Chapter 14

  1. Be Smart, Be Safe

317. Six Things You Should Never Do in Your Car


Driving takes total concentration. If you try to text message, talk on a cell phone, and do other things while driving, you risk having an accident.

  1. •Adjust your child’s safety belt before, not after, you start driving.

  2. •Don’t peer into the rearview mirror to comb your hair or touch up your makeup.

  3. •Don’t drive with one hand holding the wheel and the other holding a hamburger. If you’re hungry, stop and eat.

  4. •If a bee or flying insect distracts you or your passengers, pull off the road and get rid of it. Don’t swat at the bug while maneuvering through traffic.

  5. •Don’t try to drive and read a road map at the same time. If you’re lost or need to get your bearings, pull off the road and look at a map, or have a passenger help you follow directions. Use a global positioning system (GPS), if you have one.

  6. •If your children start to misbehave, don’t turn around to discipline them. Pull off the road and settle the problem, and teach your children how dangerous it is to misbehave in a car.


Note: You should always wear a safety belt, use approved child safety seats, and heed the warning for air bags given by your car manufacturer. Doing so can make the difference between surviving a car crash intact or not surviving at all, between walking away with just a scratch or never walking again.