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The warmer weather means longer days, backyard barbecues and weekends away. Before setting out on the open road,
make sure you and your vehicle are ready for the journey ahead. Hankook Tire took a look at driving trends and behaviors to
identify what drivers do (or forget to do) to keep safe on the road this season.
One of the easiest ways to avoid accidents, wrong turns or other highway mishaps is to stay
focused. Cell phones are most often responsible for distracted driving, according to the latest
Hankook Tire Gauge Index. One-third (33 percent) of Americans regularly take phone calls
while on the road, and one in 10 drivers (11 percent) admit to texting while driving. To help put
this risk into perspective, the National Highway Trafc Safety Administration reports texting
while driving on the highway is equivalent to driving blindfolded for the length of an entire
football eld. Promising news for drivers is that the Gauge also found that nearly one-half (49
percent) of drivers use Bluetooth, dictation or do-not-disturb features while driving to maintain
better focus while on the road.
As automotive technology continues to advance, cars are constantly updated with the latest and
greatest to make your time behind the wheel more comfortable, more efcient and safer. Over one-
third (34 percent) of drivers reported their vehicles are equipped with a rear view camera, and 26
percent have adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts the vehicle's speed to maintain
a safe driving distance. While 73 percent of Americans nd these enhanced safety features very
useful, the Gauge Index found that more than half (57 percent) of drivers don't actually use them.
Regardless of the features in your car, it's important to not let the summer fun distract you from
checking rear and side view mirrors, blind spots and speed.