Chief Mason

Survive the Drive

1. Click It Before You Kick It
   Hey, Einstein! Why would you possibly even turn the key before you and everyone else in your car has a safety belt on?       Wearing a safety belt is the single most important step you can take to save your life in a crash. Massachusetts law requires vehicle occupants to buckle up. It takes so little effort; you'd be a fool not to.
    
2. Slow Down, Enjoy the Ride
   Where's the fire? Speeding is the leading cause of crashes in Massachusetts with more than a third of crash fatalities in Massachusetts attributed to speeding. Not to mention what a speeding ticket does to your credibility with your parents and their insurance rates. It's also really annoying to the person in front of you when you tailgate. Calm down. And slow down.
    
3. Holler Back - at Home
   Hold my calls, please. A New England Journal of Medicine study showed that crash risk increases fourfold as a result of cell phone use. Turn off your phone before you get in the car. Minimize other distractions, too. Turn down the tunes and tell your friends to pipe down. It can make a major difference.
    
4. More is not Merrier
   For teen drivers, the risk of a fatal crash doubles with two passengers and quadruples with three passengers. Massachusetts' graduated licensing system for young drivers restricts the passengers that young drivers can have in the car for the first six months that they have their licenses. For more details about Massachusetts' Junior Operator's License restrictions, go to www.mass.gov/rmv.
    
5. Choose Your Six Pack
   As long as it's Sprite, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, etc. But drinking and driving is a sure fire way to make the start of your school year tragic. A first time drunk driving conviction can cost $7,317, money that you and your parents could better use for college tuition. Don't do it. Don't drink. Don't drink and drive. Don't get into a car with anyone who's been drinking.
    
6. Pay Attention to the Big Yellow School Bus
   Passing a stopped school bus on an undivided roadway will result in a $200 fine and possibly much worse. Most fatalities involving school buses occur when children approaching or leaving the bus are hit by another vehicle.

Following these six simple steps can make a huge difference - they'll help ensure that you stick around long enough to put that graduation tassel up on the rear view mirror.

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