Safe driving tips to remember
Introduction
Driving is a skill that takes time to learn. But you can be a safer driver and avoid some common mistakes by following these tips.
Don’t tailgate.
Tailgating is dangerous, illegal and, worst of all, it breeds road rage. If you’re following too closely behind another car, you could end up in an accident or even suffer injuries yourself. Even worse: tailgating can lead to fatalities.
It’s never a good idea to follow more than two seconds behind the car in front of you—especially when driving at high speeds or on slick roads like ice or snow.
Always use your turn signals.
Your turn signals are the most important tool for communicating with other drivers. Always use them when you’re about to change lanes, turn or merge on an interstate, etc. Signals let other drivers know what you’re doing and when you are slowing down. This is especially true at night and in bad weather conditions where visibility is limited and it’s harder to see what other cars are doing. You can help avoid accidents by using your signals consistently and accurately so that all drivers on the road know what you’re doing at any given time!
Maintain a safe speed.
It’s important to maintain a safe speed at all times, especially when driving on the highway or in heavy traffic. For example, when you are driving at night and there is very little visibility due to poor weather conditions, it might be safer for you to slow down so that you don’t miss any obstacles along the road. Likewise, if there are construction zones ahead and traffic has been reduced to slow speeds, you should also stay within these limits until they end.
To help prevent accidents while driving in inclement weather (or any time), follow these steps:
- Maintain a safe speed
- Increase your distance between yourself and other vehicles on the road
- Slow down gradually—don’t slam on your brakes
Don’t drive distracted.
- Don’t drive distracted.
- Like we mentioned above, it’s illegal to drive while using your phone and texting, so don’t do it.
- Don’t eat or drink while driving.
- Don’t wear headphones while driving.
- Don’t drive while tired or impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Use cruise control when safe to do so.
Cruise control is a great tool that allows you to focus on other things while driving. However, it is not meant for all situations. Avoid using cruise control when:
- Heavy traffic or bad weather are present. Cruise control can’t account for other vehicles’ braking or speed, so use caution in these conditions.
- You’re on curvy roads and hills where your speed needs to change frequently as well as straight roads with many stoplights and stop signs due to traffic lights at intersections along the way (which may cause your car’s speed to drop below the set level), since it won’t automatically accelerate back up once you hit the accelerator again—you’ll have to manually do this yourself!
If you still wish to use this feature despite these warnings, please keep these safety tips in mind:
Adjust for the weather.
- Adjust for the weather.
The weather can affect your car’s performance. In cold weather, you may need to run the heater for longer periods of time and make more frequent stops so you don’t run out of gas. When it’s hot outside, you should plan on having water bottles on hand to stay hydrated and take frequent breaks in air-conditioned buildings or your own car with the windows down if possible. If there is rain or snow in the forecast, make sure your wipers are working properly and have windshield wiper fluid available in case they start to streak.
Adjust for the conditions on the road and with your car.
- Adjust for the conditions on the road and with your car.
- Stay in your lane, even if it’s not an ideal one.
- Stay at a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid collision.
Keep good tires on your car.
The tires on your vehicle are the only thing between you and the road. They help to maintain good traction, control vehicle speed, and stop safely if necessary.
New tires should be replaced every 6 years or so; however, this can vary depending on how often you drive your car. If it sits in a parking lot for most of its life then you may want to replace them more frequently than someone who drives theirs all over town every day.
Tires should also be properly inflated when driving – not too much (over-inflated) or not enough (under-inflated). A good rule of thumb is that tires will lose 1 psi per month while they’re sitting unused in storage so it’s important to check them before driving again!
To check if your tires are okay there are several things to inspect: tread depth; sidewalls; condition of treads/sidewalls; etcetera…
Conclusion
These are some of the most important driving tips to remember. They all come from our own experiences as drivers, and we hope that they’ve helped you become a better driver too! Remember, there’s no reason not to follow these tips when it comes down to keeping yourself safe on the road.