Safe drivers

Think Before You Drive is a global road safety initiative of the FIA Foundation, Bridgestone Corporation and motoring clubs worldwide.

Your guide to the life saving advice of Think Before You Drive is a road safety expert; a crash test test dummy family whose job is to experience the car crashes we hope you never have.

• Never travel with a child on your lap or in your arms. In a crash at 60km/h, your child's weight effectively increases by up to 30 times, making the child impossible to hold.
• Never place a rear-facing seat on a front passenger seat equipped with an airbag.
• Child seats save lives.
• Use a suitable restraint for the size and weight of your child.
• 90% of injuries could be avoided if child restraints are used correctly - follow fitting instructions carefully.

• Without a seat belt you will hit the windscreen, dashboard and steering wheel in a crash.
• Unrestrained car occupants place themselves at severe risk of injury or death in a crash.
• Seat belts save lives. Always ensure your passengers are belted up.
• You are 18 times more likely to be killed in a road crash if you're not wearing a seatbelt.
• Buckle up for every trip, however short.

• Whiplash injuries are the most common type of injury to car occupants.
• Whiplash injuries can be very painful and sometimes result in symptoms lasting years after a crash.
• Even mild symptoms, headaches, muscle stiffness and dizziness, can last for months.
• To help prevent whiplash injuries you should always adjust your head restraint when you get into the car.
• To be effective, a head restraint must be as close to the back of your head as possible and the top of the restraint should be level with the top of the head or at least no lower than eye level.
• Different makes and models of car offer varying levels of head restraint protection.

• Worn tyres cause reduced performance. It takes longer to brake on a wet road surface when tyres are worn, and there is more risk of skidding.
• Under inflated tyres reduce your control of the vehicle, increase braking distances and wear out your tyres more rapidly.
• Over-inflated tyres reduce grip, reduce stability in braking and lead to poor handling.
• You should inspect your tyres at least once a month. The correct pressure information can usually be found on the edge of the driver's side door.
• Check your tyres for signs of damage or cracks. Even a small tear should be checked by a tyre technician.
• All tyres have tread wear indicators. These indicators appear in the main grooves when the tread has worn down to 1.5mm, showing the tyre needs to be replaced.

• Drinking and driving kills.
• Do not drink if you plan to drive.
• Never get into a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking.
• Alcohol leads to slower reaction times, difficulty in gauging speed and distance, drowsiness and loss of concentration.
• Late night drinkers may still be over the limit the following morning.

• Driving under the influence of drugs can kill.
• Many medicinal drugs cause drowsiness or other side effects. Always read the medical advice on the bottle or packet, or consult your doctor, before driving.
• Other side effects from medicinal drugs include loss of concentration, slower reaction times, difficulty in gauging distance and speed.
• Anaesthetic from day surgery can also affect driving. Always arrange to be collected from hospital.
• Drugs such as cannabis, heroin, ecstasy and cocaine also seriously affect driving.

• Talking on a mobile phone while driving is dangerous.
• Using a mobile phone while driving can affect your ability to gauge distances, keep lane discipline and keep to an appropriate speed.
• If possible, switch off your mobile phone while driving.
• Only use a hands free mobile phone if you must receive calls while driving. Keep conversations short, never argue and pull over and stop the car if possible.
• Never compose or read text messages when driving.

• Excessive speed is a major cause of road crashes. Do not exceed the legal speed limit.
• Adjust your speed to suit the road, traffic and weather conditions.
• Driving too close to the car in front, even below the speed limit, is dangerous.
• Always drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear.
• Reduce your speed when sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists, particularly children, and motorcyclists.