Acting safely on the road should be your top concern once you get behind the wheel of your car. These days, drivers are more distracted than ever. So, it has become crucial to raise awareness of the basic safe driving practices and how each one of us can apply them on the road. Not to mention how crowded our roadways are today, so being a cautious and attentive driver is essential for the safety of everyone out there. Other than safety, every driver wants to stay out of legal trouble. When you drive carelessly, you can easily break the law without even knowing. Every state will have different driving laws and rules, but all would revolve around the same basic standards protecting both the drivers and pedestrians on the streets. Without further ado, here are the 7 most fundamental safe driving tips every driver should know.
Don’t Text While Behind the Wheel
Texting sits at the top of the list of things that distract drivers before they get into road accidents. About 11% of 18 to 20-year-old drivers who were involved in road accidents admitted to using their phones and sending text messages before they got into the crash. This is in addition to over 40% of the teenage population reporting to have been in an operating car while the driver was texting or using their phones.
Don’t Speed
Speeding on the runway is all fun and games, especially if you own a fast car that you spent a lot of money on. However, you need to understand that the roadway is not the best place to show off your new car or your speeding skills. Even if the road is clear and there doesn’t seem to be anybody else driving around you, speeding is still dangerous and puts your own life at risk. Speeding is one of the leading reasons for roadway fatalities, so make sure you’re driving within the speed limits of your state to protect yourself and others and stay out of trouble with the law.
Always Wear the Seat Belt
Fastening your seatbelt is the first thing you have to do once you get into your car seat. This may be ordinary for some of us, but not enough drivers are applying this rule that it has become a public concern. Now, it is required by law in most states that all drivers wear their seat belts while operating a vehicle to protect themselves from traumatic head injuries. When you’re not wearing the seat belt while driving, you put yourself at risk of going through the windshield or slamming into it if the car stops suddenly for any reason or collides with another vehicle.
Use A Defensive Driving Strategy
Using a defensive driving technique ensures the utmost safety for you while driving. If you are based in Manchester, you can find many driving schools around you that can teach you how to be aware of the things other drivers are doing around you and how to prepare for the unexpected. This includes leaving a 2-second cushion between you and the vehicle ahead of you and driving extra cautiously in the winter or when the roads are slippery.
Drive With A Clean Windshield
Some drivers tend to drive with a snowy windshield and just about a fist-sized circle cleared off so that they can see the road. This is incredibly dangerous, you need to see all angles in order to drive safely. So, defrost your windows and windshield every morning and make sure they’re clear before taking off.
Keep Your Headrest in the Correct Position
The correct position for your seat’s headrest is to be perfectly aligned with your head, and not with your neck. In the event of a collision from the back, its function is to minimize whiplash as much as possible. Make sure you also never remove the headrest to see better or for any other reason.
Don’t Drive Under the Influence
By driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you put your own life, the life of your passengers, and the life of everyone else on the road in danger. You also risk facing some serious legal penalties enforced on first-time offenders. You can have your license confiscated, your car impounded, and you can end up going to jail for driving under the influence.
Drivers need to be more aware of the roadway rules and laws that are put in place to protect the lives of everyone out there. It is the responsibility of every driver, no matter the type or size of the vehicle, to act cautiously and comply with their duty of care toward other drivers and pedestrians on the road. The roads are becoming more and more crowded these days and you want to stay safe and keep everyone you love safe.
