The Solid Practices To Avoid Road Accidents

Whether you are a new driver or have been on the road for many years, road accidents are one of those things that happens regardless of experience. With a huge number of road accidents on a regular basis, it’s so important that we don’t just have the relevant skills, but also have some sort of common sense when it comes to preventing accidents or having the relevant knowledge to deal with these issues, whether they happen to us or not. What can we all do?

Look After Your Vehicle

Maintaining your vehicle is crucial, whether it is a used car or brand new, and making sure that you take it in for a check-up every 12 months is vital, while also making sure that you get your brakes checked by a mechanic every six months. Of course, you will be using the brakes more than anything else, and in order to avoid any sudden stops, check your engine oil regularly and keep an eye out for any particular faults. Because when we’ve all been in those experiences where we have driven past people on the side of the road waiting for towing services and should be a prompt reminder that we mustn’t take our vehicle for granted. Look after your vehicle, and it will look after you. 

Always Consider Your Blind Spots

Sometimes, we’re in a situation where we have to take over a vehicle quickly or we have to pull out, which means we neglect our blind spots. Also, when you are navigating bends in the road or in unfamiliar areas, you should slow down. Sometimes, other drivers aim to make life more difficult for you and go right up to your rear bumper in order to intimidate you, but slow down, and hold your own. 

Use the 12-Second Rule

The 12-second rule is where you keep an eye on the road 12 seconds ahead of you, this will give you any signs of potential obstacles and danger, and will help you anticipate risks. When you start to develop better driving awareness, it’s going to help you avoid accidents. Always make sure that you know what is going on 12 seconds in any direction 12. 

It’s Not About the 10 and 12 O’clock Positions

You may think that this is the best way to hold onto the steering wheel, but when you hold at 10 and 12 you don’t have a good enough grip on the wheel. Instead, keep your hands at 9 and 3, because this will allow you more control of the vehicle, especially if you have to change direction suddenly. 

Stop Being on Autopilot

Sometimes, we’ve had a long day, or we get bored of the commute, but your eyes should always be moving when you’re driving. If you’re stuck in traffic you can always look behind you, and practice the 12-second rule. It’s about making sure that you move your eyes from the car in front to the sides, and then into the side and rearview mirrors. When you keep your eyes moving it will stop you from anticipating any hidden dangers.