Do you know road safety?

Do you know road safety?


Canadian roads were less busy at the start of the pandemic, which in particular resulted in an increase in speeding and dangerous driving. With the return to school, face-to-face work and a more normal life, it is time to slow down this trend and resume our good habits. Take a few minutes to refresh your road safety knowledge.

True or false?
The minimum safe interval that should be maintained between two vehicles is the distance traveled for 3 seconds or more.
When driving, fatigue is as dangerous as alcohol.
The morning rush hour is when distractions cause the most accidents.
Using the cell phone hands-free while driving is very safe.
A child car seat reduces the risk of death and serious injury in the event of an accident by up to 70%.
You should remember to replace your tires when they are 19.8 mm (25/32 in.) Or less thick.
Driving rough can cost you more on gas.
The risk of colliding can double for each increase in speed of 5 km / h.
At the sight of a pothole, you have to brake.
At night, we have to keep our eyes on what is lit by the headlights.
Answers
1. The minimum safe interval to be maintained between two vehicles is the distance traveled for 3 seconds or more.
True. When following a vehicle, you need enough room to react, brake and stop safely. This safety distance is at least 3 seconds between your car and the one in front of you. In bad weather, it is also better to increase this distance.1
2. When driving, fatigue is as dangerous as alcohol.
True. After 17 hours of waking up, your physical and mental performance decreases considerably and the result is the same as if your blood alcohol level were 0.05 mg / 100 ml, which is the limit at in which a driver is liable to have his license suspended in most Canadian provinces.2
3. The morning rush hour is when distractions cause the most accidents.
False. The 12 p.m. to 5:59 p.m. time slot is when distracted driving causes the most personal injury crashes. And it is in the summer, from May to September, that more than 50% of accidents resulting in bodily injury caused by distracted driving are recorded.3
4. Using the cell phone hands-free while driving is very safe.
False. Even if allowed, hands-free mode is not safe, as talking on the phone or giving a voice command is a distraction.
5. A child car seat reduces the risk of death and serious injury in an accident by up to 70%.
True. But as long as it is used correctly. To find out if your child is properly strapped in and if the seat is properly fitted, see the leaflet titled Secure Your Child for Life, This link will open in a new window. which describes all the stages at each age.5
6. You should remember to replace your tires when they are 19.8 mm (25/32 in.) Or less thick.
False. At this thickness, your tires are still good! They should be replaced when the depth of the grooves reaches 1.6 mm (2/32 in). Have a mechanic assess the thickness of your tires. 6
7. Driving rough can cost you more gas.
True. Aggressive driving - quick acceleration, frequent braking, high speed - can increase your fuel consumption and be detrimental to your safety. Conversely, fuel-efficient driving, This link will open in a new window. can save you up to 25% on fuel and make roads safer by preventing collisions. Accelerating smoothly and riding at a constant speed are some examples of fuel-efficient driving techniques.
8. The risk of colliding can double for each increase in speed of 5 km / h.
True. From 60 km / h, the risk doubles for every 5 km / h increase. In addition, the probability of dying from a collision between two vehicles is twice as high at 80 km / h as at 64 km / h.8
9. At the sight of a pothole, you should brake.
False. If you can't avoid it, slow down at the sight of a pothole and release the brakes to prevent damage to your car. The harder the shock of the impact, the more the car will feel.9
10. At night, we must keep our eyes on what is illuminated by the headlights.
False. Headlights cannot compensate for the decrease in natural light that affects our night vision and our perception of movement and possible obstacles. When driving at night, you have to look beyond the reach of the headlights.