5 Safety Driving Tips
A road is a place where even the most unexpected things happen. As the driver, it is your responsibility to practice responsible driving in order to minimize the risks associated with the dangers in the road.
Safety is a concept that is very easy to understand. In modern society, the lives of everyone is considered to be extremely precious and therefore, it must never be taken for granted. And as long as driving is concerned, there are several easy ways to ensure that you as well as your passengers will be safe as you hit the road.
Here are five of the best safety driving tips:
Tip #1: Check your brakes, shocks, and tires, etc.
In case you’re going on a long drive such as a road trip, be sure to check the condition of your vehicle first. As a rule of thumb, you may start in the brakes. Malfunctioning breaks can bring a lot of risks especially when traversing uneven and curvy roads. Test your brakes and if you heard any weird noises coming out of it, make another thorough brake check right away.
For the shock absorbers, see if they are ok and well-maintained. Broken shock absorbers can make it difficult for the vehicle to get around sharp corners.
In addition to the aforementioned parts, also do an all-round check on your lights, mirrors, and windshield wipers.
Tip #2: Bring emergency items
Always keep in mind that your car must always carry a definite load of safety items that can easily come in handy in case of an emergency. These are:
- Fire extinguisher
- Jumper cables
- Flashlights
- Flat tire repair kit
- First-aid kit
Tip #3: Focus, focus, focus!
Once you already finished assessing your car, it’s time to do the driving. This might sound like a no-brainer, but once you already set your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel, keep your 100% attention to what you’re doing at the moment. Do not use your phone or any electronic devices while driving. Focus more on the road and avoid putting too much attention on some random things outside such as billboards. It is also better to slow your vehicle down especially during heavy traffic as it gives you more time to react to any sudden obstructions that might appear.
Tip# 4: Educate yourself on what to do in case your car breaks down
This can be a usual problem especially for most novice drivers. If your car suddenly breaks down in the middle of nowhere, it is very important for you to keep calm. But before it even happens, you have to study the ways of how you will properly respond to such a situation. You can do this three-step-process as an example:
- Turn on the vehicle’s hazard lights to notify the other incoming vehicles.
- Try to call for help through your phone or a nearby emergency call box.
- If you have safety triangles or lights, place them behind your car for a distance of around 20 meters.
Tip #5: Maintain a four-second space between you and other vehicles
Every time you’re in close proximity to another car, it is recommended to keep a four-second space between you and them. To calculate the distance, you can wait until the car in front of you passes a stationary object. If you passed through the object before four seconds, you should slow your vehicle a little bit. This technique is quite helpful in times of low visibility at night and bad weather.
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