When cars were first built, driving was all about getting where you needed to go. As horsepower increased, driving was all about getting where you needed to go quickly. But today, driving is all about getting where you need to go quickly AND safely. There are so many cars on the road and it seems like only about 10% of those cars are driven by people who took a driving lesson at some point in their lives. Plus, we're all in a hurry and it's easy to take additional risks when we're in a hurry.
With so many people driving, how can we drive safely? Here's the number one secret to navigating our treacherous roads safely: Anticipate.
When you anticipate, you look farther ahead and you think farther ahead. You try to predict what other drivers are going to do. You forecast what could happen and you plan and act accordingly. The farther ahead you can anticipate, the better a driver you'll be. Here are some ways to anticipate effectively.
Anticipate environmental conditions. Most of us will stick our head out the door before we leave the house to figure out if we should bring a jacket. But anticipating the weather as a careful driver means considering what the weather is going to be like for the entire time that we'll be on the road… AND considering how the weather will impact your driving and the vehicles around you. Are conditions dry and clear? More people will be driving and they'll be driving faster. Is the sun going to be in your eyes? It will probably be in other people's eyes, too, so be sure to watch out for careless lane changers. Is there fog and will it lift? Turn on your headlights but drive a little slower and watch for people who forgot to turn their headlights on.
Anticipate routes. We are creatures of habit and can always take the same route to a destination. But a few minutes of anticipating the route's conditions can make for a safer drive. Is it a well-traveled route during rush hour? Check the clock and consider another way. Is there construction or accidents? Check social media (like Twitter) before heading out on the road. Watch for mentions of accidents and roadwork. Once you get to your destination, is it easy to find a parking spot? It can be hard to find parking in the downtown cores of larger cities, so if you have to drive around for a while looking for a spot, make sure you don't get lost.
Anticipate drivers. The above two anticipating techniques are done before you drive but anticipating how others will drive WHILE YOU DRIVE is going to be the most valuable technique. To anticipate how others will drive, look farther ahead down the road. Most of us look only a car-length ahead while we drive. However, you should shift your vision between the car in front of you and several car lengths in front of you. For traffic that you're following, watch for brake lights and sudden movement (swerving, accelerating, or braking). For oncoming traffic, watch for sudden movement; at the same time, watch for road conditions that might change how the traffic ahead of you behaves. Are there parked cars? One of them could pull out. Are there trees or mailboxes on the side of the road? They could be hiding a pedestrian. Are there intersections? Someone on the cross street might miss the stop sign.
Safe driving isn't just controlling your own car. It's about anticipating how the rest of the world is going to change around you while you drive. Collisions will still happen because you can't plan for everything, but you'll help to minimize your risk of collision with this top tip for safe driving.
If you do get into a collision, Boyd Autobody is there to help you get back on the road as quickly as possible. Stay safe while you drive!
