Fast Facts

Highway hypnosis usually occurs when you drive on a highway for an extended period of time. When this happens, you are in a dulled, drowsy, trance-like state. This is dangerous because you are unable to react as quickly as you should. Stop the car in a safe place and take a break from the road.

Hydroplaning is losing traction when you slide on a film of water. This can result in a loss of control and steering ability because your tires lose contact with the pavement. Slow down in these weather conditions, and make sure your tires are inflated properly.

Blood Alcohol concentration or BAC is the ratio between alcohol and blood in your system. If you're under 21, you can be cited for a BAC of .02. This means that there are two drops of alcohol in every 10,000 drops of blood in your body.

Most skids are the result of driving too fast for the road conditions. The key to safe vehicle operation is slower speeds. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

The Implied Consent Law states that by driving a vehicle, you have agreed to submit to chemical tests of your breath, blood, or urine to determine alcohol or drug content if asked to do so by a law enforcement officer. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

Speed increases braking distance. If you double your speed, quadruple your braking distance. At high speeds, the amount of time available to detect and react to unexpected events is shortened.

For front-seat passengers, lap and shoulder belts reduce the chance of serious injury by as much as 50 percent.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young people between ages 15 and 24.

Even a small amount of alcohol decreases your driving skills. Studies show that impairment begins with the first sip and worsens with continued drinking.

When you close your eyes for just one second at 60 mph, you will travel 88 feet.

If you are in a crash going thirty miles an hour and you are not wearing a seat belt, your body continues to travel inside the car even though the car is stopped. You hit the dashboard at the same speed as though you were falling from the roof of a three-story building. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

One statistic often quoted is that most collisions happen within a short distance from home. Why is this true? Since we mostly drive in our own neighborhoods, the odds are we'll have most of our mishaps there. Close to home, we get more comfortable and perhaps let our guard down and don't pay close attention.

Your focused field of vision is very narrow, less than 5 feet wide at 100 feet. Everything else you see is first picked up by your peripheral vision, which is effective at picking up motion but doesn't provide a clear view. Scan up to two blocks ahead in order to catch potential hazards.

Intersections are one of the most dangerous areas for any driver. Over 80% of all city collisions involving injury or death occur within signal-light (or "controlled") intersections.

The majority of crashes at controlled intersections happen within 4 seconds of a light change. You don't want to be in the intersection during that 4 seconds. Stop far enough behind the stop line that you can see it on the pavement in front of your car - this normally gives you 10-15 feet of space. When the light turns green, take your foot off the brake and let your vehicle start to creep toward the crosswalk.

Drivers under 18 years old who accumulate more than five points on their driving record or commit an alcohol-related offense will have their license or permit cancelled. They must return to the permit stage and complete all driver education requirements before being allowed to take the behind-the-wheel test. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

If you drink and drive under the age of 21, you are breaking a zero tolerance law. Assuming that you reach your destination without having a crash or killing someone, you will pay big time if you are stopped by law enforcement. A DUI costs at least $10,000, and if you are under 18, your license will be suspended or revoked. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

The posted speed limit is the maximum speed that you should drive. If weather or rough road conditions are present, slow down and arrive alive. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

Click it quick! No more excuses. Just a quick click can save your life. Even if you're just driving around the block. No one ever got in the car thinking, "This is the day I'm going to be in a crash." NDDOT

If you are in a crash, the seat belt prevents you from being thrown from the car, can prevent you from bouncing back and forth in the driver's seat and hitting the windshield with your head. You only get one brain - use it and click it quick! NDDOT

Remember that on bridges and shaded spots, frost and ice form quicker and remain longer than on the rest of the roadway. Noncommercial Drivers License Manual - Class D

Motorcycle registrations and licensed motorcycle drivers have continued to increase since 2004.