Defensive Driving: 15 Ways to Ensure Your Safety While on the Road
As soon as you get behind the wheel, your top priority is your own safety. You obviously have no control of other motorists, but you do have a great deal of control over the way you drive. This is where defensive driving skills become handy to get you to your destination in one piece.
What is defensive driving?
Defensive driving is a set of skills that will help you avoid dangers and foresee accidents that might happen. This also encourages you to be more proactive and expect the unexpected while being able to take precautions that can prevent accidents on the road.
15 Helpful Tips on Defensive Driving
Increase your chances of having a safe trip while reducing risks while driving by following these helpful tips:
- Always follow basic traffic rules.
Come to a complete stop at stop signs. Do not race the yellow traffic light.
- Slow down.
Many road fatalities have been caused by overspeeding. Remember that the faster you travel, the harder for you to come to a full stop when a situation calls for it. Failure to slow down and stop could lead to a devastating impact when you crash. Go along with the flow of traffic but keep in mind not to exceed the speed limits.
- Never assume that other drivers are alert, sober, and follow traffic regulations at all times.
- Cut off distractions.
Do not let anything distract you from your driving. Put away your phone. Do not eat while driving. Remind your passengers to talk quietly. Do not place your GPS in a way that obstructs your view of the road.
- Buckle up always!
Wear your seat belt at all times. This helps reduce the risk of having an injury during a crash by about 50%.
- Let it go.
Road rage will get you nowhere and will only get you nearer to a collision. You will never know what kind of person is behind the wheel of the vehicle that’s trying your patience, so it is always safe to back off.
- Keep a safe distance with other vehicles.
Be mindful of the three-second rule, which is to leave at least three seconds of space between you and the car in front of you. To measure this, pick a landmark on the roadside such as a lamp post or a street sign. Once the vehicle ahead of you passes that landmark, at least three seconds should elapse before you pass it as well. This helps you maintain a safe trailing distance.
- Use your blinkers properly.
Always signal in advance if you plan to change your lane or take a turn so the drivers of the vehicles at your back can anticipate your next move. This would alert them to slow down and keep their distance as well.
- Be aware of the kind of road you’re driving on and the weather condition.
- Honestly assess yourself before driving.
In general, if you are under the influence of anything that could alter your mind or slow down your reaction, do not drive.
- Check your car’s overall condition, especially your car tires’ pressure and condition, before driving.
Make sure your tires have the proper pressure. Most cars will recommend 32 psi to 35 psi in the tires when they’re cold. You can find the recommended tire pressure printed on a sticker inside the driver’s door of your car. Appropriately inflated tires can help ensure safe driving. Change your tires if they are already worn.
- Avoid surprising anyone around you.
Do not suddenly increase or decrease your speed. Avoid unpredictable turns and lane changes. Help other drivers anticipate your actions.
- Expect drivers to make mistakes.
Do not expect other drivers to do what you think they should be doing.
- Look ahead.
Keep your eyes far down the road and bring your mind with you. If you are staring blankly even if you are looking straight, you could trigger an accident. Anticipate issues before you get to them. Look for intersections, slow traffic, highway debris, and erratic drivers.
- Respect the motorists on the roadway.
Support Disadvantaged People with Your Vehicle Donation
Having defensive driving skills will help ensure your safety on the road.
Speaking about safety, there are people everywhere, including those in your community, who badly need a safety net in their daily lives. These are the disadvantaged people among us—those who are burdened with disabilities, illiteracy, welfare dependency, and other personal factors that prevent them from getting decent jobs and freeing themselves from the clutches of poverty.
You can help provide a safety net for these underprivileged individuals by donating a vehicle you no longer need to us at Goodwill Car Donations.
We will auction off your donated vehicle and use the proceeds to support the critical community-based programs of the Goodwill nonprofit organizations serving your area. Through these programs, the deserving residents of your community will be able to receive job training and placement services, mentoring, career development, youth employment, disability benefits support, and other community-building support.
Those who enlist in our job training programs are taught suitable skills that enable them to secure decent jobs. With the wages they receive, they become financially independent and able to take care of themselves and even their family. Thus, these once idle individuals become productive workers contributing to the growth and progress of your community.
Indeed, your car donation will do wonders to your less fortunate neighbors and your community!
To know more about Goodwill Car Donations, visit our website’s About Us. For more information about our donation process, the top tax deduction and other rewards that await you as our car donor, and other related matters, check out our FAQs page. For inquiries, give us a call anytime, any day at our toll-free hotline 866-233-8586 or send us a message online.
You can make your car donation by calling us directly or by filling out our online donation form, which you can find on the right side of this page and all other pages of our website.
Make a difference in your community with your vehicle! Call us at 866-233-8586 and get started with your car donation!
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