Buckle Up: It's the law. Besides, safety belts and restraint systems have saved countless lives. Make a habit of it, and be sure to check and make sure everyone else in your vehicle is buckled up as well. Additionally, don't forget to use the required safety seating for your children. Age/size-appropriate car seats and booster seats are available in many locations in many price ranges, and there are programs which help with providing child safety seats for those who need financial assistance. Also, when installing a child safety seat, be sure to read the directions so that you are certain you've installed it in your vehicle properly.

Following too closely is the number one cause of crashes in the City of Morrow. In 2006, there were 719 total motor vehicle crashes inside the City. One hundred twenty-nine of those crashes involved injuries. Of the total crashes, 295 were a result of a driver following another vehicle too closely.

While many accidents occur as a result of following too closely, many more drivers risk their own safety, as well as the safety of other drivers, by driving too close to the vehicle in front of them. Most of the time, this is not an intentional act, but instead this occurs primarily when drivers are distracted. Following too closely is also an indicator of an aggressive driver, or sometimes a precursor to "road rage".

So how do you know when you are following too closely? According to Georgia Law, (O.C.G.A. 40-6-49), "The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway."

So what is reasonable and prudent? How do you know if you have given "due regard" for the speed of the vehicles?

The safest thing to do is use the two-second rule, which is mentioned in the State of Georgia Drivers Handbook. It states, "Watch the car ahead of you. When it passes some reference point such as a telephone pole, count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two. If you pass the same spot before you are through counting, you are following too closely." This is a good general rule to avoid following too closely. Of course, this is for ideal driving conditions. In inclement weather, or situations where visibility is reduced, you need to allow more time to stop.