Driving

North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany — Up to half of individuals whose breath alcohol concentration is over the legal limit to operate a vehicle may overestimate their ability to drive, which could trigger “devastating consequences,” according to a recent study out of England and Germany.

Itasca, IL — An estimated 371 people will be killed on the nation’s roads during the Christmas holiday weekend, and another 427 over New Year’s weekend. Many of those lives could be saved, however, if travelers buckled up, the National Safety Council says.

You may not know the name for it, but if you drive at night, you’ve probably experienced situational night blindness. It can occur “when you are temporarily blinded by a bright light such as an oncoming car’s headlights,” the Texas Department of Insurance says.

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council estimates more than 500 people may die on U.S. roads over the upcoming Thanksgiving Day weekend – the highest projection of roadway deaths for the holiday period since 2007.

Washington — Only 1 out of 5 parents and caregivers seek expert help about installing a car seat or securing a child in a seat – and the majority of car seats brought to child passenger safety technicians for inspection aren’t properly installed and used, a recent data review has concluded.

West Lafayette, IN — When young drivers aren’t allowed to have passengers in their vehicle during overnight hours, crashes and related injuries go down significantly, according to researchers from Purdue University and the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy in Germany.

Itasca, IL — The National Safety Council is anticipating a much more deadly Labor Day weekend on the nation’s roads this year.

Quick quiz: Your vehicle is in the middle of an intersection when you see and hear an ambulance approaching. What should you do? Stop, or keep driving through?

Around 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions occur each year on the nation’s roadways, estimates the Humane Society of the United States. How can you avoid becoming part of that statistic?

Charlottesville, VA — Aimed at getting motorists to avoid distracted driving and other unsafe behaviors while behind the wheel, those digital roadway signs with short, quirky messages such as “Get your head out of your apps” and “Mom needs your hug not your text” are hitting their mark, say researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.