Stay Safe on Road: 4 Driving Safety Tips You Should Know

As a car owner, you’ll likely drive your vehicle for work or holidays for most days. It’s a part of your everyday routine, and you may be used to it. However, driving can be one of the riskiest activities you carry out in your daily life. 

More than a thousand pedestrians lose their lives due to road accidents and serious injuries in the UK, while over 26,000 get seriously injured. That’s why it’s crucial to practice safe driving, as it can decrease the likelihood of you being a part of an accident. 

In other words, it can protect your life and help prevent injuries in the future. You also save money on car repairs and car insurance. To help you from falling into these situations, we’ve created a list of safe driving tips you should keep in mind before and during your road trips.

Let’s get started! 

1. Stay Focused and Alert at All Times

In the UK, distraction was a major cause of car crashes, leading to around 3,000 injuries and 50 deaths. While there are many distractions while driving, you must avoid them. We may feel like we can multitask while driving, but our brains aren’t good enough to carry out multiple tasks at once. 

That’s why you must actively pay attention to your surroundings and the drivers while driving a vehicle. Avoid any of these distractions while driving:

• Playing around with your phone
• Eating and drinking
• Looking for something in your car
• Updating GPS

If any of these tasks are urgent, you should do them after you’ve stopped your car on the side of the road. Even if you have a built-in entertainment system, they can still distract you for a long time while driving. 

2. Be Cautious of Your Surroundings 

When you’re driving, what you do within a second can make the difference between a close call and a dreadful accident. Due to this, you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. 

You should keep an eye on your mirrors regularly and scan the road in front of you to identify potential threats while driving. The quicker you notice a danger, the more time you have to react and drive safely. 

Even if you aren’t distracted while driving, it doesn’t mean that the drivers around you are paying that amount of attention. Many drivers tend to get distracted or drive their cars rashly. 

Therefore, if you want to drive safely, you must be cautious of your surroundings, knowing that other drivers may not do the same.

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3. Conduct Regular Car Servicing

While there are things you should keep in mind while driving, the vehicle you’re driving also plays a massive role. A well-maintained car ensures you don’t fall into dangerous situations while driving.

Therefore, if you live in a town like Northampton, you should visit your local car service for maintenance checks twice a year. This ensures that your vehicle doesn’t malfunction while on the road.

By going for maintenance checks, you avoid overheated engines, cracked windshields and other things that can make your car dangerous to drive. Additionally, don’t forget to check your car’s check engine light.

If your car is giving any indication that there’s something wrong, take it to your nearby repair shop as soon as possible. 

4. Keep Safe Distance Between You and Other Cars

If you tailgate or follow other vehicles too closely, it gives you less time to react if something goes wrong. A survey shows that almost 40% of UK motorists have ended up in a rear-end collision due to this. 

While you’re on the road, situations can take place within a split second. Due to this, we recommend following the 3-second rule while driving. It gives enough time to react to situations that can happen on the road head.

The 3-second rule recommends at least three seconds of distance between your vehicle and other drivers. This tip mainly applies to ideal weather and driving conditions. If it’s snowing or you’re driving a heavy car, consider keeping more distance between you and other drivers. 

To Sum Up

This sums up our list of things you should keep in mind before and while driving your vehicle. Being cautious ensures you don’t fall into dangerous situations. It’ll not only ensure that you’re driving safely but also save you money on car repairs and insurance. 

Having a clean driving record is one of the most prominent factors in getting lower insurance rates. Overall, there are only benefits to driving safely on the road. You avoid any trouble yourself while keeping others safe at the same time. 

Don’t forget to follow these tips while driving and keep your car maintained before you leave for a road trip.