When you’re behind the wheel of a car, whether alone or with a passenger, chances are that your primary concern is safety and getting where you’re headed. And rightfully so! Nowadays, with so many bad roadways and drunk drivers behind the wheel, people on the road are more exposed than ever before.
For that reason, it’s critical to know the principles of driving safety and follow them each time you get behind the wheel. By following these necessary safety recommendations, you and the passengers in your car can avoid getting into accidents and possibly life-threatening situations. Without further ado, here’s how to protect yourself on the road.
Driving is all about knowing what’s up ahead, so make sure that you know and follow the guide signs along the road which are there to protect you and others from accidents in many different forms and ways. For example, if you see the stop sign in front of you, you should immediately lower the speed of driving and eventually stop your vehicle, instead of driving right through the sign.
Similarly, if you know what a yield sign means, then you’ll know when it’s safe to go through or not. And if you know what a speed limit sign means, then you won’t speed past it and get a ticket from a police officer, if not worse. Know how to read and respect road signs and you’ll dramatically lower the chances of getting into a freak roadway accident.
Wear your seat belt every time you drive, and make sure everyone in your car does, too. In fact, wearing seat belts protects us in the event of a crash and can reduce the risk of death by about a half.
Make sure everyone is buckled up before you start driving, even if you’re just going around the block. The law requires all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt or child restraint. The fine for not wearing a seat belt can cost you a fortune, more than double the fine for speeding.
If your vehicle is in good condition, it will have fewer mechanical problems and be less likely to cause an accident. You can check for problems by taking your car to a mechanic for regular maintenance checks.
If you’re not sure what kind of repairs your vehicle may need, consider bringing it to a mechanic who can give you an inspection report. This can help identify problems that need fixing immediately, such as worn tires or faulty brakes, so that you don’t have to worry about them later on down the road when they could become more serious problems.
Tires are important because they provide traction between your vehicle and the road surface during braking and acceleration maneuvers. Worn tires are more likely to slip on wet or icy roads, which makes them more dangerous than new tires would be under similar conditions.
For that reason, it’s important to check your tire pressure every month or so to ensure they’re properly inflated and in good shape. You can test your tire pressure by using a gauge at a gas station or auto parts store. If you have any concerns about your tires’ condition, visit a mechanic for an inspection.
One of the most dangerous situations that drivers face is when they come up behind another vehicle and cannot see what’s happening in the other vehicle’s blind spot. This can lead to rear-end collisions where neither driver saw the other coming until it was too late. Stay alert and pay attention to the road so that you can avoid this kind of situation in advance.
The most common distractions while driving include texting, eating while driving, and even fiddling with your phone (unless it’s hands-free). Anything that takes your attention away from the road is dangerous, so don’t do it! You should also avoid putting on makeup while driving or applying lipstick/lip balm while driving, these things are just as distracting as anything else and shouldn’t be done while driving.
After a lifetime of driving, there’s still no one way to avoid accidents. Each particular situation is unique, and your ability to adapt to such situations can be the difference between life and death. Never relax your guard on the road, you will have to drive safely every time, otherwise, you could perish in an accident.
Fortunately, the basic safety principles outlined above are simple enough; they’re fundamental aspects of driving that are always useful to follow, even when times get tough. Never drive distracted, always wear your seatbelt, and respect other drivers on the roads (and vice versa) and you’ll be able to drive safely for years and years to come.
