The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate the birth of our country, our freedom and our independence, but it is also a very dangerous day for anyone getting into a car. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found, by analyzing crash and accident data, that July 4 is the deadliest day to be on the road. Millions of Americans are traveling for the holiday this year, and many of them are doing so by car, which is why it is so important for drivers to take extra precautions whether they're taking a long trip or just driving to a friend's house in town.

According to the recent IIHS data, 670 fatal accidents occurred on July 4 in 2007 through 2011, which means an average of 134 people died each year on Independence Day. The Allstate Foundation issued a press release urging all drivers, especially teens, to abstain from unsafe behaviors behind the wheel such as texting and other distractions. Parents can talk to their teens about the dangers of distracted driving, but Allstate suggests one of the best courses of action can be to practice what they preach. If teens see their parents using phones while they drive, the youngsters are far more likely to follow suit than if Mom and Dad keep their phones out of reach while driving. The same is true for wearing seatbelts and obeying speed limits and other traffic laws.

In addition to safe driving, having a car that runs well can help improve a person's safety on the road this July Fourth. It is important to keep up with regular maintenance and routine oil changes to avoid suffering a breakdown or encountering other problems while driving. If your car is beyond repair, you might want to consider trading it in for a better model, and New Jersey State Auto Auction has plenty of used cars, trucks and SUVs to choose from in time for this Independence Day.