It’s a brand new year.  Did you resolve to be healthier at the start of the New Year? Perhaps your goal is to improve yourself in some way or to put aside bad habits that you may have picked up in the last year.  Add one more resolution to your list – resolve to drive safe.

What you need to know

In 2012, too many people lost their lives or were injured on Delaware roads.  Over 100 people were killed and thousands more were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Most of these car crashes were completely preventable.

• 115 were killed in 110 fatal car crashes in 2012.
• 40% of those killed were not wearing a seat belt.
• 46% of the crashes were alcohol-related.
• 32% can be attributed to aggressive driving behaviors.

What you can do

The best part of resolving to drive safe is that it benefits you and everyone around you.  Remember that each time we get in a car, we have a choice:

• To Buckle Up. Wearing a seat belt allows the driver and passengers in a vehicle to
  stay in the safest place in the event of a crash – their seat.
• To Not Drive Distracted. Choose to pre-set your radio station, GPS, and vehicle controls.  Put down the cell phone.  Wait until you are safely parked to make phone calls, surf the internet, and answer text messages.
• To Drive Calmly. Avoid rushing.  Stop when indicated.  Follow the posted speed limits.  And always show courtesy to other drivers by yielding properly and using your signals.
• To Drive Sober. It is never ok to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. Including prescription medication.  If you are unsure if it is safe to drive with a prescription that you are taking, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drive Safe.  Arrive Alive DE.

This message is being sent to you by the Office of Highway Safety, who asks you to drive safely at all times.  For more information on this and other traffic safety programs, go to www.ohs.delaware.gov.

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