Don't drive drowsy

One of the greatest dangers in freeway and highway driving is fatigue. On long trips, you can become sleepy or hypnotized by the constant hum of the wind, tires and engine.

If necessary, let someone else drive. Don't rely on coffee, loud music or "stay awake" drugs. If you feel tired, exit the highway and rest. Driving drowsy can put you in great danger.

A recent survey found that young drivers were far less likely to stop for naps than drivers age 35 and over were.

Teens who sleep less than eight hours a night are 33 percent more likely to crash than teens who get more than eight hours of sleep. Studies have shown that being awake for 18 hours has a similar impact to having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08.

Getting good rest and taking a break from driving when fatigued will make you a safer driver.

NHTSA praises Michigan's driver education program

Michigan's driver education program received high praise from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-sponsored panel of national experts, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson announced recently.

"The report calls our driver education and traffic safety programs exemplary," Johnson said. "It's a testament to our commitment to providing meaningful driver education training that helps keep young drivers – and everyone else on the road – safe. We value the chance to be measured against high national standards as part of our goal to keep improving." Michigan is the seventh state to go through the voluntary driver education assessment sponsored by NHTSA. Experts from Oregon, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington D.C., reviewed Michigan's driver education program, identified strengths, accomplishments and problem areas, and offered suggestions for improvement. Michigan sought out national input in large part because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in the United States, claiming about 3,000 lives each year, Johnson said. In 2012, 10 percent of drivers in Michigan involved in fatal crashes were under the age of 21. More

As a driver, watch out and always yield the right-of-way to people walking, jogging, biking, crossing a street in the middle of a block, or darting from between parked vehicles. Ruth Johnson Secretary of State

Give yourself room

Keep a "cushion of space" around your vehicle when driving on a highway. Look at least 12 seconds ahead of your vehicle to anticipate hazards and maintain awareness of merging and exiting vehicles.

Also, turn your head to check your vehicle's blind spots before every lane change. While you cannot get rid of blind spots, you can make them smaller by properly adjusting the mirrors.

Teaching tip for parents

At the start of each driving session with your teen, leave your problems behind and make an effort to stay focused.

Don't bring up touchy subjects such as grades, boyfriends / girlfriends or anything else that might distract either of you from the task at hand.

Information excerpted from the Parent's Supervised Driving Guide, a very helpful resource for families with young drivers.

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