Top Safe Driving Tips
Safe driving doesn’t happen automatically. 3 out of 4 drivers around you are not paying enough attention to the driving task but are being distracted by something else. Distracted drivers are failing to identify the hazards and are missing or ignoring the clues – you have all seen the driver holding a phone, yawning, or not generally paying attention.
Keep your distance
The more space you keep around you, the less risk of a collision. Rear-end collisions are one of the most common forms of traffic accidents – but you don’t have to be a victim. Managing the space of the driver behind you is just as important as the space in front of you and you may well need to build into that space, the braking distance of the driver who is too close behind.
When stopping, the early use of brake lights to control the attention and slowing of the driver behind you may well prevent a shunt from behind – so effective is the technique that the latest models of cars flash your brake lights if you brake hard and even flash the hazard warning lights when braking extra hard.
At a minimum, during dry weather conditions, you should have at least 2 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. When visibility is low such as during light fog, light rain or night-time driving, you should double the following distance to a minimum of 4 seconds and in severe weather conditions such as snow and ice, then double the distance again. Always leave a way out.
Remember to keep space to the sides of your vehicle and avoid wherever possible driving directly alongside another vehicle, especially if that places you in the blind spot of the other driver, for example a truck. Can the other driver see you? A good indication is whether you can see him in his mirrors. If someone pulls up beside you and matches their speed to yours, adjust your speed slightly to create space next to you. That way, if the need arises for avoidance, you have already built an escape route out of trouble.
Less speed
The risk of fatality in your car is dependent on collision speed – a rear end shunt on the motorway is unlikely to be serious if the collision speed is low, but hitting a child, a pedal cyclist or a motorcyclist even below the urban speed limit can be fatal for them.
Don’t treat speed limits as a target and ensure you are constantly taking road and traffic conditions into account. Keeping your speed and distance means that hazards are more likely to dissolve ahead of you and you won’t fall foul of harsh acceleration and braking (which will also save your fuel too). Pay extra attention where there are junctions, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. In particular, try to anticipate what pedestrians and cyclists might do. If pedestrians, particularly children, are looking the other way, they may step out into the road without seeing you.
Look ahead and anticipate
Don’t just look at the vehicle in front and in your mirror to observe what is going on immediately around. Anticipate what is happening ahead of you by looking at the furthest point along the road as well as observing the behaviours of your fellow road users.
One of the main causes of accidents is the failure to recognise a hazardous situation. The average driver reacts to an expected event in 0.7 of a second – and up to three times longer when the event is unexpected or the driver is distracted. This means that it can take up to 2.5 seconds for a driver to see what is happening and then decide on a reaction – all this and then the overall stopping distance of the vehicle needs to be taken into account. Keep your distance – remember the 2 second rule.
Satnavs are fast becoming a major cause of driver distraction where the driver often blindly follows instructions rather than anticipating the road ahead. What you see takes priority over what the satnav says. We’ve all heard the stories of people being stuck in narrow lanes, driving into rivers and directed into oncoming traffic. If the road looks wrong, don’t take it.
Regularly check your vehicle
Ensuring that your vehicle is serviced regularly (in line with the manufacturers recommendations) will help to avoid breakdowns and accidents caused by vehicle faults. To ensure safety for both yourself and those around you and to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
Lights – Regularly check main beams, indicators, fog lights, sidelights and brake lights.
Oil – Over-filling or under-filling the oil risks engine damage.
Water – Keep the screen wash reservoir full and use plenty of additive in winter, BEFORE it freezes up.
Electrics – Check battery, wiper blades, electric windows, horn and heater fan. Defects will only worsen if neglected.
Tyres – The grooves of the tread must not be lower than 1.6mm through out a continuous band and must be ¾ of the breadth and entire outer circumference of the tyre. The tyres on the car must also be correctly matched, so they should be the correct type, correct size, correct structure and they should be on the correct axle of the vehicle.
Worn tyres reduce the effectiveness of braking, steering and acceleration, particularly in the wet.
Do not do something else while driving
Trying to do something else (use a mobile phone, use Satnav, unwrap a sweet) at the same time, is distracting. Listening to music with the volume too high can encourage drivers to speed up. Distracted drivers find it much more difficult to maintain their awareness of what’s happening on the road around them, and are more likely to speed. Don’t become distracted. Focus on the primary task at hand, namely driving.
Be seen
Every year about 400 people are killed in EU countries when drivers fail to detect objects in their blind spots while manoeuvring. Most victims are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Pay close attention to other vehicles and changes in their movement.
Never drive whilst tired
On long journeys stop for at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours. Someone driving on a motorway at 70 mph who nods off for six seconds would travel more than 200 metres in that time. Plan your travel, allow enough time to arrive safely without the need to drive hard.
Wear seat belt
You and your passengers must wear a seatbelt.
Do not drink and drive
Alcohol impairs your driving, even a small amount. Think carefully if you’re safe to drive the
morning after too.
Keep your distance
The more space you keep around you, the less risk of a collision. Rear-end collisions are one of the most common forms of traffic accidents – but you don’t have to be a victim. Managing the space of the driver behind you is just as important as the space in front of you and you may well need to build into that space, the braking distance of the driver who is too close behind.
When stopping, the early use of brake lights to control the attention and slowing of the driver behind you may well prevent a shunt from behind – so effective is the technique that the latest models of cars flash your brake lights if you brake hard and even flash the hazard warning lights when braking extra hard.
At a minimum, during dry weather conditions, you should have at least 2 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. When visibility is low such as during light fog, light rain or night-time driving, you should double the following distance to a minimum of 4 seconds and in severe weather conditions such as snow and ice, then double the distance again. Always leave a way out.
Remember to keep space to the sides of your vehicle and avoid wherever possible driving directly alongside another vehicle, especially if that places you in the blind spot of the other driver, for example a truck. Can the other driver see you? A good indication is whether you can see him in his mirrors. If someone pulls up beside you and matches their speed to yours, adjust your speed slightly to create space next to you. That way, if the need arises for avoidance, you have already built an escape route out of trouble.
Less speed
The risk of fatality in your car is dependent on collision speed – a rear end shunt on the motorway is unlikely to be serious if the collision speed is low, but hitting a child, a pedal cyclist or a motorcyclist even below the urban speed limit can be fatal for them.
Don’t treat speed limits as a target and ensure you are constantly taking road and traffic conditions into account. Keeping your speed and distance means that hazards are more likely to dissolve ahead of you and you won’t fall foul of harsh acceleration and braking (which will also save your fuel too). Pay extra attention where there are junctions, traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. In particular, try to anticipate what pedestrians and cyclists might do. If pedestrians, particularly children, are looking the other way, they may step out into the road without seeing you.
Look ahead and anticipate
Don’t just look at the vehicle in front and in your mirror to observe what is going on immediately around. Anticipate what is happening ahead of you by looking at the furthest point along the road as well as observing the behaviours of your fellow road users.
One of the main causes of accidents is the failure to recognise a hazardous situation. The average driver reacts to an expected event in 0.7 of a second – and up to three times longer when the event is unexpected or the driver is distracted. This means that it can take up to 2.5 seconds for a driver to see what is happening and then decide on a reaction – all this and then the overall stopping distance of the vehicle needs to be taken into account. Keep your distance – remember the 2 second rule.
Satnavs are fast becoming a major cause of driver distraction where the driver often blindly follows instructions rather than anticipating the road ahead. What you see takes priority over what the satnav says. We’ve all heard the stories of people being stuck in narrow lanes, driving into rivers and directed into oncoming traffic. If the road looks wrong, don’t take it.
Regularly check your vehicle
Ensuring that your vehicle is serviced regularly (in line with the manufacturers recommendations) will help to avoid breakdowns and accidents caused by vehicle faults. To ensure safety for both yourself and those around you and to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
Lights – Regularly check main beams, indicators, fog lights, sidelights and brake lights.
Oil – Over-filling or under-filling the oil risks engine damage.
Water – Keep the screen wash reservoir full and use plenty of additive in winter, BEFORE it freezes up.
Electrics – Check battery, wiper blades, electric windows, horn and heater fan. Defects will only worsen if neglected.
Tyres – The grooves of the tread must not be lower than 1.6mm through out a continuous band and must be ¾ of the breadth and entire outer circumference of the tyre. The tyres on the car must also be correctly matched, so they should be the correct type, correct size, correct structure and they should be on the correct axle of the vehicle.
Worn tyres reduce the effectiveness of braking, steering and acceleration, particularly in the wet.
Do not do something else while driving
Trying to do something else (use a mobile phone, use Satnav, unwrap a sweet) at the same time, is distracting. Listening to music with the volume too high can encourage drivers to speed up. Distracted drivers find it much more difficult to maintain their awareness of what’s happening on the road around them, and are more likely to speed. Don’t become distracted. Focus on the primary task at hand, namely driving.
Be seen
Every year about 400 people are killed in EU countries when drivers fail to detect objects in their blind spots while manoeuvring. Most victims are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Pay close attention to other vehicles and changes in their movement.
Never drive whilst tired
On long journeys stop for at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours. Someone driving on a motorway at 70 mph who nods off for six seconds would travel more than 200 metres in that time. Plan your travel, allow enough time to arrive safely without the need to drive hard.
Wear seat belt
You and your passengers must wear a seatbelt.
Do not drink and drive
Alcohol impairs your driving, even a small amount. Think carefully if you’re safe to drive the
morning after too.