Sadly, we now live in a time when car accidents are dangerously common. It could be because drivers are getting more careless over time, because drunk drivers never learn, or because there is a surge in the number of angry drivers on the road. There are countless reasons and no one is quite sure what to do or how to guarantee their safety on the road. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to do something to change this, though. This is why we’ve gathered 6 tips that can keep you safe on the road.
1. Be a Stickler
The key to being a good driver is not to stay focused all the time, although you should never drive while distracted. At some point, after you’ve learned to drive, it becomes a habit that your brain passively performs without thinking. Being a stickler means that when you’re active driving, try driving as flawlessly as you can. What you actively learn comes naturally when distracted, unfocused, or passive.
2. Keep Your Emotions in Check
We’re all human and it’s normal to get angry and irritated at times. Haven’t we all experienced how one phone call can define an entire day? You might have noticed before that when anxious or angry, a person accelerates and brakes harder than usual. A thing as simple as road rage can, in some states like Tennessee, land you in court. The Chattanooga traffic collision lawyers explain that if you were injured by an overly aggressive driver, you can easily make a case out of it. To be safe, when you feel your emotions getting the best of you, park on the side and calm yourself before you continue driving. Those few minutes can save a life.
3. Get Outside Your Head
While driving, you should try to look at yourself through the other drivers’ eyes. No one knows what you are thinking. The other drivers have no means of knowing when you’ll be taking a turn, when you’ll decide to slow down, and when you’ll decide to overtake someone. An integral part of driving is communicating your decisions to your fellow drivers. Turn signals and smooth braking go a long way. Keeping a distance between you and the other cars helps a lot, as well.
4. Drive Sober
No matter how long you’ve been drinking or how long you’ve been driving, the two activities should never be combined. We’re not saying that if you drive while drunk, you’re guaranteed to get into an accident. Nevertheless, while a sober driver can keep their car in one lane, react properly to anything sudden, and anticipate potential danger, a drunk driver will mostly be unable to react properly to any driving situation and will be jamming along to their music and accelerating when the beat drops.
5. Use Your Headlights
If you’re driving at night, use your headlights for everyone’s sake. Not only will you be able to see better, but the other drivers will also be able to see you. A car with unlit headlights only appears in rearview mirrors when it is too close. So, if you’re driving with unlit headlights on a highway at night and decide to overtake someone, you’re literally placing a gamble on them not deciding to shift lanes. At the same time, make sure that you aren’t using the high beams (strong lights) because, for those driving in the front, it is impossible to see with such a strong light in the rearview mirror.
6. Check the Mirrors
A key part of safe driving is knowing your surroundings and your environment. On the road, cars are always doing something. Whether they are accelerating past you, tailgating, or flashing you for reasons unbeknownst to anyone but them, your job is to know who is doing what. Even if they are at fault, your job is to deal with it on your end. A rule of thumb is to check the mirrors every ten seconds. That way, regardless of who is doing what irrational thing around you, you’ll be aware enough and prepared to react.
To conclude, one of the main things that get in the way of good driving is being unaware of the consequences. With the insane special effects we see in movies, some people find it hard to believe that they, too, are vulnerable to car accidents. Hopefully, you’ll keep those tips in mind next time you go on a drive. Stay safe, drive carefully, and no matter how late you are to that appointment, remember that you can’t be there if you’re dead.