In the Driver’s Seat: The 101 on How to Be a Safe Driver

In the Driver’s Seat: The 101 on How to Be a Safe Driver

Adjust review mirror-check. Adjust side mirrors-check. Seatbelt across my body and secured-check. Assess the scene and my surroundings for safety violations-check.

Before I head out on the road, I perform this simple checklist in my head to make sure I am prepared and ready for the road. Proper vehicle preparation only takes a few minutes. I feel that if I can spare a few minutes for safety checks before heading out on the road then I am making a conscious effort to not only keep myself safe but others around me as well.

Safety is a huge priority while driving. The rules of the road are set in place to make sure that safety measures are being observed at all times. Safety measures such as obeying speed limits, yield signs, and stop signs/lights are all crucial to obey. Using your turn signals when passing, changing lanes, or turning prevent fatal injuries. Adhere to local and state laws while driving and be observant of any differentiation between your state laws and the laws of another state you may be traveling in.

Additional safety measures, such as inspecting your tires, can make you a safety expert. Checking tire pressure in all four tires before heading out on the road will help to prevent any delays or potential hazards that may come from deflated tires. Plus, your vehicle will thank you for properly inflated tires by running smoothly and creating the best fuel mileage your car can offer. Observe what type of tires you have on your car. Proper winter tires, or all season tires, are needed to navigate in winter conditions. Alert yourself or others if you notice the tire tread less than 2/32 of an inch. Tires with low tread will not be able to grip the road as well and could pose a serious implication when applying the brakes to stop the vehicle. Pay attention to your vehicle, and you should have no problem with ensuring your vehicle is ready to adapt to any safety situation.

Where did I learn all of these safety measures you ask? When I was 16, I attended a driver’s education course! Learning to adapt to potential hazardous situations can be explored while attending at driver’s education course. These courses provide the information and skills needed to adequately and safely navigate the road. Informative driver’s education courses reduce the number of traffic deaths each year by preparing individuals with vital information needed to successfully operate a vehicle.

Not only were the courses chock full of safety preventative measures, but the dangers of drinking and driving were highlighted as well. Many individuals have lost their lives to drunk driving, or have been a victim of drunk driving. Even buzzed driving is drunk driving. I felt at that point in my life that was the hardest to listen to. I have a family member who has been a repeated drunk driving offender. The fact of the matter is drunk driving is a poor personal choice. Nothing good ever comes out of that type of decision. The decision to risk your life and the lives of others on the road leads down one path: a jail sentence, hefty fines, or a DWI stain on their permanent record. Driver’s education courses display the negative consequences of drinking and driving; it’s up to you to decide how you will go about creating a lasting untainted relationship with your driving record and the law.

Over the years, driver’s education courses have changed. The shift is now focused heavily on preventing distracted driving. Distracted driving can show up in many forms. Cell phones are a huge culprit with distracted driving. Texting while driving, taking a call without the use of hands-free technology (only one hand is left on the wheel), and the use of live video messaging (Snapchat, Facebook Live) have drivers distracted on the road.

Distracted driving can often cause fatal accidents. To measure how far you should safely travel behind another car, pick an object in the distance such as a light pole or road sign that is far enough ahead of you and the car in front of you. Once the car in front of you passes that stationary object, count how many seconds it takes for your car to approach and pass that same stationary object. If you approach that object under 3 seconds, you are driving too close to the car in front of you. Allow your car for more space between each vehicle when a large oversized vehicle is in front of you, or if rain or bad weather plagues your driving experience at that time.

Mind your manners on the road too. “Cutting someone off” will cause others to become upset or even pose a safety risk with improper following distance between cars. “Road rage” is often described as anger that comes from a triggering event on the road causing the individual to have such forceful emotion that danger can occur. Provide time to reflect on your feelings and assess the situation. Maybe that person did not mean to slam on their brakes or slow down in front of you on purpose while in the passing lane. Rationalize why things may have happened at that moment in time (that may have seemed unfavorable to you) and provide a solution. If someone slammed on their brakes, was there an object in the road that needs to be reported and removed? If someone is slow in the fast lane, are they experiencing engine trouble at this point in time? Being smart and assessing any situation will help to provide a roadway that we all can enjoy safely.

To summarize, some may find driver’s education courses to be just a rite of passage. Everyone gets their license at 16 years old, right? Wrong. Driving is a privilege, and is not to be taken lightly. Driving is fun, exciting, and freeing- yes- but also comes with a huge responsibility. Every day you have to be willing to provide your own safety checks to your vehicle in order to maintain a properly functioning vehicle on the road. If you neglect this important decision, your risk of an accident rises. Not only are safety checks important, but so is reflecting on the way you drive. Put the cell phone down, do not drink and drive, and curb your anger while on the road. Creating awareness and a culture of exalting road safety is imperative towards creating safe and effective transportation. You’re in the driver’s seat-be safe out there!