DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me
“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.” Jodi Rell
DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me – SAFETY FIRST
Welcome to MyCarDoesWhat.org
MyCarDoesWhat is a national campaign to help educate drivers on new vehicle safety technologies designed to help prevent crashes. These technologies range from increasing the stability and control of cars to providing warnings about crash threats to automatically intervening to avoid or reduce the severity of a crash. The campaign’s website, MyCarDoesWhat.org, includes educational videos and other information about a variety of safety technologies including back-up cameras, blind spot monitoring systems, forward collision alerting and other systems that help drivers avoid or reduce the severity of a crash. The National Safety Council and the University of Iowa partnered to launch MyCarDoesWhat to educate the public on how to best interact with these safety features to have better, safer driving experiences. MyCarDoesWhat.org
Fatigue & Driving: Are you prepared for the roads this summer? June is National Safety Month and the National Safety Council and MyCarDoesWhat.org want us all to do our utmost to stay safe both at home and on the road. I live in the suburbs and driving is part of my daily routine. I drive almost everywhere and one fundamental rule of the road is to not drive when fatigued. Driving demands our focus, skill, and alertness; if we fall short on any of them, we stand a chance of becoming a statistic in a local road or highway accident. Whenever I take a long road trip with my family, I make sure that all my car safety features are in order and that I have a co-driver to keep me alert. When I start to feel tired, we pull off at the next exit, get some rest and refreshments, and switch drivers for the next leg of our trip. In the last five years, we have seen more safety features installed in cars and, even if we have an older car, we can upgrade certain features to help us stay safe. My Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) help me steer in emergencies by restoring traction to my tires and I’ve had them kick in when I hit an ice patch in the winter.
Years back, on a road trip to Canada, we blew a tire and were fortunate that the car wasn’t totaled. If I had the Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) back then, it might have warned me that my tires were under or over-inflated, and helped prevent our tire blowout. But keep in mind that even the best road safety technologies demand our effort and awareness so, when we enter our cars, we must make sure that we’ve had enough rest, that our cars are fully operational and serviced, and that we are familiar with our car safety technologies to ensure we/our families are safer on the roads. As you probably know, the summer can be a treacherous time for teen drivers who forget to obey traffic rules and road race while chatting/texting with friends. As parents, we want our kids to be safe and we must do something about it. What can we do? This is an important time to remind them to familiarize themselves with all the safety features on the car(s) they drive, to get enough rest and to be attentive on the road.
Each week in June, The National Safety Council will provide downloadable resources highlighting a different safety topic:
Week 1 (through June 12): Stand Ready to Respond
Week 2 (June 13-19): Be Healthy
Week 3 (June 20-26): Watch Out for Dangers
Week 4 (June 27-30): Share Roads Safely
“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.” Mac McCleary
DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me – SAFETY FIRST
DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me – SAFETY FIRST
30 second “Quick Guides”
New car safety features help keep you safe. Car technology may even prevent a crash or save a life. Do you know how to use these features? Which ones are already in your car? Plain spoken instructions, animation and graphics are at MyCarDoesWhat.org. – From back-up cameras to automatic braking to traction control and beyond. Knowing more will help keep you, your family and others safer on the roads MyCarDoesWhat.org
New Safety Features: Every time we lease or buy a car, we spend some time reviewing the car manual and talking to the dealer’s technicians to help us understand all the features that come with our car. Some of these features are intuitive, while others are new to us; we have to learn what our car safety features can do and how they can save a life. We no longer live in an analog world where Dad drove a manual stick shift car with minimal technology, seat-beats were optional, and babies were carried on a mother’s lap or in poorly designed carriers. In the 21st Century, car safety technology is paramount at all price points; be it for a Tesla, a Nissan or Hyundai. All manufacturers, in an increasingly competitive car buying landscape, are determined to improve safety features. They want their customers to feel safe and become loyal repeat buyers. When a car is recalled for problems, the manufacturer uses the opportunity to take a closer look at its features and to fine tune them.
Do you know what safety technologies and features your car has? Some fairly common safety technologies and features that we see in cars today are: Back-up Cameras that allow us to see more than our peripheral vision, expand our view of the driveway, and warn us of obstructions. Blind Spot Monitors warn us of cars that we can’t see from our rear-view mirror and remind us that indicating and turning our head are equally important when we plan to change lanes. Forward Collision Warning helps us maintain a healthy distance from cars in front and are a reminder that tailgating is not wise on the road and best saved for those tailgate parties when the vehicle is stationary. Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) help us steer in emergencies by restoring traction to our tires. Rear Cross Traffic Alert warns us when an inattentive driver and car are about to enter our backing path.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is the advanced version of cruise control and it not only maintains our set speed but the speed we follow other cars too. An Automatic Emergency Braking System will apply the brakes to their maximum to avoid a stalled or stationary car ahead. Lane Departure Warning systems alert us when we start to drift from our lane, and the Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) warn us when our tires are under- or over-inflated, and can help prevent a tire blowout. Push Button Start helps us to turn our car off correctly when parked in the garage so that carbon monoxide fumes won’t enter the home. But how would you know if your car has any or all of these features? Read your manual, ask your car dealer’s technician, update your old car, and take the time to learn how to use the anti-lock brakes in your car and how each component works. Get your teen drivers to learn them too. Learning how everything works in your car can save your life.
More Below!
“The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety.” Goethe
DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me – SAFETY FIRST
DRIVING: Tips On Road Safety #MyCarDoesWhat4Me – SAFETY FIRST
Every day in the United States, more than 100,000 people suffer unintentional injuries. All are preventable. Learn how to stay Safe for Life. Safe4Life
Defensive Driving Classes: We are never too old nor is it ever too late to take a defensive driving class. In addition to the car insurance benefits you might enjoy, a DD class helps you refresh your knowledge of road rules, and teaches you how to drive smart on local roads and the highway. Car safety technology and all the new features I mentioned earlier can help us navigate the world of driving safely but, we must also be attentive on the road and use our heads. Some days on the road, I see drivers weaving in and out of traffic without indicating, barreling through intersections with nary a thought to safety, and race each other into oblivion as if their vehicles are invincible. One way to sober up from feeling like a misguided king of the road is to take a DD class, learn safe driving measures, and watch their educational videos that show the horrific reminders of what cars can do when drivers act recklessly. So drive safely by learning all you can about car safety technology and by keeping the following common sense tips in mind:
♥ Drive safely within requisite speed limits
♥ Reduce speeds in poor weather conditions
♥ Make sure you and all passengers have seat-belts on
♥ Pay attention to the road, cars and surroundings
♥ Don’t drink, do drugs and drive – you need your wits (calmness/logic)
♥ Don’t text or chat on cell phones while driving
♥ Make sure car and tires are checked
♥ Stay focused, calm and confident on the road
♥ Make sure you have had enough sleep before driving
♥ Pull off the road when necessary and call immediately for assistance.
This post is sponsored by SheSavvy and The National Safety Council to promote “My Car Does What“
Positive Motivation Tip: Road safety technology and common sense can save lives; stay vigilant.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos : via The National Safety Council and “My Car Does What” Old cars via Pixabay
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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I’m very thankful for all the new vehicle technology. It makes me feel better about being on the road, especially when not everyone pays attention.
I zone out while I am driving all the time and then have NO idea how I got there. Crazy.
My 2+ year old car has many safety features, including a backup camera. But nowhere near our neighbor’s Acura, which has blind spot indicators and many things I’d like to have in our next car. Of course, it’s hard to keep up, there are new features every year. Still, even though we wanted to underbuy our next car, we may have to over-buy to get the safety features we want.
Such a taken for granted topic. It is good to have reminders every now and then. Driving is something so convenient yet so dangerous. only if we act responsibly, we can prevent so many unwanted situations!
I drive from Denver to Albuquerque frequently to visit my boyfriend, and I am so jealous of the technology in new vehicles. I drive a 2004 Toyota 4Runner, so I do feel safe in it, but I would love to upgrade.
Thank you for sharing this! There is a lot of great information here and a lot of good tips – even for experienced drivers! I hope this post goes viral!
The younger generation should really really seriously avoid texting/using their cellphones while driving. They should be aware of the danger they may place upon themselves and to others.
I’m going to be the first to admit that I have NO IDEA what are all the safety features my car has. I do know some of them and now I’m going to have to read my manual.
It is very important that an aspiring driver takes a driving class. I don’t want to be in an accident!
I am not a driver but your guideline is so helpful. I will share this to my father.
Very interesting.. I also wanna see what my car does wat for me.. hahaha~
Nice tips to be safe while driving on road. Ya many feel fatigue because of hot summer while driving.
Great post! Cars have so many new features to help keep us safe now!
It’s so important to take care of your car. Anything could happen and at those speeds It wouldn’t be good. Great post.
Very informative and worth refreshing our memory with
The technology is really innovating. It is still important to be aware and avoid some things to be safe on the road.
These are all great tips. Every driver can sure use a refresher like this before heading out on a trip – even if it is only a few blocks away. Thanks for sharing.
Having a co-driver is so important! I’ve driven tired enough times to never want to do it again.
This is great. I want my teen son to check this site out too
I am just now getting to the stage where I need to teach my youngest to drive. In today’s world with all that is available to keep them distracted, I worry. This was a great post to help me and him keep in mind what we need to be doing and looking for.
Great tips! Avoiding any kind of distraction while driving can save lots of lives too!
Nice new features on cars. I like the assist features and younger driver ones
Nowadays there are more deaths caused by car accidents that we really need to learn how to prevent those and drive safe thanks for sharing.
Wonderful driving tips. I think it’s important to be safe while on the road. I’m always very careful while driving. I don’t even like driving when it’s dark out either. I try to avoid that for many reasons.
No matter how advanced technolofy is wnow when it comes to driving, I still prefer not to drive.
This is great information. With all the technological advances in automobiles these days its a wonder there are any accidents at all. A friend of mine has the rear view camera and the first time I saw it as a passenger in the care I was amazed.
Great tips and reminders! I’ll be taking a road trip in a few weeks and will keep these in mind!
It is amazing the safety features that are on cars these days. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, especially with these self-driving cars that are being invented/tested!!
Useful drive safety tips. I always follow traffic rules and safety measure while driving. Thank you for sharing
I just bought a new car in November and was amazed at all the new safety features that it has!! So important to make sure you research all the different features of the car.
It’s so important to talk about driving safety – and road safety too. Thees days I am scared on the road, so many distractions others have in their cars.
I love all the latest safety equipment on today’s cars. It’s going to continue to improve too. I he a few safety must haves on my next car purchase.
I wish people were more safe. I saw a wreck happen earlier this week! So scary!
Great post and great tips! Thank you so much for sharing! Everyone should read this.
It’s important to make sure a safety first especially when you have a passenger
Safe driving is a must to all motorists around the world. It’s really an attitude to remember this important information on safe driving wherever you go. Unfortunately, accidents happened in the past but with this new technology drivers will pay careful attention.
These are great tips!!! This is such important info to remember!
These are all wonderful tips for safe driving. Thanks for the reminders.
It’s amazing what cars do nowadays. I love the TPMS for my car. It lets me know when I need to air up.
Really great advices, I wish everyone behind a steering wheel could read this
I like your common sense reminders. All drivers should follow these to prevent injuries.
I heard a lot of new technology built for cars. I am so glad that you can feel safe because of these technologies.
Oh gosh! Like most people, I haven’t read my car manual yet. I thought knowing how to drive is already enough. Thanks for sharing this!
I’ve never heard of this before! I wish we had something like this in the Philippines! 😀
A responsible driver must know the safety tips on driving. He/She is more responsible in handling all of these.
It’s nice that there are explanations for the new safety features. I think so many times we don’t even know what good things we’re driving around with!!! Def. want to keep the family as safe as possible when on the road.
WOW! This site is so full of great safety tips 🙂 I get so sleepy when I’m driving, but make myself pull over so it’s not dangerous for me to drive.
This article surely helps me out on my 1:35 hours drive to a free way, my very first time to drive because I have no choice but to build up my courage to bring my nephew to his Biometrics in the immigration office.
Driving safely is really important. It keeps you and your passenger safe. It’s always better to drive defensively and be patient on the road. Also, avoid driving when fatigued or under the influence.
These are great tips. I am always looking for better ways to stay safe while on the road.
It is very important to always stay safe especially with driving. I hate hearing road accidents.
This is a good campaign and how I wish we have this here in our country, especially in our province. Some drivers are not educated on rules, safety and security. Some would obey traffic rules in the city, where there are enforcers, but once they get out of it, they no longer follow the rules.
This is a great subject. Just yesterday I read about college students suffering from fatigue while driving. The defensive classes are very important, yet no one talks about this. It could prevent serious car accidents and save lives. Thank you for writing about this,
Road safety is very important. Especially no drunk driving.
We drive to and from work everyday, sometimes we fail to realize how risky that activity is. We really have to be more proactive to make our driving and our cars safe.
I have two teen drivers, so road safety is a concern for me. So glad that there is more technology to help make driving safer.
These are great driving tips on road safety and the features cars have now. Rear Cross Traffic Alert is something that is new to me but I like this feature. Thanks for sharing the tips.
I am definitely a much more cautious driver now that my son is in the back! I can’t say the same for everyone else though!
This is brilliant! God thing that campaigns like this has been created. It could really save times, lives, and even effort. I hope many would know about this.
I love seeing safe driving programs around Prom and graduation time. Great cause and idea,
This is the best way to encourage safe driving. Safety First!
What an informative post! I really wish our car would have back-up cameras and blind-spot monitors. I don’t like driving much, but all these extras the new cars have would make driving much safer.
Love your tips! They are all so valuable and important!
What a worthwhile read! We don’t have a car yet, but if hubby decides to buy one, I’ll make sure he reads this post to be well-informed about car/road safety. Thanks!
The Org is definitely doing such a noble job. It is necessary to know your own car. It is better to be safe always.
Driving safety is so important. Especially on long trips. You have to make sure you are well rested and focused.
Impressive post. I would also add one more point – learn basics of car mechanics. If a car breaks down or just gets a flat tire in the middle of nowhere it helps to know atleast the basics!
I’m still not learning how to drive yet. I think one day I will do so when I have the time…
Blown tires are actually one of my fears when driving in a car. The thought of losing control and possibly getting into an accident is very scary.
I like everything I’ve read so far. Nothing wrong with technology, I hope everything gets better and this post is a good example of how we should all be aware of the new features. But even then, discipline and basic road knowledge is what will really save us.
I believe that these kind of programs are much needed in the Philippines – strict driving classes, orientation and continuous programs.
My son will be eligible to get his permit in three years. Teaching him driving safety is so important to me as a parent.
It pays to know these tips and be knowledgeable of do’s and dont’s
All excellent tips for road safety. Wish everyone would follow these tips more.
Such a thorough and informative post, I have learned a lot from perusing it!
These are great. With 3 boys-2 that drive they need this information so I always text links to articles like this to them and hope they read it 🙂
I agree safety & security is the key & a campaign like MyCarDoesWhat is a great initiative in educating drivers on new vehicle safety technologies. I think with technology in advance, we have so much great features these days to make sure safety concerns are addressed.
Protecting your kids is every mom number 1 priority!
This is very helpful for those who started to drive whether if its a road trip or just for someone who wants to know more cautions
Great post! I love the safety features of my car (which is 3 years old). But sometimes I wonder if they quit working, will I remember how to drive “old-fashioned” or not LOL)
I think everyone could read and learn from these tips. I think that driving and road safety is something you will never fully learn, because you can learn things daily about driving that you didn’t know before.
These are great ideas. We drive older cars and of course have to watch out and be wide awake for anything to happen. My Mom just bought a new car and she went to the dealership for 2 days while they explained all the features including the safety features. Plus she just took a defensive driving class as she is getting older and wants to be safe and she was surprised as she did learn a lot in the class.
I encourage everyone to do what your mom did… very smart!
I honestly had no idea there were so many ways to make our driving so much safer for everyone and ourselves. Those features are very very helpful to help keep our cars in tiptop shape as well.
That is why the information is being shared; the more we know, the better
Amazing safety features. Those tips are essential to keep in mind ALWAYS. Thanks for sharing this great post.
They are essential and help drivers a lot.
Great driving tips. Everyone needs reminders because sometime we forget. Thank you 🙂
We do forget and that is why safe driving technology is a great help.