3. 1. ALWAYS SLOW DOWN
Slow down
Speeding reduces the time you have to react and increases the
likelihood of you having an accident. The faster you’re going, the
harder it is to slow down. When you can't slow down, you are
risking the possibility of causing an accident.
Remember that police officers often stay hidden from view while
looking for speeders. If you're caught driving too fast, they won't
hesitate to give you a ticket. While this isn’t an accident, it’s
certainly another thing you want to avoid.
4. 2. STAY IN YOUR LANE
Stay in your lane
Defensive driving means letting others go ahead of you and not
defending your position in traffic. Avoid the urge to be a vigilante ("Oh
yeah? Let me show you what it's like to be cut off like that!") and stay
away from weaving and cutting others off by sticking to your lane.
Accept the fact that someone is always going to think they're in more
of a hurry than you. These are the drivers you want to move far away
from. Don't be tempted to “teach them a lesson” – it won't work.
In general, avoid the left lane. It’s where most accidents happen. You
also have more "escape routes" in the right lane should a problem
suddenly arise that requires you to quickly change lanes or pull onto
the shoulder.
5. 3. DRIVE WITH BOTH HANDS ON WHEEL
Drive with both hands on the wheel.
Two hands on the wheel allows you more control over the car
if an emergency situation were to arise. Imagine having one
hand leisurely resting on it when you have to swerve out of
the way – you lose that precious split second in adjusting
your position that could mean the difference between safety
and an accident.
Keep your hands in the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions.
While this isn’t necessarily the most comfortable, this
position does allow you the most flexibility should you
suddenly need to adjust your course.
6. 4. DON’T TAILGATE
Don't tailgate the car in front of you.
No matter how slowly traffic is moving, keep at least two
seconds of following distance between you and the car ahead
of you. Any less and you won't be able to stop in time if the
driver in front of you slams on their brakes.
This is especially important in high traffic times. You may think
the car ahead of you is speeding up significantly, when really
they’re moving forward only to stop again. If you don’t tailgate,
you’ll put less wear on your brakes and save gas, too. All that
stopping and starting isn’t good for your vehicle
7. 5. USE YOUR SIGNALS PROPERLY
Use your signals properly.
Always use your signal, even if you think no one is there.
When changing lanes on the freeway, don't signal as an
afterthought or during the lane change.
Signal at least a couple of seconds in advance so others
know what you're going to do before you do it and can
account for your actions should there be an issue.
Ever notice how most of the skid marks along the
highway are just before an exit ramp? This is where you
have to be the most careful.
8. 6. KEEP YOUR EYES MOVING
Keep your eyes moving
Don't get in the habit of staring at the back of the car
ahead of you. Periodically shift your eyes to the side-view
mirrors, the rear-view mirror, and ahead to where you'll
be in 10-15 seconds. Doing this, you can spot a
potentially dangerous situation before it happens.
This can help you predict what traffic is going to do.
Looking at the cars a few ahead of you will let you know
whether you’ll have to soon hit the brakes or not.
This will help you monitor your blind spot as well, which
makes it much easier to know if the lane changes you
want to make are safe.
9. 7. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT
Always wear a seat belt.
This is a must, no matter where you are, what kind of car you're
driving, or where you're driving to. By law in many countries, all
cars must have a safety restraint and it must be used. Buckling
up only takes a second and can save your life in an accident.
Children should always be in a booster seat or car seat until
they are tall enough and heavy enough to sit by themselves.
This generally includes children age eight and under.
Never put a child in a car or booster seat in the front passenger
seat or other seat with airbags. Children should generally be
12 and older when sitting in the front passenger seat.
11. 1. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING, ONLY DRIVE
When you're driving, only drive
Pull over if you need to talk on the phone, read directions,
eat a snack, or mess with your iPod or CD player. It only
takes a second or two of distraction to get into trouble, to
miss that obstacle in the middle of the road or the car in
front of you coming to a jarring halt. The last thing you want
is your mind and hands busy when an emergency situation
arises.
This is important to keep yourself accountable, but it's also
important to keep away from others that aren't so careful. Giving
driving 100% of your concentration will help you avoid the drivers
that are texting, eating, or not really paying active attention.
12. 2. AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT
Avoid driving at night
Most accidents happen at night or in the wee hours of the
morning.
Here’s why:
It is more difficult to see, regardless of the weather.
You and other drivers are more tired.
Your reaction times are slower, making driving overall more
dangerous.
You will have the greatest chance of meeting up with a drunk
driver at night.
13. 3. DON’T TEXT OR TALK ON PHONE
Don’t text or talk on the phone while driving
If your eyes are on your phone or your thoughts are anywhere
else other than on the road, you’re more likely to get into an
accident.
Approximately one quarter of all traffic accidents are related to
cell phone use. That's 25% – or 3 million crashes.
14. 4. TRY TO AVOID DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER
Try to avoid driving in bad weather
Inclement weather – be it fog, wind, rain, or snow – means your
car can’t perform as normal and neither can the cars around
you (regardless of how good a driver you are or those around you
are). And even if no one is around you, you still run the risk of
having a weather-related accident.
Here's a few things to keep in mind:
Always keep your windshield wipers going in the rain or snow
Defrost your windshield to keep it from fogging up
Turn on your headlights to help others to see you
If possible, try to avoid driving in the snow.
15. 5. DON’T DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE TIRED
Don’t drive when you’re tired, whether it’s night or not
When you're tired (especially if you fall asleep easily or
have narcolepsy), your reaction time is impaired. Your
brain isn't firing on all cylinders and you drive on
autopilot, unable to take in all the stimuli around you.
When that happens, you are more likely to put yourself in
a dangerous situation without even realizing it.
Be aware that some medications can cause drowsiness
and make operating a vehicle very dangerous. If you've
started a new medication, ask your doctor if it is still safe
to drive.
16. 6. NEVER GET INTO, WITH A DRUNK DRIVER
Never get into a car with a drunk driver
It is always best to have a "designated driver.” If someone
you're with wants to drive and they've been drinking, don't let
them. There are taxis, public transit, and people you can call
for assistance. There is no reason to drive when alcohol is on
the scene.
Never drive after you have had alcoholic beverages either.
Even one beer can alter your ability to drive safely. After all,
buzzed driving is drunk driving, especially to the cops.
17. 7. WATCH OUT FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES
Watch out for approaching emergency vehicles
These vehicles (primarily Fire Department vehicles and
ambulances) can override the normal pattern of traffic
signals in some circumstances.
Even if your light is green, you shouldn't go. Some cities have
the technology to turn your light red, but others don't.
If you're in a situation where you're moving forward, move to
the right onto the shoulder to let them pass.
19. 1. KEEP YOUR TIRES PROPERLY INFLATED
Keep your tires properly inflated. According to a recent study,
five percent of all vehicles experience tire problems
immediately before a crash.
Tires that are underinflated by more than 25 percent are
three times more likely to be involved in a crash related to tire
problems than vehicles with proper inflation.
What’s more, tires underinflated up to 25 percent run the risk
of overheating, leading to failure, and at the very least
adversely affecting handling and tread life
20. 2. GO IN REGULAR TUNE – UPS (SERVICE)
Go in for regular tune-ups
When your car is in tiptop shape, the likelihood of you getting
into an accident due to a technical malfunction is greatly
reduced.
You can't prevent the weather, but you can prevent your car
from causing your next accident.
Get your brakes checked. A sure fire way to get into an
accident is to have your brakes go out on you. Get your brake
lining checked by your mechanic the next time you’re in for a
tune-up.
21. 3. KEEP YOUR WINDSHIELD & MIRRORS CLEAN
Keep your windshield and mirrors clean
Simply enough, to avoid accidents, you’ve got to be able to
see. With your vision even slightly impaired, you could lose
that split second you need to adjust your course and put
yourself in danger.
Keep the mirrors positioned well, too. If you can’t see what’s
behind you, next to you, or in your blind spot, you’re much,
much more likely to get into a car accident.
22. 4. REPLACE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Replace your windshield wipers regularly
In the event that you run into bad weather (snow or rain), it’s
imperative that your windshield wipers work well.
If they don’t, you won’t be able to see out of your car and
properly determine what’s in front of you and how far away it
is.
The accident you could get you might not even see coming
