We love the NSCs National Safety Month Campaign for 2015; What I Live For. There is so much to live for and everyone will have a slightly different response as to what is at the top of the list. Whatever is most important to you, protect it by not only practicing safe habits in all areas of your life but also preparing for the unanticipated and, of course, spreading the word. After all, what is the internet for if not for “spreading the word” (not just for trolling).
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The NSC has a few tips that can make your transportation routine just a bit safer for your daily commute and for the unexpected.
Your Commute – Safety First
Whether you are driving to work, school, or a much-needed play day with friends and family, get there safe and sound by practicing safe driving habits. You can’t control other drivers on the road (although we all wish we could) but you can control your actions by making better decisions. To be a safer driver, the NSC recommends:
- On the road, Off the phone: Distracted driving is a much bigger problem than many believe with the NSC reporting that 26% of all crashes each year involve cell phone use. To eliminate this safety hazard, turn your cell phone off, keep it out of site in the glove compartment, or assign a designated passenger to field calls and texts.
- Stay Alert, Stay Alive: Even if you are not driving in the wee hours of the morning, you can experience some tiredness or drowsiness which can impair your responsiveness behind the wheel. Certain medications can also make you drowsy even if you are getting enough sleep on average. For longer drives in particular, schedule breaks so that you can get our and stretch or even take power naps. If you have a passenger with a valid license, take turns driving every two hours or so. Never drive if you are sleepy or fatigued.
- Over the Limit, Under arrest: You drink, You drive, You lose | Friends don’t let friends drive drunk | Stay Alive; Don’t drink and drive. No matter what slogan rings with you, if you remember only one thing about driving under the influence, let it be this: You. Could. Die. Too direct? How about; You. Could. Kill. Someone. The NSC recommends assigning a designated driver, calling a cab, friend, or family member to pick you up, or staying home on a night on which you will consume alcohol. eTags would like to add this last tip: sleep at the bar if you have to but don’t drive drunk.
- Teen Drivers. Enough Said: Young people nationwide, we love you, we do, but we are afraid of your inexperience and overconfidence behind the wheel. According to the NSC, half of all teens will be involved in a crash before even graduating from high school (many simple fender-benders). HALF! We encourage parents and guardians to continue to practice driving with your teens for at least 30 minutes a week even after GDL requirements have been met. The NSC also supports the clever idea of outlining driving rules and expectations in a sort of agreement. Some of the rules outlined should include a limit on the number of passengers in the car while your teen is driving as well as limits on nighttime driving. You can view additional teen safe driving tips here.
The Unexpected – Emergency Preparedness
In Florida, it’s not likely that we will get stuck on the road in a snow storm but you never, right? Wherever you live and whatever you drive, it’s smart to have an emergency kit stored in your vehicle and ready for use. The NSC recommends:
- For your car: spare tire, wheel wrench, jack, jumper cables, toolkit, and windshield washer fluid
- For you and your passengers: drinking water, non—perishable foods, extra cloths, and cellphone car charger
- For emergencies: flashlight, extra batteries, reflective triangles, first aid kit, and blankets
What Do We Live For?
That’s a tough question. Answering that question is a simultaneous feeling of drawing a blank and wanting to list everything that is important. I took a walk around the office and asked a few of my wonderful coworkers to answer that question. The answers were all different but still the same. Debra, our office Supervisor, lives for her family and her happiness. A cancer survivor, she knows more than most how important it is to enjoy life day by day with the people who are most important to her. Liliy and Diane, two of our wonderful brand ambassadors, live for being the best person they can be. Every day improvement is important for the sake of their families and themselves. Claudia, one of our marketing wizards, lives for her two little troublemakers; a tenacious 2 year-old boy and a precocious 1 year-old girl.
Family, Happiness, Self-Improvement; all at the core of what we live for. That’s why at eTags, we pledge to practice safe driving habits so that we can get to work and get home safely for our families, ourselves, and our fellow motorist.
Spread the word about National Safety Month and let us know in the comments what you live for. #NationalSafetyMonth #ILiveFor
