Q. How can I prevent being involved in a serious automobile accident?

A. To improve your odds of survival, drive defensively, obey highway signs, wear your seatbelt, and if you’re planning to purchase a new auto, look for one with the new safety features. If you have a cell phone, pull off the road when using it; cell phone-related accidents are increasing. A 1997 article in the New England Journal
of Medicine linked use of cell phones to a quadrupled risk of collision. On the bright side, when an accident occurs, cell phones help save lives when callers are able to summon emergency vehicles immediately.

Q. Why should I wear a safety belt if my car has air bags?
A. Air bags cushion heads and faces but will not stop you from being thrown from the car! Wear your seat belt.

Q. What should I do if the light turns red and catches my car in the middle of an intersection?
A. Stay put until you can move safely. If you back up, you may hit a pedestrian; if you move forward, you may hit a car coming through the green light.

Q. When is the most dangerous time to drive?
A. More than 18% of all fatal accidents occur on Saturdays. Most serious accidents occur between 8pm and midnight Fridays, and midnight and 4am Saturdays.

Q. Which contributes to more accidents, alcohol or speeding?
A. Alcohol: 38.6; speeding 30%.

Q. What is the maximum number of miles you should drive in a day?
A. 350 miles, under best conditions.