Logan Voss
The freedom of the open road is alluring to all, which is why over two-thirds of the people in the entire country currently possess a driver’s license. However, cars cause countless injuries or worse every year, thanks to aggressive and distracted drivers. If you are worried that your skills behind the wheel are lacking, check out these easy ways to become a safer driver on the road.
Eliminate Distractions
The number of distractions present in modern cars today is staggering. Most vehicles feature touchscreens with countless functions, plenty of switches and buttons on the console, and increasingly complex displays. Furthermore, cell phones have created far more distracted drivers on the road than ever before.
The first step in becoming a safe motorist is simply eliminating any unnecessary devices while you drive. Most cars today have Bluetooth and voice control capabilities. Thus, you can still stay in contact with your friends and family without ever taking your eyes off the road.
Conduct activities involving touchscreens, phones, or any other tech within your vehicle before you start moving so that your focus is solely on being alert and safe.
Start Timing Distance
This technique is all about eliminating collision potential when turning into or away from moving traffic. With it, you can judge how far away another car is from yours. For instance, if you’re turning right onto a busy street, you want to ensure that you have five to seven seconds of space between you and the car behind you before completing the turn.
Determining the speed of a moving car in relation to seconds takes a little practice, but there are a few ways to make the process more manageable. Before you turn, observe the other cars as they pass by you. Pick a landmark down the street. After that, count how many seconds a vehicle takes to get from that point to the intersection. If that time is under five to seven seconds, you know that you can’t turn right because the car has made it past that initial landmark. Wait for a moment when another car is farther behind.
Since you conduct most turns at stop signs and lights, you should have plenty of time to determine the speed of other vehicles.
Know Your Options
When faced with a potential high-speed fender bender, drivers usually slam on their brakes. This decision isn’t always the right one, though. With constant scanning of the location of other cars around you, you can determine if speeding up, turning left or right, maintaining speed, or braking is the correct route to take when avoiding collisions. Practicing this scanning method makes you a keen motorist and can prevent hazardous yet common injuries from car accidents.
With these easy ways to become a safer driver on the road, you can enjoy the wonders of driving with fewer dangers. Ultimately, being a safer motorist takes determination and practice. Every single safe driver on the road means one less distracted driver putting everyone at risk of injury.
