Drive Safe Alabama

Following the practices below will help make driving in Alabama safer and more enjoyable:

 

 

1. Be Alert—When your eyes are on the phone and not on the road, it's incredibly dangerous. Everyone knows this, but many Alabamians do this regularly, putting themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at risk of injury or death. Put the phone down and drive.
2. Drive Sober—This one is rather obvious and despite understanding the dangers, people still often take the risk. Staying sober means NO alcohol or drugs (legal or illegal) including marijuana, edibles (anything with THC for that matter), opioids, methamphetamines, or any impairing substance behind the wheel, please!
3. Make Room for Motorcycles—The same goes for bicycles. Give them space on the road, even if that means waiting to drive around them until oncoming traffic subsides. You have an entire car made of metal, plastic, and glass to protect you in a collision. Bikers might only have a helmet.
4. Let the Driver Drive—That funny meme you just got on Snapchat can wait until later. Don't try to show the driver something on your phone while he or she is driving. It's just as dangerous as if they were texting and driving. Likewise, minimize other distracting behaviors while riding shotgun.
5. Pull Over for Emergency Vehicles—Ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars have ear-piercingly loud sirens and bright flashing lights, yet some drivers pretend not to notice and fail to pull over to clear a path for these emergency vehicles. Just get out of the way.
6. Use Your Turn Signal, Really—For Pete’s sake, please signal. Letting other drivers know your intention to merge or turn is not only the courteous thing to do but, it's also safer.
7. ALL Occupants Buckle Up—Really, do we have to remind you about this again? Buckle up for safety and out of respect for your driver.
8. Curb Your Road Rage—Hey, we all have places to go. Mistakes happen. The road doesn't belong to you. Whatever gets you hot while behind the wheel, let it go.  
9. Pay Attention When Sitting at a Stoplight—We're all tempted to stare at our phones for a few moments while waiting at a stoplight, but please. If you're distracted and don't see that the light has turned green or that traffic ahead of you has moved on, you'll be holding up other motorists who have places to be.
10. Save The Trash for the Can—I mean, c'mon. Keep your trash inside your car until you can properly dispose of it. Alabama highways are beautiful, don’t use them as your trash can.
11. No Kids or Pets Left Inside Hot Cars—Never, ever, leave your child or pet inside the vehicle, not even for a minute. It’s literally deadly, so please don’t do it.
12. Dim Your Headlights for Oncoming Traffic—If you’re driving with your high beams on at night, be aware that they can completely blind oncoming traffic. Just because you see great doesn’t mean they can. Dim your lights and don’t sear the retinas of fellow drivers.
13. Keep Right, Except to Pass—No one loves being held up on a multi-lane highway by a slow driver in the left lane. Move over to the right for others to pass.
14. Give the Kids a Break—ALWAYS stop for school buses dropping off children.
15. Keep Your Distance—Following the driver ahead of you too closely is dangerous, and rear-end collisions account for nearly 30% of highway accidents. So curtail the tailgating.
16. Kid Safety—Car safety seats can reduce your child’s risk of injury in a crash by up to 82 percent. Not only can unrestrained children be seriously hurt in crashes, but also from sudden stops. So buckle up, baby!