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Vehicle Leasing
Safety Tips
Keep these safety tips in mind when driving. Air bags save thousands of lives each year, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In frontal crashes, air bags reduce deaths among drivers by about 30% and among passengers by 27%. Air bags, however, can be dangerous. If small children sit unbelted in the front seat, they can be catapulted into the path of a deploying air bag, which inflates with great force. This risk also applies to small adults, who must sit close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals, pregnant women and the elderly. Infants in rear-facing safety seats on the passenger side can be severely injured because their heads are in the direct path of an inflating air bag. If an airbag is stolen or it deploys, seek reimbursment under the comprehensive portion of auto insurance policies. (If an air bag deploys, a new one is necessary.) Preventing air bag injuries: Drivers should have all children sit in the backseat wearing a safety belt. Infants should be placed in rear-facing car seats and put in the backseat. Small adults should move the seat back so that their breastbone is at least 10 inches from the air bag cover. If this is not possible, air bag switches can be installed so that the vehicle owner has the option of turning the bag off or on, depending on the situation. In January 1998, NHTSA allowed auto dealers and repair shops to begin installing air bag cut-off switches. Before the switch can be installed, vehicle owners must complete a four-step process: 1. Obtain an information brochure and request form from NHTSA, dealerships or repair shops. 2. Return the form to NHTSA. 3. Receive authorization from NHTSA after it reviews the case. 4. Take the vehicle to the service shop along with the authorization from NHTSA which certifies that the owner has read the brochure and met one of the four eligibility classifications:
Drivers who are distracted by talking on a cell phone or dialing numbers while they are driving are causing more and more accidents. Some municipalities have banned using cell phones while driving because it has caused such a major problem. If it's necessary to talk while driving, the safest way is to have a hands-free cell phone cradle installed in the car so which offers the ability to speak while driving with two hands. Even so, remember to stay aware of what is going on around the vehicle and on the road. It's easy to get so engrossed in conversation that an exit is missed or something other drivers are doing goes unnoticed. Better yet, wait until arriving at a destination or pull over to the side of the road to begin cell phone conversations. Driving in bad weather is a major cause of accidents. When driving, particularly on a long trip, make sure to stay tuned to radio reports about weather conditions. Upon hearing that an ice storm, hurricane, tornado, flood, hail, or other severe weather is expected on the chosen route or intended destination, change travel plans. Any reason for going on the trip cannot be as important as keeping safe. If already in an area that is being hit by bad weather, don't try to drive out of it. Seek shelter for both and wait for the storm to pass. Increasingly crowded highways and traffic backups cause many drivers to lose control and become extremely aggressive. Upon encountering an aggressive driver: Don't challenge them, and stay as far away as possible. Consider taking down their license plate number and reporting their behavior to police so they won't hurt themselves or someone else. Avoiding Deer/Car Collisions The explosion in the deer population has lead to the increase in deer/car collisions. In the 1980's, the deer population was approximately 10 million. Today, there are more than 25 million. Losses due to deer and car encounters will only increase as the deer population continues to grow and urban habitats encroach upon rural environments. Each year there are approximately 500,000 deer/auto collisions resulting in over 100 deaths and thousands of injuries. Deer/auto collisions cost about $2,000 per claim for repairs and injuries. Defensive driving tips to avoid hitting a deer: 1. Be vigilant in early morning and evening hours, the most active time for deer. 2. Use high-beam headlights. 3. Slow down and blow the horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away. 4. Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near the path of the vehicle. Do not swerve. It can confuse the deer as to where to run. It can also cause losing control of the vehicle and hit a tree or another car. 5. Be alert and drive with caution when moving through a deer crossing zone. 6. Always wear seat belts. Most people injured in car/deer crashes were not wearing their seat belt. 7. Look for other deer after one has crossed the road. Deer seldom run alone. 8. If the vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. The frightened animal, in attempting to move, could cause injury. The best procedure is to get the car off the road, if possible, and call the police. 9. Contact the AMC to report any damage to the car. Thousands of unsuspecting motorists are carjacked every year. To minimize the danger of being carjacked: 1. Think of saving your life first. Only then, think of the car and what's in it. 2. If another car bumps your car, stay inside with the windows shut and the door locked and drive to the nearest police or fire station. 3. Don't stop at isolated pay phones, cash machines or newspaper machines where that may facilitate becoming a carjacking victim. 4. Stay alert to people lurking near or moving toward the parked car. 5. Always keep the windows of your car shut and doors locked, whether in or out of the car. 6. Park only in well-lighted areas. To prevent the car from being stolen: 1. When leaving personal property in the car, leave it in the trunk. 2. Keep the vehicle in a garage (if possible) and lock the garage door. If the car is stolen, have the following information to give to the police: Year, make, model and color of the car, as well as the vehicle G tag number. Also, the approximate time the car was stolen. A description of anyone who may have been seen loitering around the car before it was stolen can also be helpful. If possible, the names of any witnesses that may have been in the area at the time the vehicle was stolen. 
Last Modified 8/25/2004
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