Much of the accidents happening in the road today come from defying defensive driving. Just how do you drive defensively anyway? Well for one, distance yourself from the big trucks and trailers to avoid being swerved upon. This aside from the fact that truckers care less of being a responsible driver can lead to your demise, a figure that we see based on news and reports regarding road accidents involving small vehicles and large trucks.
Especially in highways, these large vehicles drive at top speed. While they are given warnings to put emphasis on road safety, sadly it is not the case for majority of them. They are on delivery schedules and once they encounter some delays along the way, expect some fast driving even though they feel that they are driving a large vehicle that is going slow.
Add to the fact that some of them have to drive even if they lack sleep. This is a common case we see in other countries since no truck driver wants to risk losing his job due to untimely deliveries. Some of them try hard to stay awake behind the wheel but at times, dozing off cannot be avoided.
But this is not to generalize. There are drivers who are indeed law abiding but at times, you cannot help but avoid running into the unruly ones. Arguing with them will not help once accidents happen. So if you want to know how to drive defensively against them, avoiding them is the best recourse you can do.
At times when you are on the road, you are bound to see police cars, ambulances or VIPs flashing blinkers and sirens meaning they are in a hurry. Well, they are always in a hurry to reach their point of destination and as a sign of courtesy, private and public vehicles know for a fact that they have to give way or clear the road to let them pass.
That is a common practice that is done anywhere in the world today and for sure, no one wants to get into trouble or be ticketed as an obstruction for refusing to give way. As a rational driver, emergency or not it would be wise to allow them to pass since you never know what could happen and may be held accountable in the end if the emergencies fail to reach their actual point of destination.
As far as having blinkers and sirens is concerned, there are some people who install them without licenses or permits. By doing so, you are placing yourself in a lot of trouble. In most countries, unless you are licensed or authorized to have such things installed on your car, it would be best to keep that thought clear.
These gadgets are normally restricted to the proper people commissioned to do them. It goes in hand with their work. Some use them for status symbol while others just want to feel powerful. They are used for a purpose. Do not install one unless you have the right to have them.
While drivers are not expected to act as mechanics, tools that are normally placed on standby in cases of emergency would be best placed at the trunk of cars. There will be times that a screwdriver or a pair of pliers would come in handy and you just never know when you would need them.
Mechanical troubleshooting is not a requirement for drivers. But as far as roaming mechanics are concerned, you would be surprised that at times they would need some tools. This is not to say that they don’t have tools when you ask for their help. It is just best that you have the basic tools for such cases such as perhaps tightening a bolt or screw.
Car tools are perhaps one of the overlooked aspects. Especially for drivers that have to travel in longer destinations and spend most of their times moving from one place to another, it would not hurt to make sure that they have stock tools on hand. Even the well-maintained cars are susceptible to anything and apparently one tool can make the difference.
Some would say that they occupy a lot of space but consider that your trunk is quite large and would normally be empty, how can you say that small tool boxes or even packaging can occupy space. With models today out in the open, there are specified compartments for tools since car troubleshooting is normally a need at times. Just keep them there, it may make a difference one day.
The hazard lights of our car would normally be turned on only if your are driving in emergencies. But the thing is, how do you classify emergencies?
There are various types of emergencies, the most common of which is health-related. But lately, thanks to some weird weather, rains often pour at will and may reach a point where you no longer see what is in front and behind you. Turning on your headlights and park lights would be great but the thing is, it may not be enough to warn other cars and drivers on the road.
Hazard lights would be of great use in this area. Just its blinking is often a good sign for warning for you and people who have a hard time seeing the road and the cars at the back and in front of you. While many are fine with park lights, drivers today who find themselves in the middle of the road would do well to turn on their hazard light before they continue or even park when the weather is totally non-cooperative.
Accidents during storms can be higher in frequency. In fact, sometimes you cannot blame others for running into you. But the best you can do is forewarn them that there are other drivers and cars around and if accidents cannot be avoided, at least damages can be held to a minimum such as scratches or slight dents. As far as the driver is concerned, just pray that he has buckled up in cases of impact.
People often disregard the importance of parking properly. As long as the car would fit and parking spaces are available, nothing else would matter to them. But the matter of likewise considering how you will leave the parking slot can be a hassle especially if you find yourself parking facing to a wall rather than a reverse position which makes it easier for you to get out.
Parallel parking is also something hard for most drivers to master. Actually, some people find themselves with dents and scratches mainly because they cannot properly fit in to these parallel parking spaces without being guided by another person. But in reality, the key towards being a good parallel parking is through backward approaches to which you can easily use the proper mixture when turning the front wheel.
It is not easy at first but after years of getting used to it, you may be surprised that you can squeeze your car into any slot especially if there is not good parking slot available. Some say that it is easier to park in parallel parking slots using the frontward approach. Depending on the distance and the space allocation, it does not necessarily follow.
Side mirrors are a great help actually. If you think of it, that is perhaps one reason why they are there; to aid you in backward parking in vertical or horizontal places. From the mirrors, you can easily calculate the distance you have from the gutter although it is still wiser to actually see it for yourself.
One of the things that anyone would hate is being caught in traffic. Apparently not all drivers have the patience when they are caught in bumper to bumper situations especially when it comes to distance in between cars.
So why is distance important? Well for one, you never know if you are the cars in front or behind you are unaware that a slight movement of their vehicle may cause a sudden minor collision in between cars. Drivers for that matter do not take such collisions lightly. In fact, you may even find yourself in the middle of an argument and before you know it, you are causing a major jam as well once the traffic is supposedly free flowing.
So what is the proper distance in between vehicles? While no driver is expected to follow a certain distance in between cars, it remains that they already know how far they should be. There is the proper distance that you can project and in most cases, metric measurements don’t really matter.
Common sense will tell you if you are too close for comfort. Even in regular driving speeds, there is an observed distance in between cars so that in cases like a sudden stop, you can avoid accidents or road mishaps that can normally be charged at your expense. Driving too close will not be something to you advantage and is actually a form of defensive driving.
Keep your distance, you have more to gain than to lose.
In some parts of the world, there will be cases that you have to pass through knee-deep floods in the streets. Your first instinct would be to drive fast so that you don’t have to worry about your engine conking out due to water intake. However, once you get through, do remember that you have to check everything and this includes your brakes.
Now the question is how do you do it. Not until you are free from the flooded areas would you even consider checking your breaks. But normally, it would be best to check your brakes if they will stick by pumping on the break pedal repeatedly. If your car brakes respond by stopping on one stomp, then you are good. But if you notice that your brakes are not responding, just keep on pumping that brake pedal until it stabilizes again.
Experienced drivers know this for sure. But for the sake of new drivers who are not yet fully exposed to such contingency measures when passing by flooded areas, this is a simple tip for safety as well.
There is no telling how fast you would want to get home especially during rainy days but while you can drive as fast as you can, make sure that you can stop at the right time. Accidents happen and one of the things that really has to be addressed is how consistent your brakes truly are.
So you are driving and you suddenly find your dashboard signals flashing profusely. For sure that means something and it is not just any electrical malfunction. Chances are one of your signal light bulbs may have run out so you need to replace them. Problem is you are cruising and there is not any chance for you to stop to replace them. Add to the fact that normally, car owners do not stock bulbs since they normally take months to years to wear out. So what do you do?
For one, don’t panic. There are the ancient ways of signaling that you are turning left or right. Hand signals still do the trick. For example, extending your hand to the left if you are going to the left is a good way to let the car following you that you are about to take a left turn.
If you are turning to your right, extend your hand upward and have it point to your right. That way you can avoid any untoward collisions on the road, something that may be your fault if you get into a minor accident.
This is precisely why some states are quite strict about busted taillights. They are meant to inform the driver behind you that you will be making a turn. For people who have not yet been caught, you don’t have to fret. Just use these signals and you will be on your way to safely driving along the road.
