Driving on today’s roads can be very dangerous, but there are driving techniques that help make it safer.
By using defensive driving techniques, you significantly reduce your chances of being involved in an injury-sustaining accident.
Read on to learn more about how you can drive defensively and stay safe on the road.
Tips for Driving Defensively
When you utilize defensive driving techniques, you are much more aware of what’s going on around you, and you have much better chances of predicting accidents before they happen.
Use the following defensive driving tips to help avoid being involved in an accident:
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Anything can happen on the road at any time, which is why you should always keep an eye out for unexpected hazards.
Stay Alert
It’s not a good idea to get on the road if you’re unable to be alert and focused. Don’t get behind the wheel if you’re too tired or hungry. Your reaction times are not what they should be when you’re tired and/or hungry.
Neglect Distractions
While cell phones are extremely distracting, they’re not the only distractions that can get in the way of your attention on the road. Eating while driving can be distracting, and passengers in your vehicle may also distract you. Do your best to stay focused on the road, no matter what distractions try to get in your way.
Leave Lots of Distance
You should never follow the vehicle in front of you too closely. A good general rule for leaving plenty of room between vehicles is to provide one car lengths distance for every ten miles per hour (mph) of speed you’re traveling. For instance, if you’re going 60 mph, you should leave six car lengths between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. That way, you’ll have plenty of room to slow down or stop should the car in front of you need to make a panic stop.
Additionally, your driving distance should increase significantly in wet or snowy weather. When roads are wet, you should double the recommended distance between your car and the one ahead of you. Subsequently, when driving on snowy or icy roads, you should leave a football field lengths distance between vehicles, as ice and snow are extremely slippery and make it difficult to slow down and/or come to a stop.
Avoid Aggressive Maneuvers
When making lane changes, be sure to use your signal several moments before you change lanes to let people know what you plan to do before you do it. If someone nearby is making aggressive lane changes, tailgating, speeding, and/or throwing up hand signals, stay away from them.
Aggressive driving can easily lead to catastrophic accidents, so it’s in your best interest to avoid these behaviors. In addition, if an aggressive driver signals for you to pull over, don’t do it. Keep driving. If the car follows you, drive directly to the police station, and chances are they will stop following you.
Expect the Unexpected
No one is perfect, and people make mistakes all the time. Don’t expect that every driver on the road can see you. Don’t expect every driver to stop at every stop sign. A bush or tree branch could be covering the stop sign and cause drivers to blow right by.
Keep in mind there are hazards that suddenly present themselves on the road all the time. Be especially mindful while driving through neighborhoods, as children and pets don’t always think before acting and may run into the street suddenly for various reasons.
We Offer Free Consultations
If you find yourself in need of legal help for an injury-sustaining car accident, look no further than Foley Griffin. We offer free consultations, so there’s no risk involved with making an appointment with us. We have helped countless injury victims receive the compensation they rightly deserve, and we can help you, too. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your case right away. After all, it is your health on the line.
Contact Foley Griffin at (888) 966-8480 to schedule your free and confidential consultation with our Nassau County personal injury attorneys.