Healthy Living
How's Your Car Safety Knowledge?
Most of us think of ourselves as safe and responsible drivers. But car accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages 5 to 32. They are the leading cause of injury for people of all ages. You can't be responsible for other drivers, but it is wise to brush up on your own auto safety skills. To test your knowledge, try your hand at this true/false quiz.
1. In a severe accident, you have a better chance of surviving if you are not wearing a seat belt and are thrown from the car.
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Studies show that many crash victims who did not wear a seat belt and were killed after being thrown out of the car would have lived—often with only minor injuries—if they had been restrained within the car.
2. Driving when you are sleepy can be as dangerous as driving when you are drunk.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 90,000 car crashes involve sleepy drivers. If you are tired, don't drive. If you become drowsy while driving, pull over to a safe place and take a short nap, or get out of the car and stretch your legs at a rest area. Drinking coffee can help, but only for about 30 minutes. Turning up your radio and rolling down the windows are not effective wake-up methods.
3. If someone is following your car too closely, you should gently tap your brakes as a warning.
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Tapping your brakes could cause a collision. Instead, change lanes or pull over to the side of the road and let the other driver pass you.
4. If your car has an air bag, you don't need to wear a seat belt.
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An air bag is a supplemental restraint only. For it to work properly, you must wear your seat belt. Many air bags inflate in head-on crashes, and some vehicles now have air bags for side impacts. Seat belts, on the other hand, can protect you in every type of collision.
5. Never buckle a child safety seat into the front seat of a car that has an air bag.
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In a crash, an air bag inflates almost instantly at high speeds. It can slam into the back of a rear-facing infant seat where the baby's head rests. Or it can hit the upper body of an older child in a forward-facing safety seat. The safest place for a child under age 13 is in the back seat.
6. If an adult is not wearing a seat belt and is sitting too close to the dashboard, they could be in danger if the air bag inflates.
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Unbuckled passengers of all ages can be injured or killed by an inflating air bag. Adults and teens riding in the front seat should buckle up and sit at least 10 inches away from the dashboard. Kids 12 years and younger should ride buckled up in the backseat.
7. If you take your eyes off the road for 5 seconds to read a text while driving 55 mph, your car will travel about the length of 2 football fields.
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Your car will travel the length of about one football field. Wait to read texts until you have pulled off the road and are parked.
8. The instruction book for a child safety seat tells you all you need to know about installing the seat safely in your vehicle.
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To install the seat safely in your car, read both the safety seat manual and your car's owner's manual. Depending on your vehicle, you may need an extra belt, metal locking clip, or other device for a snug fit. Register your child's car seat with the seat maker so you can be alerted if it is recalled for safety reasons. To make sure you’ve installed your car seat correctly, contact a certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician. For information, visit seatcheck or safekids. Your local hospital, police, or fire department may also have CPS technicians.
9. Once a child reaches 4 feet in height, they can ride safely in a car with a regular seat belt.
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Children who have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height are safest when riding in a booster seat and secured by a lap and shoulder belt. The booster seat raises the child up so the belt fits across the body correctly and snugly. This gives the best protection.
10. If your car doesn't have an air bag, your children can ride safely in the front seat.
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Air bag or not, the backseat is still the safest place for children of any age to ride. Vehicles with no back seat or a back seat that is not made for passengers are not the best choice for traveling with children. But the air bag can be turned off in some vehicles if you must have your child ride in the front seat. See your vehicle owner's manual for more information.
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Author: Floria, Barbara
Online Medical Reviewer: Dozier, Tennille, RN BSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Novick, Tara BSN MSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Perez, Eric MD
Date Last Reviewed: 09/01/2022
© 2000-2025 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
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