Car Safety Tips

Feeling Tired? ... Opening a window or having the radio on loudly will not prevent you from falling asleep. What you need is real sleep. Pull over and have a short sleep. Even 15 minutes can be the difference between getting there and not.

Sleep at home, not at the wheel ... Around 30% of serious crashes are the direct result of motorists who insist on driving on, even when they know they're too tired to continue.

The more you drink, the more chance of an accident ... At .05, the risk of you having an accident is about double of you in a sober state. At .08 the risk is over three times higher. At .1, it's seven times. At .15, it's 26 times.

Women and Alcohol ... Women (especially younger women), generally have a lower tolerance to alcohol. Women can become especially affected by alcohol while they are in the premenstrual stage, and during ovulation in the middle of their cycle.

Alcohol consumption ... It takes around an hour for the body to cleanse itself of the effects of one drink. Contrary to popular belief, black coffee and cold showers or jumping up and down do not help.

Proper care of your tyres not only increases safety, it can also save you money... details

Don't get too close ... At 100 km/h the minimum distance needed to stop is 80 metres. If you're too close, there's only a 55 metre space in which to stop.

Safe tyre tread ... The minimum amount of tread, which provides a secure grip, is around 3.5mm - about the depth of a match-head. Less than 1.6mm is an offence by law. And they don't stop you, then maybe neither will the car.

40km/h = 2 storeys ... A collision with another vehicle, even at the relatively low speed of 40km/h, is the same as falling from a two-storey building onto hard, unforgiving concrete.

The three-second gap ... For safety, allow a three-second gap between you and the car in front. To work out the three-second gap, choose a fixed item such as a tree or lamp post and make sure you pass it about three seconds after the car in front does.

Belt up ... Even if you're just going around the corner. Most accidents occur within 10 km of the victim's home. No trip's too short.

Overtaking distance ... It can take one and a half kilometres to overtake a commercial truck travelling at 100km/h. Make sure you have plenty of clear road ahead.

Driving in fog ... Don't drive through fog with your high beams on. They cause a 'white-out' effect, which reduces vision dramatically.

Blind spots ... The 'blind spot' can be a real killer. Before changing lanes, take a quick glance over your shoulder to see if a car is in your 'blind spot', then move off carefully.

Windscreen Types? ... If you do high-speed country driving, consider laminated windscreens. A stone will just 'craze' around the impact area rather than shatter the whole windscreen which is far more dangerous. Ask your Repco Auto Repairer for advice.

Car first aid kit ... It is always a good idea to prepare a first aid kit for your car. details

Driving in the wet ... It takes twice as long to stop in wet weather as it would otherwise, so be extra careful.

Braking distances ... Here's why you should keep a safe distance. If you need to brake and you're travelling at 60 km/h, your car travels approx. 10 metres before your brain gets the message, and you apply the brakes. At 100 km/h it's approx. 18 metres.

Emergency fire-extinguisher ... A can of beer or soft drink, well shaken, can act as an emergency fire extinguisher.

Children ... Approximately 400 children in Australia are killed or injured in car crashes each year because of incorrectly fitted child restraints. Check carefully and adjust properly.

Less grip on wet roads ... At 80km/h, a cars tyre has a thousandth of a second to clear away the water and provide road adhesion. details

Avoid the rear end crash ... To avoid a rear-end collision, allow one car length for every 15km/h of speed. A car travelling at 60km/h covers 16.7 metres a second.

House bricks aren't made for cars ... Don't use house bricks to support a car. They can crumble under the car's weight. Always use axle stands or drive-up ramps.

Child Safety fact ... Crash at 60 km per hour and the impact upon an unrestrained child is equivalent to that child falling from a fourth floor window.

There's no safe seat ... Statistics show that if you are not wearing a seat belt, you'll suffer worse injuries in the event of an impact, no matter where you sit.