Important Safety Rules To Follow When You Are Driving A Car

It is important that we drive safely and responsibly on the road, not just for our sakes, but also for the sake of others.

Nowadays we find more advanced cars on the streets than ever before, making our lives comfortable and our commute convenient. As we get more convenience from these modern cars our responsibility to drive safely increases too. There are traffic rules in every part of the world and we have to follow them to keep not just ourselves safe but others as well. In this article, we take a look at some common rules that ensure to keep you safe on the roads.

Don’t Drink And Drive

One of the most important rules that must be followed is never to drive when you have been drinking. Alcohol is known to cause quite a few impairments that lead individuals into car accidents. Higher alcohol levels cause blurred vision and temporarily may lose the ability to concentrate which may even lead to unconsciousness. This can cause serious accidents on the road resulting in multiple fatalities.

Drinking and driving is a crime and you may get a serious sentence for it. Major cities in the US like Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, and others have very strict laws for DUI offenses and you could easily go to jail for it. It is suggested to seek legal advice if you get into an accident while driving under the influence.

Don’t Forget To Wear A Seatbelt

This is the most important rule that every driver must follow to ensure safety while driving. In the event of an accident, wearing a seatbelt prevents you from being thrashed around inside the car hitting any sharp objects, or being thrown outside the car onto the moving traffic on the road. Hence wearing a seatbelt is an effective way of saving your life. Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of fatalities to about 40%. In most car accidents or crashes, a person has more chance of survival or escaping fatal injury if he is wearing a seatbelt.

Maintain a Safe Distance By Following The Three Second Rule

While driving the driver must maintain a safe distance from the vehicles ahead of him. This allows the driver to handle the situation safely if the car ahead makes a sudden stop or an erratic turn. Estimating the proper distance between your car and the one in front of you can be very difficult while driving, so it’s a good idea to follow the Three Second Rule.

This can be done by calculating the time it takes for the car ahead of you to pass a particular permanent object on the roadside, and check whether it takes you 3 seconds for you to reach the same object. You can double this second count at night or in bad weather conditions when visibility is poor.

Avoid Distractions At All Times

Any kind of distraction during driving can be very dangerous not only for ourselves but for others as well. Activities like talking on the phone or eating and drinking can distract the driver, and he loses full concentration on the road. This also delays the response time during a critical condition. So you must put away all items while driving so you can avoid being distracted and keep your full attention on the road.

Do Not Violate The Red Signal

The signals on the road are meant to ensure discipline and safety on the road. So you must follow it while driving at all times. If you violate a red signal and drive through, you might crash into another car from the other direction and result in a serious accident. So be sure to follow the signals, never violate the red signal, and drive only when the green signal is on.

Drive Within The Designated Speed Limit

Youngsters are well known for speeding when they drive, but this can cause a serious accident, that may end up with permanent disabilities or loss of life. Every year more than 45% of car crashes are caused by overspeeding. Your reaction time is significantly reduced if you are overspeeding impairing your ability to respond to any sudden changes in the road conditions. So to save your life and avoid a serious accident, don’t Overspeed and follow the designated speed limits at all times.

Don’t Drive If You Are Feeling Drowsy

It is a bad idea to drive if you are feeling drowsy. It is almost as dangerous as driving while drunk. Just being a little drowsy can be fatal for your life, as this condition impairs your instant judgment and you run the risk of missing potential signs of an incoming accident. Your ability to respond instantly to any situation is also compromised. So it is recommended that you have a good night’s sleep and are fully rested and aware when you start to drive. If that is not the case then it will be wise to let someone else drive or take public transportation.

Maintain Extra Caution In Bad Weather Conditions

Bad weather conditions such as hail, rain, or snow give rise to poor driving conditions. So you must practice extra caution when driving in such weather. It is important for you to be very careful when making turns or driving on steep roads, you must maintain a proper safe distance from other vehicles on the road, and drive well within the speed limits. You also need to keep an eye out for other drivers in such conditions. Even if you are maintaining all safety measures, reckless driving by others may get you to involve in an accident. So be aware of other vehicles and their movements around you.

Maintain Your Vehicle Regularly

A part of driving safely is to maintain the condition of your vehicle and keep it in a top-notch state. You must regularly replace the engine oil, maintain the tire pressure, breaks, engine, etc. these factors are especially important if you are planning to embark on a long drive on the highway. If any of the parts break down it may result in an accident.

Last Words

Driving is a skill that many of you have mastered well over the years. But you must be a safe driver by following all the safety rules while driving. So follow the tips mentioned above and ensure a relaxing and safe journey. Happy Driving!