(NAPSA)—Here are somedriving safety tips to steer you in the right direction, from the safety experts at the American Iron and Steel Institute. Staying Calm Behind The Wheel Plan ahead. Allowing yourself enough travel time will prevent a time crunch. Obey the speed limit. Driving too fast can lead to “bottlenecking,” bringing traffic to a standstill and frustrating drivers. Identify alternate routes. Try to be awareof the different routes available to get you where you’re going. Just be late. Learn that being late for work or an appointmentis better than endangering yourlife or that of someoneelse. Protecting Yourself From Aggressive Drivers Don’t take it personally. Be polite and courteous, even if the other driveris not. Keep your eyes on the road. Don’t provoke an aggressive driver further by making negative eye contact or gesturing. Always be a courteous driver. Set an example for other drivers by always being courteous and driving safely. If more and more people start driving this way, aggressive driving behaviors will eventually becomeless prevalent. Consider safety options. Before heading out on the road, make sure that everyone’s seat belt is buckled and yourdoors are locked. Passenger Safety Survey Besides driving safely, Ameri- YOUR NEXT TRIP Will be a lot saferif you choosesteel over fiberglass and know howto protect yourself from aggressive drivers. cans are also focusing on car safety. A just-released survey on behalf of the American Iron and Steel Institute revealed that when asked which automobile materials provide the best protection, 83 percent of respondents chose steel, which wasa clear leader over plastic and fiberglass at four percent each and aluminum at 3 percent. Moreover, 82 percent of respondents considered seat belts effective for passenger safety, followed by a car’s steel frame (67 percent) and steel side-impact beams (59 percent). In another survey of licensed drivers, multitasking wascited as one of the most hazardous behayiors in the car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that distracted driving is a factor in 25 percentofall traf- fic accidents reported to the police. For more safe-driving tips, visit www.steel.org/summersafety.
