Every year, there are hundreds of thousands of road accidents. Many, if not most of these, could be prevented by some simple defensive driving measures. However, knowing what that involves is half the battle. Read on to discover what you can do to be safer on our roads.
See and Be Seen
Being able to see on the road can make a big difference in how safe you are. As a result, many people are turning to LED driving lights. With them, you can look forward to far more visibility at night, especially when driving on poorly-lit country lanes and roads. What’s more, LEDs last tens of thousands of hours, giving you full confidence that they will shine the way for years to come.
Alongside seeing, you also have to be seen. Use appropriate lighting when driving at night, in fog, or adverse weather conditions.
Drive to the Conditions
In an ideal world, we’d just stay home if the roads looked dangerous, or it was raining or snowing outside. However, with errands to run and jobs to show up for, that’s not always possible. In saying that, you can become a far safer driver by driving to the conditions.
Turn your lights on to make yourself easily visible, and go easy on the brakes. Drive at slower speeds, and maintain a reasonable distance behind other vehicles.
Stick to the Speed Limit
The economic cost of speeding-related crashes is over $40 billion annually in the United States alone. That’s without even considering the emotional and physical toll on victims. Therefore, one of the most straightforward steps you can take to become a safer driver is sticking to the speed limit.
Speeding is one of the leading causes of accidents, claiming thousands of lives every year. Always pay attention to the posted speed limit, and stick within it to keep yourself and others on the road as safe as possible.
Avoid Tailgating
When you first start to drive, you learn to maintain a distance of at least three seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. By doing so, you’ve got time to react if the driver brakes unexpectedly. In poor weather conditions, double that to six seconds or more if it makes you more confident.
If you find yourself being tailgated, then there are appropriate ways to deal with the tailgater. Pull over and allow them to pass. You can also switch lanes, if you’re able to do so, to allow the tailgater to pass safely.
Make Sure Your Vehicle is Safe
The safer your vehicle is on the road, the safer you can be in the event of an accident. Most cars have a safety star rating, and the higher that score is, the safer the car is. If your vehicle is old, worn, and possibly in need of replacement soon, don’t forget to factor vehicle safety ratings into your decision-making process when the time comes to buy a new one.
Some of the safest vehicles on the road have airbags, forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, rear-view video systems, lane departure systems, and tire pressure monitoring systems.
Anyone can be a safe driver. The unfortunate reality is that not all of us are. Take note of the steps above, and improve your chances of remaining safe on the road. Invest in better vehicle lighting to illuminate dark roads, and always stick to the speed limit. Don’t forget to maintain a safe following distance, drive to the conditions, and invest in reliable cars.
