Ramadan is almost here. In Saudi Arabia that means that the number of car accidents will rise. When people are fasting they may feel tired. This can make it harder for them to be alert and watch other cars on the road. Sometimes during Ramadan people are in a hurry to get to places. Speeding drivers aren't safe drivers. When tired or speeding drivers meet on the road with distracted drivers, really big car accidents can happen. Distracted drivers are drivers who are doing other activities at the same time that they are driving. Those activities could be talking on the phone, sending text messages or seeing what a child is doing in the back seat. Kids can help a lot to prevent traffic accidents during Ramadan. Children should always wear a seat belt and sit quietly in the back seat of the car when the car is on the road. There should never be any fighting or shouting in the car. Babies should be placed in special car seats during a drive. If a baby starts crying, an older brother or sister can softly sing a little song or give the baby a toy. After a little while the baby will sleep. It's okay if the people riding in the car use a cell phone but it's never okay if the driver is using a cell phone - not even for talking. Why? Because when the driver is talking, texting, watching videos or reading messages on the cell phone, he's not thinking 100 percent about driving. Did you know that drivers text messaging on a cell phone are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or almost have a crash compared to drivers not texting? Some people think that using an ear phone or headset to talk while in the car is okay, but it's not. The part of the brain that understands the images sent by our eyes gets 1/3 slower when talking or listening on a phone. Drivers looking out the windshield can miss seeing up to 50 percent of what's around them when talking on any kind of cell phone. International research shows that up to 30 percent of all car accidents are caused by the driver not giving 100 percent attention to driving. If the driver of the car you're in, even if that driver is your father, is using a cell phone while driving, speak up nicely and ask him to stop. Tell him the facts about cell phones and driving dangers. If you're too shy to speak up, cut out this article or print it out and give it to the driver. You'll be doing a good thing to help keep us all safer. http://elementarysafety.com/colouring-pages/car-safety
