July 4 Safety Tips
July Fourth celebrations unfortunately coincide with a rise in traffic accidents and deaths. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that July 4 was the deadliest day on U.S. roads from 2006-2010 with over 700 people dying in motor vehicle crashes on those five days. Follow these safety tips and arrive alive:
- Avoid busy roads, if possible.
- Watch out for drunken or otherwise impaired drivers.
- If you are drinking, designate a driver.
- If you don’t have a designated driver, don’t drive, period. Call a cab. Call AAA’s Tow to Go Program at 800 AAA HELP to have your car towed to your home for free.
- Don’t drive distracted by smart phones, navigation systems, etc.
- Practice defensive driving.
- Don’t follow too closely.
- Get off the road to watch fireworks. Don’t stop alongside a street or highway to watch the fireworks displays because you are creating a hazard.
Use common sense. Don’t take unnecessary risks and become another July 4 statistic. And have a Happy July 4th!
