Using the road

With statistics showing that twenty percent of new drivers are involved in a crash during their first year of driving, you need to take whatever action you can to prevent this from happening to you. 

• Avoid driving at night when you would usually be asleep – between midnight and 6am is high risk for new drivers.
• If you are driving with passengers, you are responsible for their safety. Don’t let them distract you or encourage you to take risks.
• Never show off or try to compete with other drivers.
• Don’t drive if you have consumed drink or drugs, prescribed or otherwise. 
• Make sure that everyone in your car is wearing a seat belt – airbags are designed to work with seat belts, travel without a belt on and your airbag could kill you or cause serious injuries. A back seat passenger who isn’t wearing a belt could be thrown forwards into the seat in front and could kill the driver or front seat passenger.
• If you’re a passenger in a car does the driver scare you? You have a right to travel safely in a car, if somebody is abusing that right, speak up or get out before it’s too late.
• Keep your speed down. Many crashes happen as a result of the driver losing control, particularly on bends.
• Make sure you are insured to drive.