Toyota Safety features – prevent an accident before it happens

July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month – here’s how we can all do better on the roads and utilize safety features of Toyota cars.

Where would any of us be without our cell phones? An essential part of our everyday lives, they allow us to video chat with friends and family from anywhere in, keep an eye on our Jacksonville homes while on vacation or at work, order food delivery or order a car to drive us home in Yulee or neighboring town. But there are dangers of using them while trying to drive.

The statistics are even worse for teen drivers.

For every mile driven, new teen drivers (ages 16-17 years old) are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults. Since these are inexperienced drivers, they aren’t as used to driving and navigating traffic and road conditions, which puts them in greater danger than an adult with decades of driving experience. Here are some of the most dangerous driving hazards for teen drivers in downtown Jacksonville:

• Speeding. Speed is a leading factor in crashes for teens. Teens tend to be impatient and want to get to their destination quickly. This, coupled with their inexperience can often lead to car crashes.
• Distracted driving.  Teens are already somewhat green behind the wheel and add to this the noise of other teens in the car, loud music and this could lead to a hazardous drive. Texting and playing with an infotainment system can be problematic if they are by themselves as well.
• Drowsy driving. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving, and teens have the highest risk given that they have a hard time getting the enough sleep and are more prone to drowsiness.

Toyota is a trusted brand, known for reliability and safety. Toyota knows that drivers will often need to make use of their cell phones while driving, so they incorporated some safety measures that will keep the drivers safe while driving and using their cell phones.

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Top 5 features of Toyota’s Safety Sense are:

1. Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection – this feature helps drivers to sense the possible collision and also gives a sign of a pedestrian around.
2. Lane Departure Assist and Lane Tracing Assist- helps the driver to maintain his/her lane, so even when a driver is on their phone, and may lose focus this feature will help put him back on the right track.
3. The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control keeps and maintains a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
4. Road Sign Assist – helps alert a driver to upcoming traffic changes or speed limit change.
5.  The Bluetooth technology in the car also gives you a hand-free engagement with your phone when driving.

Speaking hands free, voice to text or even checking your cell at a stop light still distract from your primary objective: driving.

• Do not discuss emotional or traumatizing issues when driving. The best safety measure to take on such occasions is to pull over.
• Avoid sending texts with your hands while driving and get familiar with your vehicle’s safety measure technology to avoid struggling with it while on the road.
• Also, set up your phone and vehicle’s connection to hands free and pull up any map assistance before setting out on your journey.

Even though Toyota has taken necessary precautions to ensure the drivers’ safety as much as possible, it is important that cell phones should only be used when necessary.