Interstate Safety Tips to Help Keep Drivers and Passengers Safe

The Michigan State Police and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division will be participating in Operation Safe Driver week which kicks off on Sunday, July 12.

With that in mind, we thought it would be a really good idea to pass along several interstate safety tips to help keep you and your passengers safe.

According to safety.com, an estimated 660,000 Americans use their phones while driving in the U.S. Approximately 9 lives are lost each day in car crashes that involve distracted driving.

These days distracted driving is a very serious issue that seems to happen all the time. Safety when it comes to driving, should be our number one priority.

Here are several safety tips to help keep you and all passengers safe.

1. Buckle Up-It's the first thing I do when I get into my car everyday. If I have any passengers with me I take the time to double check and make sure their seat belts are buckled too. Seat belt use helped save over 14,000 lives in 2016.

2. Put down the cell phone-I have two teenagers and I tell them all the time to turn off their cell phones while driving. Bottom line: It's against the law in some states to text and drive on the interstate. The most important thing you can do is to stay focused while you're on the road.

3. Use the left lane for passing-"always be considerate of other drivers by driving in the right lane and using the left lane for passing." (safety.com) You don't need to be in a hurry driving down the interstate. Show respect for other drivers and let drivers pass on your left.

We've just given you three very important tips on driving safety as we get ready for Operation Safe Driver Week.

For more interstate safety tips, please check out safety.com.