Safe Driving: Distracted Driving, Passenger Safety Tips, & State Laws

Atlas. SAFE DRIVING DISTRACTED DRIVING, PASSENGER SAFETY TIPS &STATE LAWS GUIDE TO TEXTING, CELL PHONE USE, CHILD RESTRAINTS AND SEAT BELT SAFETY Moving is a big change. Atlas Van Lines is in the business of helping people make big changes. Moving from one state to another adds a few extra details you need to consider – in particular, the differences in driving laws from state to state. Some of the state driving laws on distracted driving and passenger safety are summarized below, along with important highway safety pointers. DISTRACTED DRIVING TEXTING 40* STATES E D.C. Prohibit any form of texting while driving. *No state law in HI, but texting banned in all counties. 5 STATES Ban texting by age of driver or type of license/permit: MS, MO, NM, OK, TX 5 STATES Have no state laws in place banning texting (city or county bans in place in some locations): AZ, FL, MT, SC, SD WHAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) SAYS ABOUT TEXTING WHILE DRIVING • Any distraction is unsafe, but texting involves all three types of distractions (visual, manual, and cognitive), making it the most dangerous. • Educating Americans about the dangers of distracted driving is the best way to end it. TEXTING TAKES THE DRIVER'S FOCUS off the road for an average of 4.6 SECONDS - that's enough time to travel the length of a FOOTBALL FIELD at 55 MPH. 50 YOU ARE 23 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be in a CRASH if you are DRIVING WHILE TEXTING, than if you are driving undistracted. 12* STATES E D.C. Ban all use of handheld cell phones: CA, CT, DE, FL, HI, MD, NV, NJ, NY, OR, WA, WV *No state law in HI, but handheld cell phone use banned in all counties. CELL PHONES/ WIRELESS DEVICES 32 STATES E D.C. Ban use of wireless devices by age of driver or type of license/permit. 4 STATES Ban handheld cell use by age of driver or type of license/permit: AL, AR, LA, OK 4 STATES Have no cell phone/wireless device state laws in place: AZ, MT, SC, SD 8 STATES Have no cell phone/wireless device state laws in place, other than for texting (city or county bans in place in some locations): AK, ID, MS, MÓ, NH, PA, UT, WY WHAT THE NHTSA SAYS ABOUT CELL PHONE & WIRELESS DEVICE USE WHILE DRIVING • Headset/hands-free cell phone use is only slightly less distracting than handheld use. It's the conversation that distracts the driver, not the device. • Many drivers assume these statistics don't apply to them and make the mistake of using cell phones or wireless devices while driving. A DRIVER IS 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY to get injured in a crash if they use handheld devices. USE OF A CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING delays a driver's reaction as much as having a BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION OF 0.08%. BRAIN ACTIVITY DESIGNATED TO driving is REDUCED BY 37% while using a cell phone. PASSENGER SAFETY CHILD 13 STATES Require children 1 year old, and/or under 20 lbs. to ride in a rear facing safety seat. ALL STATES Require children to be in a child restraint. RESTRAINTS 13 STATES Have specific laws in place regarding the use of booster seats based on age, weight, and/or height. THE NHTSA RECOMMENDS • Selecting a car seat based on the child's age and size. • Using the specific car seat manufacturer's instructions and the vehicle owner's manual for correct use and installation of the car seat. Children ride in the back seat through at least the age of 12. 3 OUT OF 4 CHILD RESTRAINTS are not used properly. They are INSTALLED INCORRECTLY or are the WRONG TYPE of seat for the child based on weight, age, and size. SERIOUS AND FATAL INJURIES ARE reduced by MORE THAN HALF when children are placed in booster/car seats that are appropriate for their age and size. THE USE OF BOOSTER SEATS for children lowers the risk of CRASH-RELATED INJURIES by 59% compared to children in SEAT BELTS. SEAT BELTS 26 STATES & D.C. Require all vehicle passengers wear seat belts. 23 STATES E D.C. Require the use of seat belts for only vehicle passengers in the front seat. NH allows anyone over 18 years old to ride without seat belts. WHAT THE NHTSA SAYS ABOUT BUCKLING UP • The most effective way to protect yourself from a crash is to fasten your seat belt. • Make sure the seat belt is a good fit for you. Use seat belt adjusters/ extenders if necessary, and see if safer lap/shoulder belts can be added to older vehicles. • Buckle up correctly and safely - the lap belt should be across the pelvis and the shoulder belt should be across the rib cage. THE RISK OF CRASH-RELATED INJURIES is reduced by 50% when wearing a seat belt. MORE THAN 75,000 LIVES were saved between the years of 2004 E 2008 because of seat belt use. AN AVERAGE OF 88% OF AMERICANS USE A SEAT BELT. LOOK OUT FOR STRANGE DRIVING LAWS While the above are some of the most pertinent laws to know when moving to a new state, there are some obscure activities that you just wouldn't want to try in these states... OREGON May be Ticketed for Leaving Car Door Open Longer Than Deemed Necessary NORTH ALABAMA CAROLINA Illegal to Play in Traffic No Driving While Blindfolded WEST VIRGINIA It is Legal for Anyone to Scavenge Road Kin NEW JERSEY You are Required to Honk Before TENNESSEE It is llegal to Drive While Sleeping OREGON Must Yield to Pedestrians While Driving on Sidewalk ALASKA Illegal to Tether a Dog to the Roof of a Car Passing ARKANSAS After 9pm, llegal to Blare Horn Where Cold Beverages or Sandwiches are Served CONNECTICUT Hunting From a Car is Illegal Unless Whale Hunting Sources: This infographic brought to you by A Atlas nsc.org | distraction.gov nhtsa.gov | safercar.gov | dmv.org trafficsafetymarketing.gov ATLASVANLINES.COM TM & © 2012 AWGI LLC