We drive safer vehicles today on safer roads than we did a couple of decades ago. Safe driving publicity announcements and campaigns that are designed to educate people about tragedies due to traffic violations, etc., turned out to be effective.
Auto companies stuff our cars with more and more new security systems (details here). Despite the results achieved, unfortunately, the number of car and road accidents is still staggering. Moreover, car accidents are the leading cause of death among people aged 3 to 34 years.
The best way to reduce the risk of an accident is to practice safe driving behavior, so you need to adhere to a number of basic rules. Whether you are just a student or have been driving for decades, you should consider some basic rules for driving safely. Here are 8 essential tips that will help you drive safe:
1. Don’t drive drunk
More than 30 percent of all fatal car crashes are caused by driving under the influence. Most of these deaths could have been avoided if the driver did not drive while drunk.
Alcohol causes a number of disorders that lead to road accidents. Even with a low blood alcohol level, intoxication increases reaction times and reduces coordination, which can lead to making wrong, and sometimes even stupid, decisions. With a higher blood alcohol level, the driver's vision becomes blurry, he may have double vision, and sometimes he may lose touch with reality. Drunk driving is not just a terrible idea - it is a crime that is punishable by law.
Avoiding drunk driving is incredibly easy. If you are drunk, ask your sober friend to drive you home or use a taxi. If you know you will have to drink at an event, leave your car in the garage. The slight inconvenience of waiting for a taxi is nothing compared to the devastating effects of drunk driving. Do not ruin the life of yourself or others.
2. Drive slower
As one old public service advertisement says, "Speed kills" (so succinctly). Studies have shown that increasing your speed by 1 km / h increases the likelihood of an accident by 4-5 percent. At higher speeds, the risk increases much faster.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration explains the consequences of fast driving quite simply: “Speeding is one of the most common factors contributing to road traffic accidents. 31 percent of all fatalities are due to speeding. ”
By increasing your average city driving speed by 10 km / h, you increase your risk of an accident by 50 percent. Even on long journeys, the minutes you save by driving fast is negligible compared to the risk of acceleration.
3. Avoid distracted driving
Many countries have gone through a law that prohibits the use of cell phones by the driver while driving. The reason is that about 2,600 deaths occur annually due to chatting on the phone while driving. Moreover, many argue that the figure is too low. If you think that talking on the phone or texting while driving is not important to driving safely, consider this: One study found that the reaction rate of a 20-year-old driver talking on the phone was the same as that of a 70-year-old. driver. What's more, talking on a cell phone while driving delays reaction speed by as much as 20 percent.
However, it is not only the phone that can distract the driver while driving. Eating, applying makeup, fiddling with car gadgets, or interacting with passengers can cause fatal accidents. Perhaps the best advice that can be given in this case comes from rocker Jim Morrison: “Keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel”.
4. Avoid excessive wear and tear
Regular maintenance of a car is not just a good way to prolong its life - it is a major safety issue. Therefore, regular technical inspection of your vehicle is a must. Vehicle owners should always keep a close eye on their vehicle's systems and deal with potential problems before they cause an accident.
One of the most common maintenance problems that can lead to an accident is improper tire pressure. Uneven tire pressures, pressures that are too high, or too low can affect performance or cause a tire to burst - especially in high-performance cars or heavy vehicles such as SUVs.
If you lease a car, you can get wear and tear coverage to pay for anything considered excessive repair.
5. Always keep your seat belt fastened
Seat belts save lives. If worn correctly, it will protect you in the event of an accident - it will prevent you from tumbling inside the car or, even worse, flying out through the windshield. According to statistics from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than half of all fatal accidents were due to the fact that the driver and passengers were not wearing their seatbelt.
These numbers are much scarier when it comes to young drivers and their passengers: a staggering 70 percent of fatal crash victims were between the ages of 13 and 15 and were not wearing seat belts.
6. Don’t drive when tired
A study by a scientific institute found that 20 percent of all accidents are due to sleepiness and tiredness. If the driver is so exhausted that and he/she falls asleep while driving, the results are predictable. Even on a relatively straight road, the driver can begin to deviate from the trajectory, while the most advanced warning system for deviation from the chosen lane will not always be able to help him. Trees, pillars, ravines, and bridge pillars will turn such maneuvers into a deadly scenario - even if other vehicles are not considered.
7. Be careful when driving in bad weather
If you have to drive through fog, rain, snowstorm, or on icy roads, be extremely careful. Take note of all the tips provided in this article and make full use of them: drive as low as possible, maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, and be extra careful and cornering. If bad weather caught you on the road, and you have never had to deal with a similar situation, transfer control of the car to a more experienced driver, if this, of course, is possible. If the weather only gets worse, find a safe place, and ride out the storm.
8. Practice safe driving
These tips are fairly simple to understand and practice. Each of us has come across a fool who appeared out of nowhere, who caused a lot of noise on the road and caused an accident. Now, don't be such a jerk.
It is difficult to draw a line between safe and aggressive driving, but the latter undoubtedly increases the risk of accidents. Studies show that young men are more likely to behave aggressively on the road.
Safe driving involves not only maintaining a safe distance and recommended speed, but also the ability to control yourself in busy city traffic. Be patient if the car in front of you moves too slowly, do not change lanes with signals and curses to the poor driver. Make way for another vehicle, even if by the rules you should be the first to maneuver.
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