When we all learn to drive, we’re taught all sorts of ways to drive correctly, stay safe on the road, and adhere to the highway code. However, when you’ve been driving many years, these safe ways of driving can be replaced with our own habits, and we tend to forget some of the basic driving methods that we were once taught.
With the roads getting busier and busier, it’s a good time to brush up on your road safety techniques, in case the worst should happen and you’re involved in an accident.
There is no doubt about it, cars create stress, expense and injury/death.
Here are some tips for staying safe on the road:
Allow yourself enough time to travel
It’s easier said than done, but try where possible to leave yourself adequate time to travel from A to B. Think about the possibility of hitting traffic and allow some extra time for that. You will feel less stressed, and you won’t be rushing as a result.
Stay calm
Even the calmest of souls can fall foul to road rage at times. If you find yourself getting irritated easily by other road users, try taking a deep breath and put it all into perspective to stay safe on the road. Are your frustrations due to a dire need, or are they because you’re going to be late for work (which might be since you’re running late)? Too many accidents are caused by reckless behaviour when people are under pressure, meaning that you’re more likely to need to contact an injury lawyer.
Maintain your car
We all know that our cars need to be fit for their annual MOT, but it doesn’t mean that the car will be roadworthy for the rest of the time. It’s important to keep your car serviced when possible and ensure that the tyres are roadworthy and inflated correctly. Don’t ignore those engine lights that could indicate something serious; you just can’t take the risk.
Check the weather forecast
Get into the habit of checking what the weather will be like when you’re travelling. Especially so for longer journeys where the wear and tear on your car will be different, and you might want to factor in how your tyres will cope if it’s wintertime. Perhaps it’s a gloriously sunny day? Then you might want to ensure you have enough water to wash your windscreen should your screen be a little smeared.
Be mindful of other road users
Think about how you would like to be treated by other road users. Be courteous to other drivers and make sure that you always signal your intentions. It’s often a cause of frustration when other drivers don’t show the courtesy of letting other road users know what they’re doing, particularly at roundabouts.
Those cars speeding up in the lane next to you may be annoying, but let them merge, and you’ll see that they probably won’t get to where they need too much quicker than you.
Remember that it’s not just cars that are on the roads either. Look out for both bicycles and motorbikes and allow them the space that they need to pass you when needed.
