We are willing to bet, that since drivers education in high school, you have had the term “defensive driving” pounded into your head. Despite this, there are still a lot of crazy drivers out there who adopt offensive driving. After all, they are the reason for many accidents and why we are still employed as an auto body repair shop. But, we want all of you staying safe on the road, so we put together some defensive driving tips. And, no, none of them include driving with Von Miller in your passenger seat. Sorry.
Keep Focused
Defensive drivers have a couple of things in common. They stay focused on the road while keeping their hands at a 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position. The two, actually, go hand in hand. When you have both hands on the wheel, you automatically adopt a more alert posture and focus on the road. With both hands on the wheel, it is not possible to:
Eat or drink
Shave (yes, we have seen this)
Text
Apply make-up
Hold a dog (again, yes, we have seen this be the cause of several accidents)
Keep Your Eyes Moving
Things on the road can happen very quickly. So, you need to be aware of, and process, multiple hazards at the same time. A good defensive driving tip is to keep your eyes moving to check the mirrors and scan the road ahead so you can anticipate problems.
The Two-Second Rule
When it comes to defensive driving tips, we see this one a lot. Keep and maintain a safe distance between cars, especially while in heavy traffic. To do this, adopt a two-second rule by finding an object on the road. Then, count “one Mississippi, two Mississippi” when the car in front of you passes the object. If you pass the same object before you complete “two Mississippi”, you will want to slow down.
Go With the Flow
Speeding is definitely against the law and causes a lot of accidents. But, going too slow can also create accidents. So, you will want to make sure you are driving at about the same pace as the rest of the traffic. And, if you have multiple lanes, only use the left lane for passing.
Be Seen
A lot of accidents are simply because drivers don’t see the other car. So, to be seen, do the following:
Turn Signals: Indicate where you wish to go so other drivers slow down and anticipate you turning.
Headlights: A dusk, it is a good idea to turn on your lights or anytime you are dealing with rain or snow. In fact, in some states, it is the law to turn your lights on when your windshield wipers are in operation.
Brake Lights: Seems like common sense, but you need to make sure your brake lights are working.
Avoid Blind Spots: Do not linger in other drivers’ blind spots.
How to Use This Information
We hope this information helps you stay safe out there from all the crazy drivers! But, should you need us, we are here for you and will work to get your car looking like new. Call 303-344-2212 or contact us online.
