10 Tips for safer driving

When you get in a vehicle to drive, it is usually for one of two reasons: to go somewhere or drive around leisurely. In either case, it is assumed you want to reach your destination without being involved in an accident. The following are ten tips for safer driving will increase your chances of reaching your destination without your involvement in an accident. For the most part these tips are common sense.

1. If the weather outside is frightful, stay at home, stay at home and finally stay at home! Adverse weather conditions increase your odds of being involved in an accident. Is your trip necessary? Can it wait until the conditions get better?

2. If you do have to drive in the bad weather conditions, pay attention to the surface on which are driving? Are the roads snowy or icy? Are they wet? Is there oil on the road? If so, are the water and oil creating slick roads? Are you driving on a muddy road?

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3. When the driving conditions are not favorable, avoid going to fast. Whether sight is limited due to fog or the roads have become slick, allow yourself enough time to stop. Increasing your stopping distance will give you time to react better to a bad situation.

4. Speaking of stopping, whether you are in good or bad weather conditions, always leave one car length to the car in front of you. That way, if your vehicle is hit from behind, you will have enough time to steer away from the vehicle in front of you (assuming you are hit hard enough to reach the next vehicle).

5. Concentrate on driving. Avoid distractions like eating or drinking, changing radio stations, disruptive passengers, and talking on cell phones. Try eating or drinking before you leave or stop and eat somewhere. Choose your radio station before you start driving.

Before you go anywhere, let your passengers know your rules. You are driving, so you are in charge. Also, chances are your strict rules will be better than walking. So, I am pretty sure you will get your way. And cell phones have a place. They should be used for emergencies only. If you need to carry on a conversation, pull off to the side of the road until you are finished. And resume driving when you finish your conversation.

6. Another way to concentrate on driving is to keep your eyes moving at all times. First, of all, this will keep you from going into a dazed, hypnotic state. Also, you will be able to keep track of your speed and the traffic that is around you.

7. Speaking of keeping track of the traffic around you, check your blind spots before changing lanes. Sometimes vehicles sneak into your blind spots. A momentary peek is all that is necessary to keep you from an accident.

8. While we discuss changing or merging into other lanes of traffic: merge with the speed of traffic. Merging not only affects you and the vehicle you are getting in front of, but this action also has ramifications on the vehicles behind the other vehicle. Here is an example: when you are going up a ramp to merge onto the interstate, do not wait until the end of the ramp to 'floor' your gas pedal to go 55, 65, or 70 miles per hour. Chances are your vehicle cannot go from 35 to 55 mph at the snap of your fingers.

Without speeding up on the ramp you are endangering the vehicles on the interstate. Also, you have put the vehicles behind your vehicle on the ramp in a very precarious position - they now must merge like you decided to merge. You need to start to accelerate by pushing on your gas pedal at the beginning of the ramp. That way you will be going the speed of traffic at the end of the ramp. At that point, it will be easier to speed up or slow down to get into traffic.

By gradually speeding on the ramp to the get the proper speed by the end of the ramp you now do not compromise the safety of the others who need to use the ramp. And, if you are behind another vehicle who is going to use an on-ramp, give the other vehicle a chance to gain some speed before you get on the on-ramp. It will also be easier to merge if you are not right up against the back bumper of the car in front of you on the ramp.

9. Now if you have quite a distance to go, plan time for delays. If there are no delays, you will be at your destination early.

10. When it comes to children, people on bicycles, and aggressive drivers, expect the unexpected. Be a 'defensive driver' in the sense that you need to strategize a 'defense' to protect yourself and to protect them against the dangers they present.

Again, whether you are driving to a destination or you are driving for pure leisure, there are things you can do to avoid accidents. I hope the previous ten tips helped you think on what you can do be a safer driver.