What is National Traffic Awareness Month?
According to the World Health Organization, every year 1.3 million people are fatalities by road traffic crashes which are also the leading cause of death for children and young adults ages 5-29. These statistics are tragic. National Traffic Awareness Month, observed each August, aims to reduce those fatalities by increasing our awareness of traffic safety rules.
What are some important traffic safety rules?
Be aware of your surroundings. If everyone on or near a road is aware of what is going on around them then accidents are less likely to occur.
Practice safe driving habits. Checking your blind spot, using your turn signals, and not speeding all prevent accidents and contribute to safer roads.
Don’t drive distracted. Distracted driving is defined as engaging in another activity while driving. The most common form of distracted driving is texting while driving but other examples are eating while driving, distractions from other passengers, adjusting the GPS or radio, and essentially anything that pulls your focus away from the road.
How to share the road?
Someone driving a car shares the road not only with fellow drivers but also with pedestrians, cyclists, and many other types of vehicles. This means that along with being responsible for personally following traffic safety rules a driver must also be ready to react to the behavior of those on the road with them.
Around pedestrians, drivers should slow down and be prepared to stop. Additionally, drivers should remember the rules around crosswalks and the right of way
Around Motorcycles, drivers should make an extra effort to give the motorcyclist enough space to safely operate their vehicle. Also, drivers should have increased awareness of their own position relative to motorcyclists.
Around cyclists, drivers should pay attention to the existence of a bike lane. Drivers should also make sure to give cyclists space on the road.
More information on how to share the road is available at
https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a112.pdf
How does Top Driver encourage traffic safety?
Top Driver encourages traffic safety by instilling good driving habits in our students. Passionate and hard-working instructors work with students to ensure that they learn the best driving practices possible. At Top Driver, We Teach Driver Intelligence™. We focus on the quality of training, convenience, and assistance for the parents in coaching their teens to a lifetime of safe driving.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Traffic Awareness Month and why is it important?
National Traffic Awareness Month is observed every August. Its purpose is to reduce traffic fatalities by raising awareness of safety rules. The motivation behind it is stark: according to the World Health Organization, 1.3 million people die each year in road traffic crashes worldwide, and traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults ages 5 to 29. A month dedicated to awareness is a small but meaningful counterweight to those numbers.
What are the most important traffic safety habits drivers can build?
Three habits matter most. First, stay aware of your surroundings, since collisions are far less likely when everyone on or near a road is paying attention. Second, practice safe driving habits, including checking blind spots, using turn signals, and obeying speed limits. Third, eliminate distracted driving. Texting is the most common form, but eating, passenger distractions, adjusting the GPS or radio, and anything else that pulls focus away from the road all qualify. Building these into automatic habits is how new drivers become safe long-term drivers.
How should drivers share the road with pedestrians?
Slow down whenever pedestrians are nearby and be prepared to stop. Know the rules for crosswalks and right of way in your state, including unmarked crosswalks at intersections. Pedestrians can step out unexpectedly, and they have no protection if you misjudge the gap. Treat every crosswalk and every street corner near walkers as a potential stop, even when you have the green light.
What should I keep in mind around motorcycles and cyclists?
Motorcycles and bicycles are smaller and easier to miss, so give both more space than you would another car. Around motorcycles, stay aware of your position relative to them and avoid sudden lane changes that could crowd them. Around cyclists, look for marked bike lanes, give plenty of clearance when passing, and check before opening doors near the curb. Treating these road users as harder-to-see equals goes a long way toward preventing serious crashes.
What is Driver Intelligence and how does Top Driver teach it?
Driver Intelligence is Top Driver's framework for building safe, proactive habits in our students rather than just teaching them to pass a test. Our instructors focus on quality of training, scheduling convenience, and supporting parents who are coaching their teens at home. The goal is not a one-time license but a lifetime of safe driving, with habits like scanning, communication, and maintaining a cushion of safety baked in from day one.
