Drunk Driving, Drugged driving, Drowsy driving & Night Driving.

Getting into a car accident can lead to several unwanted consequences, including permanent injuries, loss of earnings, etc. And the reasons that cause accidents usually were the common reasons that can be avoided easily. The reasons I am talking about here are drunk driving, drugged driving, drowsy driving and night driving. 

1. DRUNK DRIVING

The first reason I'm talking about that cause accident is drunk driving. Duh, who can guarantee that they can drive steadily and safe after they drink? It should be a common sense that no driving after drinking right. It is the top causes that can be avoided. But still, people still doing it even though they knew it.  When you drink, you lose the ability to focus and function properly and its very dangerous when operating a vehicle. Drinking impairs your senses (vision and hearing) and results in decreased muscle coordination and slower reaction times — not a good combination for driving a car.  There are many ways that you can prevent drunk driving accidents.  For instance, something as simple as assign someone who's not drinking to be the driver. By putting a sober person behind the wheel, everyone can feel free to have a good time at the bar without putting anyone’s life at risk on the road.

http://straightupvc.org/blog/?p=1805

Not everyone who gets hit by a drunk driver dies...

So...DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.

http://www.insurancehero.ca/changes-to-drinking-and-driving-laws-in-ontario/

2. DRUGGED DRIVING

Move to the next, the second reason that causes accident is drugged driving. It’s not only alcohol that is dangerous when mixed with drivers on the road. Drugs, both legal and illegal, definitely can impair your ability to fully function as a driver. You will not be able to have a clear mind and complete control over your body. How are you going to drive safe in a condition like this? Think.

One common misconception is that drugged driving is limited only to illegal drugs.  The fact of the matter is that drugs legally prescribed (such as medicine) to a person can also alter perceptions, induce drowsiness or sleepiness and produce other negative side effects that are detrimental to safe driving.  Many bottles/medicine actually contain warning labels that warn users against driving for a specific period of time after usage to curb the number of drugged drivers on the road. You should take note about this.

http://highwaytosafety.com/teen-drugged-driving-rising-concern/

3. DROWSY DRIVING

http://www.volpe.dot.gov/news/drowsy-driving-what-experts-are-saying

The third reason that causes accidents is drowsy driving -- driver drive when they’re having trouble staying awake. Most of the car accidents caused by drowsy driving occur at night. Here are some tips for sleepy drivers, for it may save tens of thousands of lives every year :)

1. Get enough sleep the night before. Without seven to eight hours of sleep the night before a long car trip, a motorist is just waiting for fatigue to cause a car accident.

2. Try not to start a trip late in the day. It is best to start about an hour after waking up and getting prepared.  This is the period of time when both your mind and your body are most alert.

3. If possible, carpool. Try not to ride alone because passengers can take turns driving and serve as conversation partners to keep you alert and awake.  

4. Keep the automobile’s environment stimulating. Turn the car’s temperature down and make it cold if necessary.  Also, turn the automobile’s radio volume up, switching stations frequently and avoiding soft, slow music.  

5. Take breaks or switch car drivers at least every two hours. Stop at a gas station, rest stop or a fast food restaurant.  Get out, stretch and walk around.  Exercise fights fatigue.  Also, stop for light meals and snacks.  Eating too much could make you drowsy, but not eating would drain your energy.

6. If all else fails, stop driving and pull over! Sleep it off.  It is better to be late than get in a terrible wrongful death car accident.

4. NIGHT DRIVING

Driving in the daylight and driving in the night are totally different. The daylight enable you to look clearly on the road but accidents are still happening so driving at night eventually doubles the risk of a car accident occurring. Therefore, as the sun goes down, your awareness of the road and cars around you must go up.

Night Driving Safety Tips :)

1.  Allow for enough distance to stop. Make sure that, if and when you must brake hard, that you can brake within those distances.

2.  Keep your dashboard lights at a safe low setting. Since the contrast between bright and dark will impede your vision, limiting the brightness in your car should help you see at night and avoid car accidents.

3.  Keep your windshield and windows clean. Limiting the glare from other headlights is very important.  A dirty windshield will not help in this regard.

4.  Limit distractions. Since your vision will not be as good as it is during the day, your reaction times will also be slower than normal.  This is why you should focus your attention on the road even more than you would other times.

Here is just only parts of the causes of accidents, so stay tuned for more that going to be share on the next post! Hope that the driving safety tips for road accident prevention in this post help you in your journey in the future :) 
Lastly,
Promise me.
Be Careful, Be Home.

Teh Ming Hui (14WHR10324)

Publicity Leader/Media Team

'Promise Me' Road Safety Campaign

Bachelor of Public Relations (Honours)

Faculty of Social Science, Arts and Humanities

Tunku Abdul Rahman University College