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A Guide to Staying Safe While You’re on the Road

Staying Safe While You’re on the Road

Every year, car accidents take the lives of more than 43,000 people in the United States alone. The fact of the matter is, whenever you decide to get on the road, you are taking some risk. However, with the proper precautions, you can make driving on the road a lot safer for you, your family, and the other drivers on the road. Below are a few tips you can use to stay safe while you’re on the road and hopefully prevent yourself from getting into a car accident. 

1.   Limit Distractions

Cropped shot of young woman using smart phone while sitting in car.

One of the most important things you can do is limit the number of distractions while you’re driving. Distracted drivers are one of the biggest causes of car accidents. There are a number of things that could distract us while we drive. You could be changing the music on your phone, helping out your kids in the back seat, having something to eat, or staring at something on the side of the road.

When driving, it’s important to limit these distractions as much as possible. Some simple things you can do are make use of the hands-free tech on your phone or in your car and make it a habit to pull over whenever you need to do something complicated, like send a text or help your child.

2.   Own a Safe Vehicle

An important part of staying safe on the road is the vehicle you drive. There have been some great strides made in the past few years to make vehicles safer. For example, many vehicles now come with technology that can apply the brakes for you if it detects you’re about to hit something or alert you if there’s something in your blind spot.

In addition to the built-in safety features of a vehicle, you should look at anything you add to your vehicle. For example, make sure your child is using the safest possible car seat and that there’s nothing on your back windowsill that could come crashing forward during an accident. There are also head supports for car seats which can not only better protect your child, but make them more comfortable when they sleep.

Finally, a big part of having a safe car is performing regular maintenance. If you don’t take proper care of your vehicle, it’s more likely to break down. Be sure you’re bringing your vehicle to a trusted mechanic every few months, where they can check on important safety components in your vehicle like the brakes and tires.

3.   Obey the Traffic Laws

driving car on highway, close up of hands on steering wheel

Traffic laws exist for a reason. When you’re driving, it can sometimes be tempting to break these laws, even if it’s just a little. We’re all guilty of going a little faster than the stated speed limit. However, if you want to remain as safe as you can on the road, it’s essential that you follow all the traffic laws. This means obeying the speed limit, using your headlights at the correct time, not following other vehicles too closely, and coming to a complete stop at stop signs, among others.

4.   Prepare Before You Leave

Taking a few minutes to prepare for a long drive can help you stay safe on the road. For example, you can load up your favorite music playlist before you go so that you don’t need to change songs too often as you drive. You can also research where you’re going to ensure you know how to get there and that there aren’t any surprises as you’re following the GPS. Finally, it’s a good idea to always have a few emergency supplies in your vehicle in case you get stuck, especially if bad weather is on the way. Some basic supplies you might want to own include a first aid kit, a mobile cell phone charger, and a few bottles of water.

5.   Learn from Any Mistakes

Scared driver driving a car before an accident

Everyone has their own driving habits. There may be something that makes it more likely that you’ll get into an accident than someone else. Therefore, if you ever get into an accident or have a situation on the road, it’s important to learn from your mistakes. What could you have done differently to prevent this accident? If you did everything right, then think about the mistakes of the other drivers, as you can learn from those too. Learning from mistakes is a great way to reduce the odds of a similar accident happening again.

Hopefully, with these few tips, you’ll have a safer time on the road. As you can see, it doesn’t take much to stay a little safer. It’s mostly just a matter of preparation and using responsible driving habits. Keep these tips in mind each time you drive and you’ll be glad you did.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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