When you are driving, you may fail to realize that there are some hidden dangers all throughout your car. When the threat of an accident doesn’t seem near, you may fail to think about the fact that an unrestrained pet or a cellphone on a dashboard could end up being a horrific and dangerous projectile. When a car crash occurs, loose items in a car will naturally fly all throughout the vehicle. A glass vase on the floor may shatter against the ceiling, a pair of scissors may be tossed into the air, and a pet may be pitched against the window. This is why it is essential to organized your items in the car and be prepared for the possibility of an accident.

It is always wisest to put any pets in the car in pet carriers. In some states, it is actually illegal to let pets walk around the inside of a car without some sort of restraint. Pet stores carry kennels and small carriers that can keep an animal safe, and you should make sure that you can place these kennels in a safe and secure spot so that they do not slide all over the car in the event of an accident. As well, you should be careful to put all sharp objects in car organizers and keep items off of the dashboard or the middle console. People are often so preoccupied with their day that they fail to prepare for the possibility of a car accident. As a result, there can be horrific injuries that would have been prevented with a few cautionary steps.

If your children want to bring toys in the car, suggest that they bring soft ones. In the case of a car accident, a hard or sharp toy could be devastating. It is important that you work hard to explain to your children that they should never hold dangerous objects in a car. Never give a child scissors, eating utensils like forks and knives, or any other objects that could cause injury. Also, avoid letting them hold fragile glasses in the car that could shatter in the event of an accident. Another danger in the car is makeup. Women often try to do their makeup while they are driving or sitting in the passenger seat, but in the event of a sudden accident this can be horrific. Women have been taken to the hospital after being wounded by a mascara want or an application brush that penetrated their eye or face in a forceful crash.

Also, do not bring scalding hot drinks into the car or hot food items. Chances are that if you bring a hot drink in the car and end up in an accident, the scalding liquid will burn someone. You don’t want to be held responsible for this injury, so make sure that you only bring cold or lukewarm liquids with you and put them in cup holders. You can also be cautious with foods. Hot foods can burn someone in the event of an accident. Eating and drinking in cars should only be done with extreme caution because if it is a distraction that means that it can be very dangerous. As well, it is important for drivers to stay focused when in the car. Others in the car can become a danger if they are distracting or continually try to divert your attention off the road.

One of the biggest dangers in a car is the lack of a seatbelt. According to the National Safety Council, this is the most effective safety step that you take when you are trying to prevent yourself from death or injury. Wearing a seatbelt while in the car reduces your risk of death by 50 percent automatically. 42 percent of the men and women killed in traffic accidents every year are not wearing seatbelts when they are involved in a fatal accident. A study estimates that more than 1,600 lives could be saved and 22,000 injuries could be prevented if people were more conscious about using their seatbelts. Thankfully, 88 percent of all Americans wore seatbelts in the car last year.

More women wear seatbelts than men, and states that have primary enforcement see more people wearing seatbelts when in the car than those that do not. 18 states have secondary enforcement laws, which mean that the police are allowed to ticket for a lack of a seatbelt if they pull a driver over for another offense and discover that he or she is breaking this law. Make sure to observe safety inside your car if you hope to have a safe drive to your destination!