Seven Safe Driving Tips of the Road
By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach® Nobody’s perfect, especially behind the wheel. But following a few basic rules of roadway etiquette can make all the difference between safe, courteous driving — and driving everyone else on the road crazy. Ease road rage by avoiding these all-too-common driving errors: 1. Left-lane Hogging
Believe it or not, the law states that the left lane is for passing and for faster-moving traffic only. If you aren’t passing another vehicle, then move your vehicle over to the right as soon as you safely can. Whether you are going the speed limit or not, failing to yield and let others by creates needless bottlenecks, delays and can be a safety issue to the orderly flow of traffic. Moving right and yielding to faster-moving traffic is the right thing to do. 2. Rolling Road Blocks
This is related to the serious problem of left-lane hogging. The typical scenario is a two-lane road or highway where a car in the left lane attempts to pass a car in the right lane. Instead of accelerating to overtake the other car, then moving back into the right lane, the rolling road block inches forward at a painfully slow speed and never really passes just blocks everyone else from passing. Whenever you are in a rush, they seem to appear like magic. Pay attention by using your mirrors and if you do attempt a pass – complete it! If you want to pass, signal your intent, then move left and speed up sufficiently to get past the other car quickly — that means pressing down on the gas pedal. After executing the pass, signal and move back into the right-hand lane. If you are uncomfortable (or unwilling) to travel fast enough to pass properly (the maneuver should not take more than 30 to 60 seconds) then stay in the right lane. 3. Turn Signal Virus
Have you ever been at an intersection and the vehicle in front of you stops and then turns without letting everyone know their intentions? It can be dangerous and even more frustrating. Turn signals are your communication with other drivers. Please use turn signals even when changing lanes. Accidents can happen when people change lanes without signaling and no one sees them until they hit. This turn signal virus has another symptom, not noticing the cars around you, especially concerning on and off ramps. When you see a car up ahead clearly waiting to make a turn into traffic and then you refuse to slide over to the other lane in order to give the other driver room to enter the road, it is more than discourteous. If you want people to move over for you, do the same for them. 4. Stop Merge Disease
When entering a freeway using a merge lane, do not stop and then pull into fast-moving traffic. The whole purpose of the merge lane is to give vehicles entering a highway an opportunity to speed up to match the flow of traffic, then safely merge. If you stop or slowly crawl into traffic going 20, 30 or even 40 mph faster, you are asking to be rear-ended. Not only do you create a dangerous situation for yourself, but you force other drivers behind you to attempt the same high-speed merge from a standing start. Only stop if there's a “STOP” sign; otherwise, keep going! Merge is defined as “to blend or make two or more things flow together”. Match the approximate road speed of the other cars, signal, and merge. When leaving an interstate, slow down only when you are totally in the deceleration lane. It’s easy and will keep the horn honking and finger pointing to a minimum. 5. Wake-Up The Lights Are On
When driving at night, if an oncoming vehicle has its brights on, it can be dangerous and blinding. For a moment or two, the driver can’t tell where they’re going, which is not a good thing on a winding two-lane road with narrow shoulders. The best option is to flash your high beams to remind them to turn their lights down. So, turn your brights off when other vehicles are approaching, or when you are coming up on a vehicle at night. For those of us who have the new HID (Xenon style) lights, those blue headlights you see on some vehicles, there isn’t much you can do but go back to what you learned when you started to drive. The white line on the right edge of the road is always your guide. Stare it down and you will stay on track. For those side roads that are not labeled you will have to slow down a little and focus on the road not the vehicle coming at you. If you really want other drivers to see you - always drive with your low beam headlights on at all times! 6. Multi-Tasking At The Wheel
It’s aggravating to other drivers (as well as unsafe) when you aren’t paying full time and attention to everything but the road. If you need to make an important call, read a map, do so by pulling over to the side of the road or a designated rest stop. You’ve only got two hands and two eyes. As a professional driver, even I can’t fully concentrate on maintaining control of my vehicle’s while simultaneously talking with a friend, arguing with the kids, or wolfing down lunch. There are so many distractions in daily life, but mixing that with all the modern toys, electronics, comfort and convenience controls, driving is a recipe for an accident. For those of us around you, as you multi-task you are holding up traffic causing a line at traffic lights, intersections, and parking lots. Keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, and brain focused on what you’re doing. 7. Personal Space
Have you ever had someone talk to you so close that you feel they have invaded your personal space? “Please back up 5 feet so I can breathe.” Now think about that when it comes to driving. Following too closely means you probably don’t have enough time and space to avoid slamming into the rear end of the vehicle in front of you. The law generally states that if you are the one doing the hitting, you are at fault. This usually means more than a ticket, and can also lead to higher insurance costs. If you are being tailgated what should you do:
• Do NOT slam on your brakes if a car is tailgating you. Instead, tap your brakes lightly once or twice to remind them to back off. If necessary, pull over and let them by - it’s smarter and safer! • Do not tailgate. Leave a "2 second" space between you and the car ahead of you. For example select a market on the side of the road, when the vehicle in front of you passes it start counting, if you arrive at the same marker before 2 seconds, you are too close. 8. The Bottom Line
Too many people forget that driving in America is a privilege not a right. It is a privilege each citizen can enjoy, but one that also comes with an obligation to do so safely. If that obligation is not met, the privilege can be taken away. The government can suspend or revoke a license, depending on the circumstances. What will help is if everyone obeys the "unwritten rules of the road." Remember, you might not obey the rules of the road, but if you don't, you may end up paying the price. Try and do the best you can. It will make your life, and life of those driving around you, a lot easier. And besides, in this day and age, it may even save your life. |