Cars are now safer than they’ve ever been before in terms of their tech and features. However, they’re still massive bulks of steel which can reach extremely high speeds, and only really as safe as the “nut behind the wheel”. While I’m not painting all my readers with the “bad driver” brush, I’d say most people can do at least something to make themselves safer on the roads. Here are a few pointers for making sure you’re as safe as you can be.
Keep an Eye on the Speedo
If there’s one thing that gets worse as we become more and more experienced drivers, it’s our tendency to speed. As all those PSAs put it, speed kills, and is found to be at the root of countless car accidents every year. One study found that for every mile an hour faster we drive, the risk of a collision increases by roughly five percent. That’s pretty worrying if you ask me! Once you’ve been driving for a few years, it can be easy to ignore the speedometer altogether, and keep to the limit purely by feel. This is understandable, but not really condonable! If you know you’re not looking at the speedo enough, turn this habit around as soon as possible.
Get a Dash Cam
Okay, having a dash cam recording all the time isn’t going to save you from a collision that isn’t your fault. However, it can act as one extra reminder to drive safely, and can be an extremely useful safety net if and when you are involved in a crash. Dash cams are a pretty common sight on our roads these days, and if another driver who has some less-than-safe habits sees that little black lens behind your windshield, or in a more obvious mount like the ones from Rigid Industry, it can be all it takes to get them to slow down, or abort the dangerous sharp turn they were about to make. By the same token, there’s always the slim, but very real possibility of the camera’s footage being used in a court case. Obviously, you don’t want to have to present footage that shows you were speeding or cutting people off in front of a judge! Aside from the safety aspects, dash cam footage can help a lot in lengthy insurance claims.
Don’t Sleep and Drive
Hopefully, you never, ever drink and drive, knowing how irresponsible and dangerous this is. However, this isn’t the only way you can seriously limit your responsiveness and skills as a driver. Far too many people decide to get behind the wheel of a car when they’re struggling to keep their eyes open. Just like alcohol, tiredness at the wheel can slow your reactions, and even present the risk of you falling asleep at the wheel. Again, like drink driving, tired driving has been the cause of countless fatal accidents over the years. Make sure you’re getting a better night’s sleep, and always take a short break if you’re in any doubt about your driving condition.
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