The world is full of terrible drivers whether they are too old to drive or too distracted to pay appropriate attention to the traffic in front of them. There are habits and strategies that you can use in order to be as safe on the roads as possible.
Not everyone adheres to these but they will make your life much easier. Avoiding possible legal trouble or the stress that comes from being involved in a car accident is worth making these changes. The following are tips to keep you as safe as possible on the roads.
Avoid Driving Late at Night or During Holidays
Avoid driving late at night when there could be drunk people leaving the bars. Most of the time unless it is work related it is easy to avoid driving at 2AM. If you have to drive it is important to be aware of the people around you that could have been drinking. At traffic lights look at approaching traffic even if your light just turned green as someone not slowing down could hit you at a high rate of speed.
Holidays are also dangerous to drive on as a lot of people consume alcohol but then want their car home for the holiday the next day. Thanksgiving eve is the perfect example of a time to avoid being on the road due to the amount of inebriated people.
Drive Sober No Matter What
Driving under the influence of anything can be dangerous for yourself, your passengers, and other people on the road. There have been a decrease in alcohol related driving incidents in those states that have legalized marijuana. This does not mean that marijuana is safe to drive on as it impacts the brain and can have negative consequences on reflexes.
There has been a movement by multiple companies to try to find a breathalyzer for marijuana but none are currently being used by law enforcement agencies as they are not reliable enough. Avoid any problems and just call an Uber if you have been smoking or have had a few beers.
Take a Look At Directions Before Starting Out
The one thing that many people have realized is that a GPS or maps application can make a mistake. This can cause someone to jerk the wheel in order to make the right exit or take the right road. Taking a look at the directions and knowing the major exits or roads to take is wise. Just look it over as most roads will stand out when you have looked at the directions previous to departing. Having another person navigate with an app can be easier as they can see where you are in relation to where you need to turn or exit.
Have Your Phone On Bluetooth in the Car
Bluetooth and speech to text apps are great for people who need to be in touch but are driving. This allows a person to do most of the things that they need to without having to look at their phone. Setting these things up are not as complicated as many people think especially with smartphones integrating into most new technology.
Do not text and drive for any reason but simply pull over or into a shopping or rest area to text back. Setting up voice to text will allow you to have full conversations without having to take a quick look at your phone which could have serious implications on the highway.
Being a safe driver will help you avoid extra costs via insurance as well as stress that goes along with traffic court, accidents, and possible DUIs. Take the above advice and increase your safety on the road as well as the safety of your passengers.