Did you know...

Most crashes happen in about 3 seconds – not a lot of time to recognize and avoid a driving hazard. A car braking quickly in front of you, a child on a bike crossing your path, a truck spraying your windshield with rainwater or slush – they’re all unexpected and potentially dangerous…or even deadly. Experts have figured out what is going on in the mind of an experienced driver who has just identified a potential hazard. Broken down, it goes like this: The driver sees a hazard, identifies it as dangerous, scans his memory to figure out what to do about it, makes a decision to take an action, and then acts to avoid the hazard. All this has to happen in about 3 seconds. So if you are distracted by your phone or friends or are speeding, you might start this crash avoidance sequence too late. If you’ve never had experience with this type of situation, it might take you even longer to figure out what to do. -Source

Talking or texting on a cell phone while driving is NEVER okay, even with a hands-free device. According to studies conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), crash risk is four times higher when a driver uses a cell phone, whether or not it’s hands-free. The danger is not from the typing or talking. The distracting conversation or messaging takes your mind off the task of driving. -Source

Limiting the number of peer passengers during the first year of independent driving has been found to greatly reduce crash risk. Studies show that just one teen passenger doubles the risk a teen driver will get into a fatal crash; three or more quadruples the risk. Peer passengers can be a major distraction, and anything that takes your focus off the road is dangerous. - Source