Driving comes with several inherent risks, many of which are out of your control. From aggressive drivers to adverse weather conditions, the road presents itself with a myriad of challenges. Despite being unable to control these circumstances, there are some defensive driving techniques that you can adopt to help increase your safety and decrease the likelihood of an accident occurring. In this article, we will explore a number of important defensive driving techniques to help keep you safe on the road.
Maintain a Safe Following Distance
The first defensive driving technique is to make sure that you are keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. Keeping ample distance between vehicles will provide you with sufficient time to react to sudden changes in traffic flow or an accident. Generally speaking, you should try to keep a three-second gap between you and the car in front of you. However, if you are driving in adverse weather conditions or at high speeds, you will want to increase this three-second gap.
Remove Distractions
The next thing you should do in adopting defensive driving techniques is eliminate any potential distractions while driving. Distracted driving is very dangerous to all vehicles on the road and greatly increases your chances of getting into a car accident. Distractions include texting, making phone calls, extremely loud music, eating, and even passengers. Essentially anything that may divert your eyes from the road or your hands from the wheel, should be avoided according to the injury lawyers at Salter, Healy, Rivera, & Heptner.
Avoid Driving in Blind Spots
Another defensive driving technique that you will want to adopt is avoiding driving in the blind spots of other drivers. Blind spots are areas around your vehicle that you are unable to see while driving. Blind spots are usually just behind and to the sides of the vehicle. When another vehicle is driving in your blind spot, you will likely be unaware that anyone is there. This can be very dangerous if you decide to change lanes and there is an individual in your blind spot, thereby causing a collision. It is especially important to avoid being in the blind spot of a truck driver, as the impact of a truck accident is far more devastating.
Plan Your Route
Before driving off to your next destination, be sure to map up your route and pull up your navigation, if applicable. This will help guarantee that you get to your destination in the most effective way possible and will minimize distractions and confusion on the road. As a result, this will also cause fewer lane changes, less last-minute decision-making, and decreased frustration while driving.
Constantly Scan Your Surroundings
When driving, you should constantly be scanning your surroundings and conscientious of what is happening around you. You should be looking in your side and rearview mirrors frequently to be aware of who is driving around you and where they are positioned, especially when switching lanes. By consistently taking in what is going on around you, you will be able to quickly react in the event of an emergency or accident.
