One of the things you will hear repeatedly when you are first learning to drive is necessity to drive defensively. You must understand the function of road safety products to do this.
This does not imply that you should constantly be on edge and anticipate mishaps. It does, however, imply that you must pay attention to what other drivers are doing in your immediate vicinity and try to predict their next moves. Not only this, but you also need to memorize the purposes of road safety goods like rubber wheel stopper, studs, barriers, etc. and act accordingly. This will enable you to prevent several fender benders, something you do not want to happen.
Driving Tips to Avoid Accidents
1. Always Be Aware of your Surrounding
“That automobile just showed up!” If you’ve heard someone discuss what transpired in a car accident, you’ve probably heard those phrases a lot. You can’t always see everything that’s going on around you. Because of this, it’s crucial to constantly check your mirrors and carefully inspect intersections before you travel through them. Defensive driving involves developing the habit of quickly scanning intersecting roadways as you approach them to prevent being T-boned by a negligent motorist who isn’t paying attention to their red light. To react promptly, the aim is to constantly predict where cars will be a few seconds from now.
2. Break Quickly
Defensive Drive involves braking early and leaving more space between you and the automobiles in front of you than you think you’ll need. It’s wise to slow down a bit earlier than usual, especially when the roads are slick. After deciding to use the brakes, be prepared for it to take two or three times longer to come to a complete stop. This offers you more space to stop if a driver in front of you suddenly stops, and it also gives drivers in the back of you more notice that you are pausing when they see your brake lights.
3. Don’t Forget to Buckle Up!
Car seat belts save lives. When worn correctly, they guard you against being hurled around the cabin of a collision automobile, or worse, thrown through the windshield and ejected outside the car.
Everyone has heard horror stories of people who lost their lives in weird, unanticipated circumstances yet may have lived if they had been using a seat belt. Anyone can have a greater chance of surviving car accidents if he/she is buckled up.
Even in low-speed incidents, unbelted passengers’ risk being flung against the dashboard or side windows and suffering severe head injuries or broken bones. Unbelted drivers at higher speeds lead to suffering horrifyingly terrible injuries from being thrown through the windshield, being struck by other cars after landing on the road or crashing into a tree or a house at 50 mph (80 kph). Not good, does it? Then, buckle your seatbelt.
4. Take Extra Caution in Inclement Weather
When travelling through dense fog, drenching rain, a snowstorm, or on ice roads, proceed with utmost caution. To lower your speed to the allowed limit, use all the other suggestions discussed in this article. Allow more space between your car and the one in front of you. If you can, give someone experience with the weather and the responsibility of driving if you must drive in bad weather. Weather worsens, find a safe place to wait out the storm.
If you intentionally or unintentionally drive off the road while driving in a snowy or foggy environment, turn off your lights. When they can’t see the road, drivers look for other vehicles to follow on the highway. When they see your lights, they’ll start driving in your direction without realising you aren’t moving fast enough to prevent a crash.
5. Make an Escaping Plan
This is a capability that develops with time. Even though you may be a fantastic driver, you can never be sure of what other drivers will do. Only you are worth trusting!
A typical driving situation might also be swiftly transformed into a driving emergency by outside forces. Imagine a dog crosses the road, and everyone hits the brakes hard. Or perhaps someone experiences a tyre explosion and spins out of control. Where are you headed? How will you proceed? And maybe more significantly, how can you reasonably prepare for any driving situation at any time? Examine alternatives.
Be Safe!
Maintenance of vehicle is a critical safety problem as well as a vital strategy to extend the life of automobiles. State-mandated vehicle inspections address several maintenance concerns. The mechanic examining your automobile will inform you what must be fixed if it is unsafe. Car owners must be aware of any potential safety issues and have them fixed. Before they cause an accident because it may be a year or more between inspections.