To young teenagers that are learning the rules of the road, there are a lot of different safety tips that you need to focus on while driving. To those who have been driving for years, those many different things that accompany driving may have been lost in the shuffle over the years. Whether you are first learning to drive, or you have 50+ years of driving experience, these 7 safety tips will help you be a better driver.
Safety Tips: Follow Traffic Signs
This may seem obvious to most people, along with many of the other tips on this list, but it needs to be mentioned. Traffic signs are placed in certain spots for a reason, and they should be followed. Stop signs and yield signs are not suggestions! These signs are warnings to drivers to tell them that there is potential traffic coming from other directions, so they should stop and look to see if it is safe to go.
Hide Any Potential Distractions
This is a big one that has become emphasized lately. With cell phones being so readily available, they can become very distracting to drivers. Especially with how addicted individuals are to their phones, you need to put your phone somewhere it cannot be seen. The only other alternative would be to put your phone on do not disturb. Many individuals check their phones immediately upon receiving a notification, and by placing it on do not disturb you will not receive any notifications.
This is dangerous because you are taking your eyes off of the road. With how fast vehicles are moving, you cannot afford to take your eyes off of the road for a split second. When you take your eyes off of the road you are extremely vulnerable to getting into an accident.
Safety Tips: Always Wear A Seat Belt
This safety tip does not pertain to being a hazard to others, but it pertains to yourself as a driver. Not wearing a seat belt is a terrible mistake because of the potential things that could happen if you were to get in an accident. They were made to protect those in the car in the case of an accident, and not wearing them could lead to you getting thrown out of the vehicle and being seriously injured if you were to get into a serious accident.
Adhere to Speed Limits
Adhering to speed limits is pretty basic. The speed limits for certain roads are set because of the potential bends in the road that could cause accidents, but as a general rule, you should follow the speed limit. Not only is this for safety reasons, but because you do not want to receive a ticket for speeding because it is a rather expensive ticket.
There are certain vehicles that are capable of getting up to very high speeds, and more times than not you see motorcycles getting up to very high speeds. Since these vehicles are getting up to extremely high speeds, they could potentially be involved in very serious accidents. If you are a motorcycle owner, especially in New York, you may want to look into getting a New York motorcycle accident lawyer. These lawyers have a hotline that you can call, and you can email them at any time.
Use the Left Lane to Pass
This is a basic rule learned in a driver’s education class. The left lane, also known as the fast lane, is used to pass other vehicles. Following this rule leads to safer driving because it allows for a clear lane to pass. Occupying the left lane can lead to frustrated drivers, which can then lead to dangerous drivers on the road.
Use Turn Signals
Using turn signals is for the sake of other drivers. Letting drivers behind you know that you are turning allows them to brake in time for you to slow down and make the turn. This will help those driving behind you drive safely, and it will help you avoid any potential accidents.
Be Patient
This is a rather simple tip, but being patient when you are driving can lead to much safer driving. Being patient can lead you to being more relaxed, which could end up helping you be more cautious. More times than not, accidents are caused by drivers who are angry or in a hurry and they do not acknowledge potential dangers on the road around them.
These seven tips are pretty simple tips to any driver. The most important thing that you must realize as a driver is that you are not the only one on the road. This may seem obvious, but not following these safety tips is putting other drivers in danger. While you may neglect the fact that these activities can lead to danger, it is important that you consider the other people around you while driving.