Remember These Tips for Safe Family Fun in July

Traveling during the month of July? The National Safety Council has some sobering facts for you.

More than 400 deaths and 49,000 injuries requiring medical attention are expected to occur on America’s roadways this Fourth of July holiday weekend.

“Drivers always need to be vigilant, but this weekend, focus on the safety of your family,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president of the National Safety Council. “A few precautions can help ensure a memorable weekend. Spending the holiday with family is preferable to spending time in the ER.”

NSC recommends the following tips for traveling safely this holiday and throughout July:

• Use your seat belt. The Council estimates 155 lives will be saved during this period because seat belts are worn. An additional 99 lives could be saved if all buckled up.
• Watch your speedometer. More speeding-related fatalities occur during the summer months than any other time of year. And, remember, the Fourth of July is a maximum enforcement period for highway patrol officers.
• Stow the cellphone while driving. Use hands-free devices that connect to vehicle audio systems. Consider this: Drivers talking on cell phones are four times as likely to crash.
• Transporting children? Put them in age-appropriate safety seats. Restraints saved an estimated 284 lives of children under 5 in 2012.
• Designate a nondrinking driver for your Fourth of July fun. Or take an alternative form of transportation.
• Keep in touch with teen driving habits. Parents loosen household driving rules during the summer, according to an NSC.