All posts tagged drive safely

7 Safe Driving Tips To Stay Safe On The Road During Winter Storms

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/11/09 in On the Road with Comments Off on 7 Safe Driving Tips To Stay Safe On The Road During Winter Storms

Winter storms can hit at any time and create very hazardous driving conditions. They can bring down large amounts of snow and ice in a short period of time. If you are caught in one of these storms, then you need to know exactly what to do. Here are seven driving tips to stay safe on the road during inclement weather.

Reduce Your Speed

You want to slow down when driving in a winter storm. Slowing down allows your tires to maintain traction in the snow and ice. Going slowly also reduce the chance that you will accidentally run into a car that was hidden by the falling snow.

Increase Your Distance between Cars

You want to increase the distance between your vehicle and other cars on the road. Try to get as much distance as possible since other cars could swerve out of control at any second. Try to double the normal amount of space between you and the car in front of you to give you more time to react to dangerous situations.

Try Not To Stop

Try not to stop if you are driving through a winter storm. Stopping will force your car to work hard to gain acceleration again. You could potentially become stuck in a single spot if you do stop.

Keep Your Headlights On

Turn your headlights on as soon as the storm starts. Keep them on at all times. Headlights will let you see the road better. They also signal the presence of your vehicle to other drivers.

Apply Gas and Brakes Slowly

Apply your gas and brakes very slowly during a storm. You want to accelerate and brake gradually. If you slam on the breaks, your tires may lock up and slide in ice, which can be dangerous. Give yourself extra time to stop and go slowly so you don’t lose traction.

Know When to Pull Over

It’s important to know when to pull over. Some winter storms might be so intense that you cannot see anything and other drivers are getting into accidents all around you. If conditions get incredibly bad, then just pull over to a safe spot and wait for the storm to lighten up.

Never Drink and Drive

Never attempt to drive under the influence. This is important because you could make bad decisions and lose control of the car. Drinking and driving also inhibits your ability to react to sudden changes like a car spinning into your lane. Besides the injuries and damage you could cause, driving while under the influence can get you fines and jail time, according to Columbus attorneys at Suhre & Associates.

Never underestimate the danger of a winter storm. It takes just one patch of snow or one errant move to send your car careening off the side of the road. These seven tips will help you to stay safe if you are caught driving in a winter storm.

Road Safety: Ways to Improve It

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/10/07 in On the Road with Comments Off on Road Safety: Ways to Improve It

All of us drivers are very well aware of how rapidly the number of vehicles on the roads increase on daily basis. Not only the traffic is becoming more frequent, the speeds are increasing too, either due to people always being late or faster and faster cars being produce. Regardless of the cause, staying safe on the roads should be everyone’s priority. This is a team effort and each and every driver needs to contribute. Therefore, here are several suggestions on how to improve road safety applicable to all kinds of vehicles and driving experience.

Buckle up

Make fastening your seatbelt the first thing you need to do before turning the engine on. And do it every time you drive. Every time. It does not matter whether you are going for a long ride or merely around the corner to get some eggs from the nearby shop. Seatbelts save lives and it is the least you can do for your personal safety. After all, how can you expect someone else to look after you when on the road if you fail to do such a simple thing as fastening a seatbelt is.

Slow down

Yes, another no brainer, most of the drivers would say. Then, how come there are so many fatal accidents with speeding as a cause? Risking yours and other people’s lives just because you are late for a meeting or want to get to the show five minutes earlier makes absolutely no sense. Furthermore, if the sign says 50, or 70, or 90 for that matter, it does not mean that you have to drive as fast. Relax, slow down 5 mph and immensely improve safety by this simple action.

Keep your eyes on the road

Do not text and drive, do not talk on the phone unless you use a hands free kit and do not reach for a sandwich at a glove department. Keep your eyes on the road at all times. You need to be aware of everything that is happening on the road, sometimes you will have to react to other people’s mistakes. Furthermore, proper road line marking makes a world of difference and is very helpful in improving road safety. There is nothing worse than an unmarked road on a dark and rainy day. Therefore, keep your eyes open.

Have a clear mind

Driving under the influence of alcohol or any psychoactive substance is an incredibly risky activity. Your reflexes, vision, orientation abilities and motor skills will all be highly influenced and the odds of being involved in some kind of an accident will skyrocket. Relying on the false feeling of supremacy that occurs in a large number of cases when alcohol and drugs consumption is in question lead to too many traffic accidents. Do not be a part of that lethal circle, drive with a clear mind and blood.

Take breaks

Remember the rule, two hours of driving demand at least a 15 minute break. Stop for a cup of coffee, stretch your legs or drink some water or juice, whatever recuperates you best and only then continue to drive. Also, before going long-distance make sure you have a good night sleep. That is an absolutely required precondition.

All these suggestions may seem familiar and common knowledge, but not implementing only a single one of them enormously increases a chance of an accident. Driving is a responsible activity and should be treated as such.