Safety should be every driver’s priority. Once you take the wheel, you have the responsibility to protect yourself, other drivers, pedestrians, passengers, and all road users from accidents. Here are some safe driving habits:
1. Follow a regular car maintenance schedule
Your car must be in a roadworthy condition before you go on a city drive or off-road adventure. Proper maintenance ensures that your vehicle stays in an excellent working condition and ready for every trip. You should perform weekly manual inspection and identify the areas that need quick attention. Inspect the tire pressure regularly and keep the fluids topped off. Maintain a schedule for engine maintenance and ensure that the exterior lights are functional.
Before you go on long holiday travels, it is a smart idea to take your vehicle to a reputable automotive shop for a full inspection. For added safety from road accidents, it would be best to get car tint from a shop in Arizona. Some tints reinforce the strength of your windows by holding shattered glass together. This will offer an extra layer of protection in case your car windows get broken.
2. Avoid any distraction
An estimated nine deaths and 1000 injuries resulting from daily crashes that involve distracted drivers are reported in the United States. There are three forms of distraction; visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions divert your eyes off the road, manual disturbances take your hands off the wheel, and cognitive takes your mind off driving. Sending text messages and engaging in phone calls are not the only dangerous distractions that you should avoid.
Eating, adjusting your temperature and audio, looking at videos, and interacting with other occupants could take away your attention from driving and lead to accidents. By far, the leading cause of distracted driving accidents is cognitive distraction, where a driver’s mind is diverted on something or someone else. Most people believe that it’s safe to use hands-free devices, but this is a myth. Anything that will distract your eyes, hands, and mind, even for a split second, can result in fatal accidents.
3. Ensure that you are fit to drive.
According to a traffic safety report, about 6,000 fatal crashes yearly can be caused by drowsy driving. Drowsy driving is operating the vehicle while fighting with fatigue or sleepiness. Usually, this happens when you didn’t have enough sleep or if you work on a long or night shift. Additionally, some factors can increase the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. People suffering from untreated sleep disorders, and those taking medications are more likely to drive drowsy.
So before taking the wheel, ensure that you have enough sleep and talk to your doctor about drugs that can make you feel sleepy. Otherwise, you can consider using a rideshare app or get a designated driver. If you are driving long trips, make sure to take regular breaks of at least 15 minutes every 2 hours to avoid fatigue.
By obeying the traffic rules, maintaining safe behavior, and taking these precautions, you can increase your road safety.
