How To Stay Safe Behind The Wheel: Top Tips For All Drivers

Whether you are heading out on a long-awaited road trip or commuting to and from work, you should always have road safety in mind. After all, without the proper level of caution and awareness, the likelihood of an accident occurring increases dramatically. Furthermore, it’s also important that you don’t get too comfortable in your driving abilities the more time you spend behind the wheel – and remain as focused behind the wheel as you were when you first got your license. 

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to stay safe on the road! 

10 Tips For How To Stay Safe Behind The Wheel

Keep your car in good working order

The first step towards staying safe behind the wheel is ensuring your car is roadworthy, to begin with. Thankfully, there are various ways in which you can achieve this goal. For example, you can carry out regular maintenance, such as checking the tire pressure, while also ensuring that you schedule in your car for an annual car inspection. This will enable you to understand exactly when you are ready to purchase a new car. 

Further reading on how to stay safe behind the wheel:

• Are You Ready To Purchase A New Car? Here’s What You Need To Do
• 3 Tips To Help You Save Money On Auto Insurance
• 6 Tips For Buying Your First Car

Get plenty of sleep before a long drive

While there are various different causes of car accidents, fatigue is often a leading cause, especially on longer journeys. This is due to the simple fact that the more tired you are, the harder it will be to focus on the road and perceive any potential hazards. As a result, you should always ensure that you are well-rested before getting behind the wheel and take plenty of breaks when necessary. 

Remember that guidelines change from state to state

There are various legalities you must bear in mind when driving to ensure that you are not putting yourself, your passengers, or other drivers at risk. However, in some cases, these laws vary from state to state. As a result, you should ensure that you read up on these regulations before driving in a new state, as failing to comply could also land you in a difficult legal situation. For example, you might want to read up on open container laws so that you are not forced to get help when you are on the wrong side of the law. 

Protect yourself through your insurance policy

While you should hope that you will never have to use your insurance policy, driving without one is reckless. This is due to the fact that your insurance is there to protect you when things go wrong – and can help to cover financial costs such as medical care and repair fees. As a result, you should do your research and ensure that you have a good insurance policy laid out ahead of time. This way, you’ll know that you will be able to get the most from your insurance claim after an accident.  You should also review this annually, as you may be able to get a better price as your driving experience increases. Failing to reassess your policy is one of the most common driving mistakes costing you money.

Keep noise to a minimum

While there are various different ways in which you could get distracted while driving, noise is one of them. As a result, you should ensure that you keep noise to a minimum while driving. For example, you should ensure that all music is played at an acceptable volume instead of blasting your favorite songs for all to hear. 

Turn your phone onto ‘do not disturb’ mode

According to recent studies, 25% of accidents are caused by texting and driving – meaning it’s important you do not use your phone at all when driving. If you need to use your phone to navigate, set up your route ahead of time (and before you hit the roads). Furthermore, to avoid the temptation associated with checking your phone during driving, set your phone to ‘do not disturb’ mode so that you do not receive any notifications while driving. Remember, Instagram notifications and texts will still be there when your journey is over. 

Consider a refresher driving course if necessary

If you are coming back into driving after spending time away from the wheel, you might want to consider taking a refresher course to ensure your knowledge is up to scratch. While it’s unlikely that you have forgotten everything you were taught previously, it’s important that you return to the roads with confidence and ease, and a short refresher course can make this possible. 

Make an effort to be a better driver

Another way in which you can ensure that you are always safe behind the wheel is by making a real effort to be a better driver. For example, you should ensure that you do not speed, that you remain focused, and that you do whatever it takes to hone your skills. The better driver you are, the easier it will be to avoid making mistakes or getting involved in an accident. 

Beware of other drivers

While your own focus levels are important whenever you get behind the wheel, you must also remember that you have to pay attention to other drivers around you. Doing so will help you to assess any potential hazards quickly, as you’ll be more aware of others who may be driving erratically or dangerously. If necessary, you should report dangerous driving to the appropriate authorities – as this helps keep the roads safer for everyone. 

Resist the need for speed

While speeding limits vary from place to place, there’s no secret that there’s a certain thrill with getting to drive fast. However, there are also no excuses for speeding. No amount of thrill seeking justifies the risk – meaning you must ensure that you resist the need for speed at all times. Remember, not only does speeding increase your chances of getting involved in an accident, if you are caught by a speeding camera, you’ll also face a hefty fine. Driving safe saves you money and protects those around you – even if you have to arrive at your destination a little later than you’d like.