Your Driving, the Road,
and Your Vehicle
Driving 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 1-12.
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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