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Safe Driving Techniques

Be ready for changes in traffic

On the road, be alert for vehicles on either side, to the front, and to your rear. Use your mirrors. Leave enough space between you and the vehicle ahead for safe stops. Always leave yourself a way out. Mistakes cause accidents. To protect yourself, know which lanes are clear so you can use them if you need to.

Scanning

When driving, 90% of the information you process about the road and surroundings is through your eyes. Looking ahead will help you see things early and will allow you more time to react. Defensive drivers focus their eyes 10 to 15 seconds ahead. In the city, that equals approximately one block. Scanning is important to collect all of the information that you will need to drive safely. To scan means to look at the entire scene for anything that might come into your path. Scanning the road helps prevent fixed stares that can cause you to miss important information. Continuously scan ahead, to the sides, and behind you.

Use your mirrors

Check the traffic behind you frequently – about every ten seconds. This will alert you if someone is moving up too quickly or tailgating you. If you feel the vehicle behind you is following too closely, either slow down and allow the tailgater to pass, or speed up to increase the distance between you. By doing this, you will allow enough room for both yourself and the driver behind to stop safely if an emergency situation arises.

Blind spots

Blind spots are danger areas that can't be seen in your mirrors on either or both sides of your vehicle. Quickly turn your head to check for other vehicles in your blind spots before changing lanes or passing another vehicle. Also, check for other drivers who also may be moving into the same lane. Avoid driving in someone else's blind spot. This can be just as dangerous as not checking your own.

Trucks and buses

Trucks and buses have significant blind spots called No-Zones. No-Zones are the areas where cars either disappear into blind spots or are so close that they restrict the truck or bus driver's ability to stop or maneuver safely.

Lingering in the No-Zones greatly increases the potential for a fatal crash. The No-Zones include

• backing up
• passing
• rear blind spots, and
• side blind spots

Four-second rule

When you maintain a safe following distance you have more time to react. To ensure you have adequate space, leave four seconds of a following distance between yourself and the car in front of you.

Here is how it works:

• Watch the vehicle ahead pass a fixed point, such as an overpass, sign, or other marker.
• Begin counting the seconds it takes for you to reach the same place.
• When the front of your vehicle passes the fixed point, stop counting.

If you reach the mark before you have counted off four seconds, you are following too closely. Slow down and increase your following distance. The four-second rule applies only under normal conditions.

In bad weather, under poor road conditions, or when following large trucks such as tractor trailers, you may need to increase your following distance more than four seconds for extra space.

Passing other vehicles safely

Before you pass another vehicle, you must first make sure that you can do so safely. There are a number of areas in which you cannot legally pass. These include

• school zones
• behind signaling stopped buses
• railroad crossings
• intersections
• tunnels and bridges, and
• any section of the roadway with a solid line

To pass another vehicle safely, first make sure you're following at the proper distance, this is four seconds. Next, you need to look around your vehicle for other motorists. Look ahead of the vehicle you will be passing to make sure that there is enough space. Check all of your mirrors and blind spots to make sure no one is attempting to pass you.

Once you've determined it's safe to pass, turn on your left turn signal and once again check the area into which you will be moving. Move into the passing lane and accelerate. When you have passed the vehicle, turn on your right turn signal, check your blind spot, and move into the right lane.

Intersections

Most accidents occur at intersections. As you approach an uncontrolled intersection, never assume the other driver is going to yield. Cover your brake with your foot and prepare to stop. Anticipate light changes by covering the brake when the light has been green for a while.

When stopped at an intersection, wait to make sure the traffic has stopped and pedestrians are clear of the road. Never assume that they are clear. Scan the entire intersection before proceeding. Always look for and yield to pedestrians crossing.

Speeding

Exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for road conditions is the single largest factor contributing to fatalities.

Speeding reduces your ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, increases the distance necessary to stop your vehicle, and decreases the time you have to react to dangerous situations.

Avoiding collisions

There's almost always something you can do to avoid a crash, or reduce the results of the crash.

To avoid a collision, you generally have three options:

1. Stopping

Many newer vehicles have ABS, or antilock braking system. Make sure you read the vehicle owner's manual on how to use the ABS. The ABS will allow you to stop without skidding. In general, if you need to stop quickly with ABS, depress the brake pedal as hard as you can and keep pressing. You might feel the brake pedal pushing back when the ABS is working. Don't let up on the brake pedal. The ABS system will only work with the brake pedal pushed firmly down.

2. Turning

In most cases, you can turn more quickly than you can stop to avoid a collision. Make sure you have a good grip with both hands on the steering wheel. It's best to have your hands at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. Once you have turned away or changed lanes, you must keep your vehicle under control.

If you're driving a vehicle with a high center of gravity, such as an SUV, van, minivan or truck, remember that they may be more prone to roll over during sharp turning. These vehicles typically ride higher off the ground than cars, and therefore have higher centers of gravity, making them more susceptible to rollover in a single-vehicle crash. Rollover accidents are among the most dangerous types of crashes and are more likely to result in fatalities than other types of crashes. The majority of rollover crash victims nationwide - 80% - were not wearing seat belts. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, or NHTSA, urges everyone to wear seat belts at all times while in a vehicle.

3. Speeding Up

Sometimes it's best or necessary to speed up to avoid a collision. This may happen when another vehicle is about to hit you from the side or from behind, and there's room to the front of your vehicle to get out of danger. You should slow down once the danger has passed.