The Fourth of July is next week, and with it comes beer, barbeques, and fireworks. Unfortunately, the Fourth of July is also notorious for car accidents, particularly with young drivers. There is no way to guarantee a safe drive on Fourth of July just like there’s no way to guarantee safety on any other day of the year, but by practicing common sense when driving, many accidents can be avoided.

Buckle Up: Yes, it’s been said time and time again, but when you’re heading out to a cook-out or to see the fireworks, it can be easy to pile too many people into a car. People end up sitting on each other’s laps, and not everyone has a seatbelt. If your group plans on driving anywhere else during the day, make sure that there are enough seats for everyone and enough designated drivers for multiple cars.

Don’t Drink and Drive: Don’t do it. Seriously, just don’t. I don’t know how to be clearer about this point. Don’t drink and drive. End of story.

…or Text…or Anything Else: Moms and Dads always say, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I don’t trust everyone else,” and there is some truth to this saying. You might be able to drive competently while talking on your phone or texting when the traffic around you is calm, but the true test is whether you can quickly respond to an emergency while talking on the phone or texting. Can you text and still drive in a straight line? Maybe. Can you text and have the proper response time when the car in front of you suddenly stops? No. When you drive, focus solely on driving. Everything else can wait until you are out of the car.

Are you looking to get a new car this Fourth of July, but you have poor credit or no credit? Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest from Approved Loan Store by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net