When you’ve been driving a long while, you get really comfortable with the whole thing; it becomes merely second nature. The problem is, you won’t want to be forgetting the health and safety precautions that you’ll need to avoid accidents.
According to stats via the ASIRT, in the USA over 37,000 people die in road crashes each year, with an additional 2.35 million injured. The ASIRT also reported that Road crashes cost the U.S $230.6 billion per year. With this in mind, we’re going to consider a few best-practices you can adopt to keep yourself and others safe and sound.
Predictability
Crashes are often caused when someone is not driving predictably, so always make sure that it’s clear to the drivers around you what your next move is going to be. Sudden and unexpected movements on the road can cause accidents and fatalities, so it’s the responsibility of all to ensure that their driving isn’t unpredictable. Make sure that you pull into traffic slowly, and always beware of any blind spots.
Not everyone will drive carefully, so do not assume the skills of others drivers. Vehicles can appear in a split second out of nowhere, so always check when you are moving into an intersection. Always leave enough space between you and the car in front of you. When drivers fail to do this, accidents occur yet it’s a very preventable mistake.
Distraction
According to one source in the Zebra, distracted driving claims approximately 3,500 lives per year. If you want to prevent an accident, you’ll need to minimise all distractions while you are driving. Ensure that you never use your iPhone while driving. Those who are prone to such habits should keep their phone in a secure place that they cannot reach while driving, to avoid this temptation. You can see this cup holder phone mount for all cars, trucks, and boats as a great solution.
You can also make use of a hands-free system should you need to make an emergency call. Distraction, however, does not always come in the form of manually attending to another task. You can just as quickly become distracted by merely daydreaming and this is just as dangerous. To minimise the risk, try to practice mindfulness techniques of only focusing on the present moment when you drive. While it’s easy to become distracted it is important to take all precautions not too.
Plan ahead
Sometimes speeding will occur because the driver has not given themselves enough time to get to where they are headed. If you plan in advance how much time you will need, depending on traffic, this will ensure that you are not tempted to speed. Planning your journey will also mean that you are not getting distracted because you are unsure of how to get to your destination. If you do, unfortunately, end up in a small accident, you may need help towing your vehicle after a crash.
Lastly, always watch out for children because they can sometimes tend to run out into the road without being seen. Being extra careful when near schools or in small