Steering Clear of Trouble

There are very few auto accidents that can't be prevented or mitigated in some way. The following are some experts' tips on how to be safer on the road:

Watch Out For The Other Guy:

• Give neighborhoods around bars a wide berth, especially late at night.
• Stay away from drivers who exhibit signs of drowsiness or distraction, like leaving their directional signals blinking for a long time, driving after dark with just the parking lights on, or drifting into another lane.
• Take extra care on rural roads with 55 mph speed limits.
• Remember that most accidents occur on weekends, particularly holiday weekends, between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.

Watch Out For Yourself:

• Slow down.
• Buckle up. Seat belts save lives, but one out of every three Americans still fails to use them.
• Pay attention. Resist the temptation to make phone calls, put on makeup, or read while at the wheel.
• Stay awake. Sleepy times for most people are in the early hours of the morning and mid-afternoon. Don't count on coffee to keep you awake; the effects of caffeine don't last very long. Don't use cruise control - keep your body involved with the driving process. If you feed drowsy, pull over somewhere brightly lit and safe, lock the doors, and take a 15-minute nap.