Success on the Road

How can you have success on the road? First let’s talk about the six most unsafe driving behaviors that happen behind the wheel.

1. Improper speed, did you know that for every ten mile per hour you go over the speed limit you are increasing your chances of death by a car accident by double? You should always know the speed limit, take care to drive according to the road conditions, and allow for enough time to reach your destination. Always check your speedometer, slow down in construction zones/school zones, drive in the right lane and do not tailgate.

2. Violating the right- of -way, this means that you refuse to yield, disregard of traffic patterns, running a stop sign, drive too fast all contribute to right-of-way violations. Always scan the intersection that you are sitting at. You can do this by looking left, looking right, looking straight ahead and then back to the left and delay your entrance into the intersection by 2 to 3 seconds. This insures that no one is running the light or stop sign you are sitting at.

3. Driving left of center, or swerving into the other lane. You should always scan the road ahead of you, checking for debris or other hazards in the road such as people, cars, and animals that other things. Adjust your speed accordingly, make legal and safe turns, and stay behind people or animals until it is safe to pass.

4. Improper turning, turning at an accelerated speed, failing to use signals, not scanning the road. Always yield to pedestrians, use the appropriate lane, and watch for oncoming cars.

5. Passing improperly is very dangerous. Did you know that when passing another vehicle on the road you are still not allowed to go over the speed limit? The driver should always follow at a proper distance using the three second rule, look ahead, look behind, signal, and check blind spots before moving to pass. Make sure that you are using your signals, and that you get fully into the other lane.

6. Following too closely or tailgating is a very dangerous and aggressive behavior. There are three things that determine how fast you will stop. They are perception distance, reaction distance, and braking distance.

Defining what it takes for the driver of a vehicle to stop.

• Perception distance is the distance the vehicle travels during perception time, that’s the moment that the event occurs and the driver becomes aware.

• Reaction time is the distance the vehicle travels while the driver is moving their foot to the brake and removes it from the accelerator.

• Braking distance is the distance the vehicle travels from the time the brakes are applied and it actually stops.

What can you do when facing a head on collision?

• Drive to the right, away from the oncoming traffic. Never travel left into the other driver’s lane.

• Never skid or swerve – just drive

• Make your choice – will you hit something soft or hard? Bushes or a tree?

• When choosing make the choice to hit something with a glancing blow as opposed to head on. This will increase your chances for survival when in a crash.

Follow the four R’s of defensive driving.

• Read the road you do this by constantly scanning the road around you.

• Drive to the Right, away from the center of the road.

• Reduce your speed

• Ride off the road.

Practice the Ten Habits of Defensive Driving

1. Always wear your seat belt

2. Evaluate road conditions

3. Never drive impaired

4. Recognize the hazards

5. Avoid distracted driving

6. Use proper following distance

7. Have a plan

8. Consider other drivers

9. Maintain emotional control

10. Avoid fatigued driving

Aggressive driving can be expensive; it costs in time, money, pain and suffering. When you have an accident you have to use your time recouping from injuries, medical bills, pain that is caused to you and the others involved. This can result in increased insurance premiums, death and permanent injuries. It is just not worth it.

Every vehicle on the road has blind spots. They are defined as an area in your mirrors that you can see another vehicle. When you are sitting in your car looking in the mirror, there is a place that an entire vehicle can hide from you. You should always take a second and look back out of your window to double check the situation.

When driving around big trucks remember they can't see you and they can't stop as quickly as a car due to the weight they carry. Never linger in the blind spot of anyone, pass as quickly as possible to avoid an accident.