Getting into a car can seem like a perilous situation on a daily basis. When we are ferrying our kids to school, it can feel like we are going on an obstacle course. People can drive like idiots, and no matter how much we try our best to be vigilant, there’s always some form of near-miss. The fact is that accidents are a daily occurrence in specific areas, and it’s always due to the same reasons: people not paying attention, driving distracted, or they are not particularly skilled on the road. Road accidents can happen, regardless of the skill of the driver, but the reality is that many collisions can be avoided. Here are a few things to remember if you want to avoid accidents:
Looking After Your Vehicle
It’s such a simple thing, but making sure that you look after your vehicle can help in many situations. Having your brakes checked by your mechanic every 6 months, checking your engine oil, and looking for any faults on the dashboard can all make a big difference. The fact is you can minimise accidents, and even while many people are more than able to get a car on credit hire if they get in an accident, the fact is that it can avoid a lot of hassle if they maintain the vehicle by having it serviced every 12,000 miles or 12 months.
Ensuring You Can Control the Wheel
It sounds obvious, but if you learned many years ago you might have been aware of the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions as the way to hold the steering wheel, but now, it is 9 and 3 where you place your hands as this will allow you more control over the vehicle if you need to change direction. This is now standard advice, and ensuring that you have good control of the wheel makes a big difference when you need to make a sudden move.
Stay Off Autopilot
Everybody is guilty of being on autopilot, especially when they go on roads they are used to. Ensuring you stay off autopilot by remembering that your eyes should keep moving, such as by looking in front to the sides and in the rearview mirrors, as well as the 12-second rule, where you are scanning the road 12 seconds ahead of you for any potential dangers, will help you to anticipate any risks. When we go on autopilot, this is when something could occur. We are all guilty of not reacting in time if some idiot behind us decides to take over. Staying off autopilot makes a big difference here.
Never Make Assumptions
Just because the car in front is indicating to go left, it doesn’t mean they will. You may find van drivers operating with the hazards on and people constantly pulling out, you should never make the assumption that a driver is going to stay where they are.
Driving is not an exact science, and the best approach is to remain vigilant. It’s not easy, especially when there are children in the back, but you’ve got to make sure that you are aware that being in the driver’s seat demands a lot of concentration.