If you are a driver, you have to be aware of the risks you are taking. This is why it is important to follow a few simple tips to make sure you stay safe while driving.
One of the most important safety tips is to keep your speed down. This is because higher speeds increase your chances of losing control of your car if something goes wrong.
Safety First
Whether you’re new to the driving game or a seasoned veteran, safety first is always the best way to go. Keeping your eyes on the road and using your brain are critical to safe driving, but there are other factors you should take into consideration, too.
Luckily, advances in technology and design have led to safer vehicles that can help you stay focused on the task at hand. These tips are simple, but may make a big difference in your driving experience.
Avoid distractions
The number one cause of motor vehicle crashes is driver error, so it’s important to keep your focus on the road and avoid giving in to temptation. Texting and talking on the phone are common culprits, but it’s also a good idea to avoid eating or playing with your music system while you’re behind the wheel.
Be aware of your surroundings
A savvy driver will know what’s coming around the corner or what the next lane change is going to be, and will adjust accordingly. This can be especially crucial if you’re on a busy highway.
Have a solid understanding of all road signs, safety signals and pavement markings. This will allow you to make informed decisions and avoid making a potentially dangerous mistake, like failing to see a pedestrian crossing in front of you.
Be careful with your brakes
A good driver knows when to slow down and when to accelerate. This will prevent unnecessary damage and keep you from becoming involved in a crash, and will save you money on repairs.
You should also be prepared for the worst case scenario. Have a back-up plan in case you are caught up in an accident or need to leave your car temporarily. This can include a flashlight, flares and an emergency kit in your trunk.
Keep Your Speed Down
Speeding is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel. It can lead to serious injuries and even death.
Driving too fast can also cause you to miss something that you should have noticed, such as an approaching car or a pedestrian. It can also increase your stress level, impede your judgment and make you prone to road rage.
If you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, try to leave early or take public transportation, and then you’ll be less likely to speed. You can also reduce your stress and anger by practicing calming exercises, such as breathing routines or listening to calming music on the radio.
It’s also important to keep your speed down when there are other vehicles on the road, especially if you’re traveling on narrow roads. Allow the driver in front of you to pass when possible, or find a safe place to stop every fifteen minutes or so to let them pass.
Similarly, you should slow down when it’s slippery on the road. Slippery surfaces, including shady areas and frost on bridges, can make it difficult to control your car or prevent you from stopping safely.
When driving on a road with lots of traffic, it’s best to use cruise control rather than the accelerator. This will automatically slow your vehicle when you approach a corner, giving you more control.
You can also use satellite navigation to give you an alert if you’re too fast for the road. This can be a useful tool, particularly when you’re new to a city or don’t have an understanding of the local speed limits.
A lot of people start speeding when they’re stressed or angry. This can be difficult to detect, but it’s important to keep your speed down when you’re feeling these emotions.
Have an Escape Route
Having an escape route when you’re driving is essential for safety and peace of mind. You may not have time to react in the event of a hazard developing on your route, so you’ll need an alternate path of travel.
For example, if a vehicle suddenly moves into your lane, you’ll need to be able to respond quickly and safely. This can happen for a number of reasons, including if another driver passes you without slowing down or if you encounter a car that’s speeding.
You also need to have an escape route in case of a fire or other emergency. This is because people may have less than a minute to evacuate a building in the event of a fire.
An escape route is a specific path of escape that leads from any point in a building to a final exit. It should not only be safe for the person escaping but also be suitable for rapid rescue by firefighters.
The route must be free from smoke and other gases that could cause incapacitation, as well as fire and heat that can make it difficult or impossible for someone to escape. Smoke and heat can also hinder the ability of firefighters to reach the fire, or to search for people still inside the building.
If you’re unsure of whether your property has an adequate escape route, check the requirements in your local authority’s housing code for your type of dwelling. If your property has multiple occupied storeys, it should have more than one escape route in addition to the primary escape route from the main entrance door.
As a rule, you should have two escape routes from every bedroom and living area in your premises. The front door is the primary escape route, but it is important to have a secondary exit from each bedroom and living area in case the primary escape route becomes impassable.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Driving is not just about navigating the traffic flow in front of you; it’s also about being aware of what is happening around you. That includes drivers who are speeding, changing lanes, weaving into your lane or not using their signals.
When you drive, you should always be thinking about what is going on around you so that you can take pro-active steps to avoid an accident or incident. A key part of being aware of your surroundings is scanning your car’s mirrors and looking further than just the car ahead of you.
This means looking about 10-15 seconds ahead so that you can see potential hazards early on, and it also includes making sure that you leave enough space between yourself and other vehicles to avoid a collision. This gives you the time you need to brake if another driver makes an error or to maneuver around something that may present a hazard.
You should always have a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you, and this is especially important when visibility is poor or in traffic. Try to keep a three-second following distance in normal conditions, and increase it to six seconds if you’re traveling at night or in bad weather.
A hazard can be anywhere from the road ahead of you to a car on your left or right side. This means that you should be scanning your car’s mirrors, looking to the left and right, and looking far down the road. If you develop a habit of staring at anything – including the road hazard that you see up ahead – this can be dangerous.
Follow the 3-Second Rule
The 3-second rule is an important safety rule that helps to decrease the risk of rear-end collisions when driving. It is easy to follow, and will help you to develop good driving habits that can reduce your chances of getting in an accident.
To follow the 3-second rule, one needs to pick a fixed object, such as a speed limit sign, tree or lamppost and count when the vehicle in front of them passes that object. The vehicle in front of them should pass the object in about three seconds, which is an ideal amount of time for a driver to react and stop.
This can be difficult to judge in a heavy traffic or stop-and-go setting, but it is still an effective rule to follow. The rule can be applied at speeds as low as 35 mph, and it increases to 200 feet at 45 mph and 243 feet at 55 mph.
In addition, drivers should increase their following distance during high-speed scenarios, such as highways and open stretches of country roads. This will allow them to react and stop more quickly if another driver suddenly brakes or slows down.
Rear-end collisions are among the most common accidents on the road, and they are caused by drivers not leaving enough space between their vehicles. This can cause drivers to miss their stop signs and hit the back of the car in front of them.
It is important to remember that the 3-second rule is not a fixed rule and is not always appropriate for all drivers. It can be helpful to adjust your following distance as necessary for the conditions you are in at any given time.