Your Driving, the Road,
and Your Vehicle
Whenever we drive, we are taking on an
important responsibility. This is true for any motor
vehicle — passenger car, van, truck, sport utility.
Driver behavior, the driving environment, and the
vehicle’s design all affect how well a vehicle performs.
But statistics show that the most important factor,
by far, is how we drive.
Knowing how these three factors work together can
help you understand how your vehicle handles and what
you can do to avoid many types of crashes, including
a rollover crash.
Driver Behavior
The single most important thing is this: everyone in the
vehicle, including the driver, should buckle up. See Safety
Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-22. In fact, most
serious injuries and fatalities to unbelted occupants
can be reduced or prevented by the use of safety belts.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
In addition, avoiding excessive speed, sudden or abrupt
turns, and drunken or aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility of a crash, especially
a rollover crash. This section provides many useful tips to
help you drive more safely.
Driving Environment
You can also help avoid a rollover or other type of crash
by being prepared for driving in inclement weather, at
night, or during other times where visibility or traction
may be limited, such as on curves, slippery roads,
or hilly terrain. Unfamiliar surroundings can also have
hidden hazards.
To help you learn more about driving in different
conditions, this section contains information about city,
freeway, and off-road driving, as well as other hints
for driving in various weather conditions.
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