their Halloween adventure. Make sure older children stay with a group when collecting treats.

 

It’s Crime Prevention Month! Take time to talk with your children. They should know how to use the telephone properly in an emergency. Children should know their full name, address, phone number, and a parent’s work number. Teach them to walk and play with friends, not alone. Children should be reminded to NEVER accept rides or gifts from people they don’t know well. Tell your children they should not answer the door if they are home alone.

 

Farming plays a major role in Missouri’s economy. It is also an important part of Missouri’s history. Unfortunately, farming can be dangerous. During the harvest season, remember to pay special attention to slow-moving equipment. If you drive up behind a tractor when you’re traveling, please slow down and be patient. Only pass when it is safe to do so. Never pass on a hill or a curve.

 

National Child Passenger Safety Week is a good opportunity to show your child you care. Use an appropriate child passenger restraint system every time you put your child into a vehicle. Missouri law requires children less than four years old to use an appropriate child passenger restraint system. Whether that is an infant seat, convertible seat, or booster seat, buckle them in every time you travel!

 

Following other vehicles at a safe distance is one way to avoid rear-end traffic crashes. Remember the three-second rule: Make sure you don’t pass a landmark sooner than three seconds after the car ahead of you. Paying attention when you’re driving could also help you avoid a traffic crash. Inattention is one of the most common contributing factors of crashes. Stay alert to changing traffic patterns and remember to wear your seat belt.

 

Last year, nine people were killed and 473 were injured in traffic crashes over the Labor Day holiday. During that same period of time, there were 1,026 traffic crashes in Missouri. Statistics show the most common contributing factors of crashes in Missouri are inattention, speeding, and failing to yield the right-of-way. You can change these statistics. Pay attention ... follow Missouri’s traffic laws ... and buckle up. Arrive alive. 

 

Do you text your friends while driving? If so, your eyes are on your phone, instead of where they should be! Last year, 17 people were killed in crashes where cell phone use was a contributing factor. Being able to do two things at once is considered multi-tasking ... except when you’re driving. Help make our roadways safer by not talking or texting on your cellular device when you drive. 

 

Have plans this weekend? Social activities often include alcohol. A little drinking can lead to a lot of trouble. Accept your responsibility to prevent traffic crashes. Give a sober thought to safe driving. If your plans include alcohol, take a cab or have a sober driver take you home. A drunk driving arrest would definitely ruin your social life.

 

Here’s a sobering reminder: You have a lot to lose by drinking too much and driving. Getting arrested could be the least of your concerns. There are court costs, medical bills, or perhaps jail time. If you kill or injure someone, you’ll pay a price for the rest of your life. The highway is no place for a driver who has been drinking. Alcohol impairs your motor skills and attention. Respect the lives of others. Stay off the highways if you’ve been drinking.

 

Every year, people die in Missouri because another person chooses to drink and drive. 262 people were killed and 4,511 were injured in drinking-related traffic crashes in 2008. Instead of choosing to drink and drive, choose a designated driver. Driving is a responsibility, not a right. Take responsibility ... The life you save could be yours.

 

Nice weather and the extended July 4th holiday weekend will bring an increase in the number of travelers on Missouri’s roadways. Stay alert and drive courteously!

 

Seat belt laws save lives. You never know when another driver will make a careless mistake. Always buckle your seat belt and the seat belts of those you love.

 

Biking is a healthy and fun way to enjoy Missouri. The same traffic rules apply to bicyclists as to drivers of a motor vehicle.

 

Summer is coming! Memorial Day weekend will kickoff the season of fun in the sun. If you’re traveling during this holiday weekend, remember to plan ahead. Make sure your vehicle is in good working order.

 

It takes only a second to turn on your vehicle’s headlights. But, that second could make you more visible to other drivers and prevent a traffic crash. Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on.