**Safety Tips for Car Drivers**

 Provided by The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration

When driving on the highway you are at a serious disadvantage if
involved in a crash with a larger vehicle. In crashes involving large
trucks, the occupants of a car, usually the driver, sustain 78 percent
of fatalities. In order to keep you and your family safe when driving
around large trucks and buses, you should be extra cautious. Sharing the
road with larger vehicles can be dangerous if you are not aware of their
limitations. Here are a few tips to help you drive safer to prevent an
accident and minimize injuries and fatalities if one does occur.

**CUTTING IN FRONT CAN CUT YOUR LIFE SHORT**

If you cut in front of another vehicle, you may create an
emergency-braking situation for the vehicles around you, especially in
heavy traffic. Trucks and buses take much longer to stop in comparison
to cars. If you force a larger vehicle to stop quickly this could cause
a serious, even fatal accident. When passing, look for the front of the
truck in your rear-view mirror before pulling in front and avoid braking
situations!

**BUCKLE YOUR BELTS**

Always buckle your seat belt. Seat belts are your best protection in
case of a crash, especially if you get into an accident with a large
vehicle such as a truck. Trucks require a greater stopping distance and
can seriously hurt you if your car is struck from behind. However, your
seat belt will keep you from striking the steering wheel or windshield,
being thrown around, and from being ejected from the car. Wearing a seat
belt is the single most important thing you can do to save your life,
especially in a crash with a large truck.

**WATCH YOUR BLIND SPOTS - THE \"NO-ZONES\"**

Large trucks have blind spots, or No-Zones, around the front, back and
sides of the truck. Watch out! A truck could even turn into you, because
these No-Zones make it difficult for the driver to see. So, don\'t hang
out in the No-Zones, and remember, if you can\'t see the truck driver in
the truck\'s mirror, the truck driver can\'t see you.

**INATTENTIVE DRIVERS**

Inattentive drivers do not pay attention to driving or what is going on
around them. They can be just as dangerous as aggressive drivers when
they drive slowly in the passing lane, ignore trucks brake lights or
signals, and create an emergency-braking situation. They also create
dangerous situations when they attempt to do other things while driving,
such as using cell phones. When you are driving, please focus only on
the road. If you need to attend to another matter while driving, safely
pull over in a parking lot or rest stop.

**AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS**

Aggressive drivers can be dangerous drivers. They put themselves and
others at risk with their unsafe driving. Speeding, running red lights
and stop signs, pulling in front of trucks too quickly when passing, and
making frequent lane changes, especially in the blind spots of trucks,
can create dangerous and potentially fatal situations on the road. These
situations can lead to road rage not only for the aggressive driver, but
also for others sharing the road.

**AVOID SQUEEZE PLAY**

Be careful of trucks making wide right turns. If you try to get in
between the truck and the curb, you\'ll be caught in a \"squeeze\" and
can suffer a serious accident. Truck drivers sometimes need to swing
wide to the left in order to safely negotiate a right turn especially in
urban areas. They can\'t see cars directly behind or beside them.
Cutting in between the truck and the curb increases the possibility of a
crash. So pay attention to truck signals, and give them lots of room to
maneuver.

**NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE**

Drinking and driving don\'t mix. Alcohol affects a person\'s ability to
make crucial driving decisions, such as braking, steering, or changing
lanes. Remember, you are not the only one in danger when you decide to
drink and then drive. You are sharing the road with everyone including
large vehicles and your chances of getting into an accident are greatly
increased. If you get into an accident with a truck, you\'re out of
luck. The odds of surviving a serious accident with a large truck are
too low. However, if you do live through it without serious injury,
think of your higher insurance rates, your large legal fees, and other
social and professional setbacks it will cause you. So think before you
drink.