Defensive driving describes the practice of anticipating dangerous situations despite adverse conditions or mistakes of others when operating a motor vehicle. It can be achieved by adhering to general guidelines such as keeping a safe distance between vehicles. Defensive driving reduces risks of collisions and improves road safety. While some research on the effectiveness of vehicle inspections is inconclusive, periodic inspections aim to improve vehicle condition and safety by identifying defects. Traffic signs provide important safety information to drivers and pedestrians through consistent placement and design worldwide. Driving in adverse weather requires increased caution due to reduced visibility and traction.

1. SAFE DRIVING
PROTECTING YOURSELF BEHIND THE WHEEL
• DRIVING A CAR CAN GIVE YOU FREEDOM. BUT IT’S ALSO ONE OF
RISKIEST THINGS YOU DO EVERY DAY.
• SPEEDING, NOT PAYING FULL ATTENTION TO THE ROAD, AND
DRIVING WHILE TIRED ALL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF A CRASH.
DRINKING OR USING DRUGS CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS
• WITH CELL PHONES AND SCREENS EVERYWHERE, DISTRACTED
DRIVING HAS BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM.
• YOUNGER DRIVERS AREN’T THE ONLY GROUP AT GREATER RISK OF
CRASHES. AS YOU AGE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES CAN
MAKE DRIVING MORE DANGEROUS.

2. DRIVING SAFETY TIPS
EYES SHOULD BE ON ROAD
• TRUCK DRIVERS EYES SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON ROADS. THEY SHOULD BE
ALREADY ALL THE TIME, AND DRIVERS SHOULD TRY TO LOOK AHEAD TO GIVE
SOME INDICATIONS OF SOMETHING MISS HAPPENING.
MAINTAIN SAFETY DISTANCE
• ALWAYS MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE FROM OTHER VEHICLES ON THE
ROADS. IT IS AN ESSENTIAL POINT WHILE WE TALK ABOUT TRUCK SAFETY.
• AS WE KNOW, A TRUCK IS A HEAVY AND LARGE VEHICLE, SO IT IS
DANGEROUS FOR A SMALL VEHICLE DRIVER TO DRIVE NEAR WITH CLOSE
DRIVING WITH OTHER VEHICLES.
CONTINUOUSLY CHECK MIRROR
• AT THE TIME OF TRUCK DRIVING, CHECK YOUR MIRROR CONTINUOUSLY.
THE AWARENESS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING AROUND IS ESSENTIAL THAT
WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ACCIDENTS.

3. EXAMINE WEATHER REPORT
• YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE AWARE OF THE OUTSIDE WEATHER WHILE DRIVING A
TRUCK.
• IS IT TOO HOT, COLD OR RAINY OUTSIDE? EXCESS OR ALL WEATHER
CONDITIONS MAY ALSO BECOME THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS SO, ALWAYS
AVOID DRIVING IN THAT CONDITION.
AVOID TRAFFICS
• TRAFFIC IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF EVERY ACCIDENT, AND TRUCKS ARE A
LARGE VEHICLE THAT COVERS EXTRA SPACE. SO, TRUCK DRIVERS SHOULD
ALWAYS AVOID TRAFFIC FOR THEIR SAFETY.
BE MORE CAREFUL AT NIGHT
• TRUCKS MOSTLY USED TO TRANSPORT GOODS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
AND, TO AVOID THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TRUCKS MAINLY DRIVE AT NIGHT. SOME
AREAS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIGHTING SO, ALWAYS BE CAREFUL AT NIGHT

4. BASIC FIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEFENSIVE
DRIVING
 AIM HIGH
• IT IS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING, AND IT REQUIRES YOU TO BE ALERT AND FOCUSED SO AS TO AVOID
COLLISIONS AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE REAR-END AND ALSO WARN THE OTHER DRIVERS OF THE IMPENDING TRAFFIC.
YOUR GAIT SHOULD BE HELD UP HIGH SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF THE ROAD.
 ANTICIPATE THE ACTION OF OTHER ROAD USERS
• DID YOU KNOW THAT DISTRACTED DRIVERS ARE EQUAL IF NOT WORSE THAN THE INTOXICATED ONES WHEN IT COMES TO
DEFENSIVE DRIVING? “YES/NO.” YOUR BIG PICTURE IS TO IDENTIFY THE ANGRY & ERRATIC DRIVERS AND ALWAYS BEING
AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. THE WHOLE PICTURE PRINCIPLE ENTAILS KEEPING YOUR VEHICLE SAFE FROM THE
SURROUNDING POTENTIAL DANGERS INCLUDING OTHER PEOPLE’S VEHICLE.
 KEEP YOUR EYES MOVING
• THIS SMITH’S SYSTEM PRINCIPLE OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING REQUIRES YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD CONSISTENTLY
AND IN ALERT MODE. SOME ENERGY DRINKS CAN HELP YOU DO JUST THAT, BUT THEY MAY CAUSE YOUR BODY TO CRASH
IF TAKEN CONSISTENTLY AND REGULARLY MAKING YOU DAYDREAM ON THE ROAD. ANOTHER RELIABLE WAY TO KEEP
YOUR EYES ALERT IS TO MOVE THEM CONSISTENTLY.
 LEAVE YOURSELF AN OUT
• THE FOURTH RULE OF THE SMITH SYSTEM OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING REQUIRES YOU TO AT LEAST LEAVE ONE WAY OUT FOR
YOURSELF. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ENSURE YOU ARE NOT BOXED BY OTHER DRIVERS WHILE THEY ARE SELECTING THEIR
LANES. DON’T FOLLOW OTHER CARS CLOSELY AND ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU ANTICIPATE WHAT THE OTHER DRIVERS
AROUND YOU ARE MAKING THEIR CHOICES.
 ENSURE THEY SEE YOU
• THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO WHILE DRIVING IS TO ASSUME THAT OTHER DRIVERS WILL DRIVE SAFELY, ARRIVE SAFELY,
THEY CAN SEE YOU OR THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS. THE FINAL PRINCIPLE OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING INVOLVES MAKING SURE

5. • DEFENSIVE DRIVING DESCRIBES THE PRACTICE OF ANTICIPATING
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, DESPITE ADVERSE CONDITIONS OR
THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS WHEN OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.
• IT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY ADHERING TO GENERAL GUIDELINES,
SUCH AS KEEPING A TWO- OR THREE-SECOND GAP BETWEEN
THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT TO ENSURE
ADEQUATE SPACE TO STOP.
• IT IS A FORM OF TRAINING FOR DRIVERS THAT GOES BEYOND
ROAD RULES AND THE BASIC MECHANICS OF DRIVING
TECHNIQUES. DEFENSIVE DRIVING REDUCES THE RISK OF
COLLISIONS AND IMPROVES ROAD SAFETY.
• A DRIVER SAFETY PROGRAM CALLED THE DRIVER EXAMPLE
PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN 1964 BY CHRIS IMHOFF OF THE
(US) NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL.
• THE PROGRAM INSTITUTED A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE (DDC).
DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSES, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTOR
DEVELOPMENT COURSES WERE OFFERED BEGINNING 1964 AND
1965, TYPICALLY THROUGH CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS.

6. MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VEHICLE INSPECTION
REGULATIONS
• THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S (NHTSA) GUIDELINE ON
STATE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAMS RECOMMENDS THAT STATES SHOULD
MAINTAIN A VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE CRASH OUTCOMES
FROM THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH EXISTING OR POTENTIAL CONDITIONS
• THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF PERIODIC
MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS ON ROAD CRASHES AND INJURIES, COMPARED TO LESS
EXPOSURE TO PERIODIC INSPECTIONS OR NO INSPECTIONS.
• DESPITE THE CONSENSUS THAT THESE PERIODIC INSPECTION PROGRAMS IMPROVE
VEHICLE CONDITION AND IMPROVE SAFETY, RESEARCH REMAINS INCONCLUSIVE ABOUT
THE EFFECT OF SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAMS ON CRASH OUTCOMES.
• ACCORDING TO THE 2011–2016 FATALITY ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM (FARS) DATA,
NEARLY 2.6% OF FATAL CRASHES HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE’S PRE-
EXISTING MANUFACTURING DEFECTS.
• NHTSA’S VEHICLE COMPLAINT DATABASE INCORPORATES MORE THAN 1.4 MILLION
COMPLAINT REPORTS.
• THIS STUDY USED THESE TWO DATABASES TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
VEHICLE INSPECTION REGULATION PROGRAMS IN DIFFERENT STATES. A STATISTICAL
SIGNIFICANCE TEST WAS PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAMS BASED ON THE STATES WITH AND WITHOUT

7. AWARENESS AND IMPORTANCE OF ROAD SIGNS
• TRAFFIC SIGNS PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION AND WARN OF POTENTIAL
DANGERS.
• THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF KEEPING DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS SAFE ON
THE ROAD.
• BEFORE TRAFFIC SIGNS CAN BE INSTALLED ON A ROAD, A MUNICIPALITY OR
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WILL HIRE AN ENGINEER TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO
DETERMINE WHETHER CERTAIN SIGNS ARE NECESSARY OR EVEN USEFUL IN A GIVEN
LOCATION. WHEN TRAFFIC SIGNS AREN’T PLACED CORRECTLY, THEY CAN ACTUALLY
CAUSE MORE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS INSTEAD OF PREVENTING THEM. IN ORDER TO
AVOID CONFUSION FOR DRIVERS OPERATING A VEHICLE IN UNFAMILIAR AREAS,
TRAFFIC SIGNS ARE KEPT FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN EVERY COUNTRY.
• THE MAIN PURPOSE OF TRAFFIC SIGNS IS TO HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND
PROTECT PEOPLE ON THE ROAD, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR TRAFFIC SIGNS
TO BE DISPLAYED PROMINENTLY IN ORDER TO COMMAND ATTENTION AND TO BE
PLACED IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES DRIVERS WITH ENOUGH TIME TO RESPOND TO THE
COMMAND THAT EACH SIGN IS GIVING.
• TRAFFIC SIGNS PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF INFORMATION, FROM SPEED LIMITS TO
INFORMATION ON WHERE AND WHEN TO TURN. FOLLOWING TRAFFIC SIGNS HELPS
ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE ON THE ROAD BY MINIMIZING THE RISK OF
DRIVERS RUNNING INTO OTHER VEHICLES, PEDESTRIANS, OR CYCLISTS.

8. EFFECT OF THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS LIKE LIGHT ,
WEATHER
• DRIVING IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS IS A VERY CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT
PROPOSITION, SO IT IS BETTER IF YOU CANCEL YOU TRIP UNLESS IT IS URGENT AND
SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU CANNOT AVOID.
• WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKE HEAVY RAIN, FOG, SNOWFALL MAY DECREASE VISIBILITY,
WHILE HIGH WINDS CAN PUSH THE VEHICLE TO TIP, ROLL OVER WHICH RESULTS IN
ACCIDENTS SOMETIMES, WHICH COULD EVEN PROVE FATAL.
• AS DRIVING UNDER SUCH EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS IS DANGEROUS AND
POTENTIALLY ACCIDENT PRONE IT BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DRIVER TO BE EXTRA
CAUTIONS AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JOURNEY IS SAFE.
• YOU MAY BE AN EXPERT DRIVER, BUT NOT ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROAD ARE AS EXPERT AS
YOU MAY BE, ALSO ADVERSE WEATHER CAN HAMPER YOUR DRIVING ABILITIES, SO
MAINTAIN CAUTION WHILE DRIVING UNDER ROUGH WEATHER. DO NOT APPLY BRAKES
ABRUPTLY AS IT MAY LEAD TO LOSE OF STEERING CONTROL, APPLY BRAKES CAUTIOUSLY.
• SPEEDS UNDER CONTROL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AVOID SPEED DRIVING UNDER ANY
CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY UNDER ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. SO WHEN DRIVING
UNDER EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS KEEP YOUR SPEED UNDER CONTROLLABLE LIMITS.
• IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU CANNOT DRIVE FOR THE LACK OF VISIBILITY OR TRACTION ON THE
ROAD, PULL OVER, STOP AT A HOTEL OR A BRIDGE, AND WAIT FOR THE BETTER
CONDITIONS.

9. STATISTICS OF ROAD ACCIDENTS
• COLLECTED FROM RECENT DATA RESULTED AS THE TRAFFIC VOLUME ON THE
CITY ROADS INCREASED IN 2021 DUE TO THE EASING OF MOBILITY
RESTRICTIONS AND OFFICES BEGINNING TO CALL BACK EMPLOYEES, ROAD
ACCIDENTS SAW A JUMP OF AROUND 10% YEAR-ON-YEAR. THE NUMBER OF
ROAD ACCIDENTS IN THE CITY ROSE FROM 796 IN 2020 TO 874 IN 2021,
ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL DATA.
• INDIA RECORDED 3,74,397 ACCIDENTAL DEATHS IN 2020 WITH ROAD
CRASHES CONSTITUTING OVER 35 PER CENT OF SUCH FATALITIES,
ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT DATA. THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
IN 2020 WAS, HOWEVER, LOWER THAN 2019 WHEN THE FIGURE STOOD AT
4,21,104, THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL CRIME RECORDS BUREAU
(NCRB) SHOWED.
• INDIA RECORDED 3,54,796 CASES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS DURING 2020 IN
WHICH 1,33,201 PEOPLE DIED AND 3,35,201 WERE INJURED, THE NCRB, WHICH
FUNCTIONS UNDER THE UNION MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, STATED.
• MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF THE ROAD ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED DUE TO
OVERSPEEDING, ACCOUNTING FOR 75,333 DEATHS AND 2,09,736 PERSONS
INJURED, THE REPORT STATED.

10. SAFE DRIVING: THE DO'S AND DON'TS
 THE DO’S
 DO ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT.
 DO KEEP CHILDREN IN TESTED AND APPROVED CAR SEATS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY BEG OR PLEAD TO GET OUT.
IF YOU NEED, TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS SO THAT LITTLE ONES CAN STRETCH THEIR LEGS.
 DO REVIEW THE OFFICIAL RULES OF THE ROAD FOR YOUR JURISDICTION PERIODICALLY, AND FOLLOW THEM ALWAYS.
 DO FOLLOW THE SPEED LIMITS.
 DO PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING, EVEN IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. A SURPRISING NUMBER OF
ACCIDENTS HAPPEN ONLY BLOCKS FROM HOME!
 DO BE COURTEOUS TOWARD OTHER DRIVERS.
 DO GIVE PEDESTRIANS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN CROSSWALKS.
 DO MAKE ROOM FOR BICYCLES.
 DO PAY FOR YOUR PARKING TICKETS OR TRAFFIC TICKETS ON TIME, UNLESS YOU PLAN TO CONTEST THEM.
 DO KEEP A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR CAR FOR BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. A GOOD SURVIVAL KIT SHOULD
CONTAIN A CELL PHONE, MATCHES, FLARES, A WORKING FLASHLIGHT, FOOD, WATER, AND BLANKETS.
 DO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SPARE TIRE IS IN YOUR CAR AND THAT YOU HAVE A WORKING JACK.
 DO MAKE TIME FOR ROUTINE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON YOUR CAR. BREAKDOWNS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND
COSTLY.
 DO PLAN YOUR ROUTE OUT IN ADVANCE FOR LONG CAR TRIPS AND KEEP A MAP OR ATLAS IN THE CAR IN CASE YOU

11.  THE DON’TS (X)
× DON'T DRINK ALCOHOL AND DRIVE, AND DON'T GET IN A CAR WITH A DRIVER WHO HAS BEEN DRINKING OR USING
DRUGS.
× DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT OTHER DRIVERS ARE GOING TO DO. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS THEIR TURN
SIGNAL ON DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN. THEY MAY BE LIKE THE REST OF US, AND HAVE
FORGOTTEN THAT IT IS ON!
× DON'T ASSUME THAT OTHER CARS KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, EITHER. MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE YOUR TURN
SIGNALS AND GIVE YOURSELF, AND THE CARS AROUND YOU, PLENTY OF ROOM TO MANEUVER.
× DON'T TAILGATE OTHER CARS, PASS ON SHOULDERS, FAIL TO YIELD, RUN STOPLIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS (EVEN IF NO ONE
ELSE SEEMS TO BE AROUND), OR BREAK ANY OTHER RULES OF THE ROAD ON PURPOSE. IF YOU ACT LIKE YOU ARE ABOVE
THE LAW WHEN YOU OPERATE A CAR, YOU WILL SOONER, RATHER THAN LATER, FIND OUT THAT YOU ARE NOT.
× DON'T PLAY YOUR CAR STEREO SO LOUDLY THAT YOU ARE DISRUPTIVE TO OTHERS, OR SO LOUDLY THAT YOU ARE
UNABLE TO HEAR TRAIN SIGNALS OR EMERGENCY VEHICLE SIRENS.
× DON'T TALK ON YOUR CELL PHONE AND DRIVE AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU NEED TO MAKE OR ANSWER A TELEPHONE
CALL WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, PULL OVER AT A SAFE PLACE, USE THE PHONE, AND THEN RESUME YOUR JOURNEY.
× DON'T ENGAGE IN OTHER ACTIVITIES, WHILE DRIVING, THAT DISTRACT YOUR ATTENTION OR REDUCE YOUR REACTION
TIME. EATING, CHANGING CLOTHES, OR PUTTING ON MAKEUP WHILE DRIVING IS DANGEROUS. IN SOME STATES, IF YOU
ARE CAUGHT DOING THESE THINGS WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN BE CITED FOR "DRIVER INATTENTION" AND GIVEN A
TICKET.
× DON'T TREAT A CAR LIKE IT IS A TOY. IT IS NOT. DON'T USE YOUR CAR TO PLAY CHICKEN, RACE, OR GIVE ANOTHER CAR
A FRIENDLY "TAP."
× DON'T LET YOUR EMOTIONS AND FRUSTRATIONS GET THE BEST OF YOU. DON'T ENGAGE IN ROAD RAGE, NO MATTER

12. TRANSPORT EMERGENCY CARD (TREM CARD)
• WHAT DOES TRANSPORT EMERGENCY CARD (TREM CARD) MEAN?
TRANSPORT EMERGENCY CARDS (TREM CARDS) ARE CARDS THAT
WORKERS CARRY AT ALL TIMES WHEN THEIR WORK INVOLVES
TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS WASTES.
• THESE CARDS ARE PROVIDED BY THE OCCUPIER OR OPERATOR OF
A FACILITY AND MUST BE KEPT IN THE CAB OF ANY VEHICLE
TRANSPORTING DANGEROUS GOODS, UNLESS THEY ARE IN
SUFFICIENTLY LOW QUANTITIES.
• TREM CARDS HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTICULAR GOODS
BEING TRANSPORTED AND PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DRIVER
OR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE EVENT OF AN INCIDENT.
• TREM CARDS LIST THE NATURE OF THE CARRIED SUBSTANCES,
ASSOCIATED HAZARD(S), AND WHAT ACTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

13. THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY
CONTACT
• EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERY
ORGANIZATION, YET IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS EASILY OVERLOOKED
AND FORGOTTEN BY MANY- BOTH EMPLOYEES AND MANAGERS.
• EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION IS BASICALLY JUST NAMES AND
CONTACT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED
ON YOUR BEHALF IN SITUATIONS OF EMERGENCIES WHEN YOU CANNOT
SPEAK FOR YOURSELF AND ANY OTHER KEY RELEVANT INFORMATION
YOU WOULD LIKE MANAGEMENT TO KNOW ABOUT IN SITUATIONS OF
AN EMERGENCY.
• THE EMERGENCY HOTLINE NUMBER “112” WAS CREATED TO HELP SAVE
LIVES, ESPECIALLY IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE PERSON OR A GROUP OF
PEOPLE CAN BE SAVED THROUGH THE HELP OF FIRST-RESPONDERS. IT'S
DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER NUMBERS WHEN YOU'RE FACING A TOUGH
EMERGENCY SITUATION.
• CITIZENS IN DISTRESS CAN GET IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE FROM POLICE
IN THE STATE ON DIALING THE HELPLINE NUMBER '112' FROM THEIR

14. NIGHT DRIVING HAZARDS
• SHORTER DAYS, FATIGUE, COMPROMISED NIGHT VISION, RUSH
HOUR AND IMPAIRED DRIVERS ARE SOME OF THE RISKS WE FACE
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.
• THESE RISKS BECOME ESPECIALLY PRONOUNCED MOVING INTO
THE WEEKEND, WITH FATAL CRASHES PEAKING ON SATURDAY
NIGHTS, ACCORDING TO NSC ANALYSIS OF NHTSA DATA.
• THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS—NOT SURPRISINGLY—IS THAT WE
CAN’T SEE AS WELL IN THE DARK, SAYS ALEX EPSTEIN, DIRECTOR
OF TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AT THE NATIONAL SAFETY
COUNCIL.
• EARLY SYMPTOMS OF EYE PROBLEMS THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO
SAFELY DRIVE AT NIGHT INCLUDE HALO EFFECTS, BLURRY, DIM,
OR CLOUDED VISION, AND INCREASED GLARE, AS WELL AS EYE
FATIGUE. IF YOU'VE NOTICED ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS

15.  COMPROMISED NIGHT VISION
• NIGHT VISION IS THE ABILITY TO SEE WELL IN LOW-LIGHT
CONDITIONS. AS WE AGE, WE HAVE GREATER DIFFICULTY SEEING
AT NIGHT. A 50-YEAR-OLD DRIVER MAY NEED TWICE AS MUCH
LIGHT TO SEE AS WELL AS A 30-YEAR-OLD. AT AGE 60 AND
OLDER, DRIVING CAN BECOME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT,
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION.
SOME OLDER DRIVERS ALSO MAY HAVE COMPROMISED VISION
DUE TO CATARACTS AND DEGENERATIVE EYE DISEASES.
 FATIGUE
• A NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION POLL SAYS 60% OF ADULTS
HAVE DRIVEN WHILE THEY WERE TIRED, AND ANOTHER 37%, OR
103 MILLION PEOPLE, HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. OF
THOSE, 13% SAY THEY FALL ASLEEP WHILE DRIVING AT LEAST
ONCE A MONTH, AND 4% SAY THEY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH BY
FALLING ASLEEP WHILE DRIVING. THE REASONS ARE MANY –
SHIFT WORK, LACK OF QUALITY SLEEP, LONG WORK HOURS,
SLEEP DISORDERS – AND IT DOESN'T ONLY HAPPEN ON LENGTHY

16.  RUSH HOUR
• EVENING RUSH HOUR (BETWEEN 4 AND 7 P.M. WEEKDAYS) IS A
DANGEROUS TIME TO DRIVE DUE TO CROWDED ROADWAYS AND
DRIVERS EAGER TO GET HOME AFTER WORK. IN WINTER, IT'S
DARK DURING RUSH HOUR, COMPOUNDING AN ALREADY
DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION.
 IMPAIRED DRIVERS
• NEARLY 30 PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY IN CRASHES THAT INVOLVE A
DRIVER IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL, ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. DRIVERS IMPAIRED BY
PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES AND OTHER DRUGS INCREASE THAT
NUMBER SIGNIFICANTLY. IMPAIRED DRIVERS ARE MOST
FREQUENTLY ON THE ROAD AFTER DARK – PARTICULARLY
BETWEEN THE HOURS OF MIDNIGHT AND 3 A.M. ON WEEKENDS.
 STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE
• WHILE WE DO ONLY ONE QUARTER OF OUR DRIVING AT NIGHT,
50% OF TRAFFIC DEATHS HAPPEN AT NIGHT. IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHETHER THE ROAD IS FAMILIAR OR NOT, DRIVING AT
NIGHT IS ALWAYS MORE DANGEROUS.

17. THANKING YOU…
BY_SHANTANU P. DESAI