Five Tips for Safe Driving

A lot of us drive dangerously, even if we don't realize it. But, many of us wouldn't know how to drive safe anyway. Safe driving means paying attention to your driving habits and those of the drivers around you. It takes a little practice, but it's worth it. You may very well have loved ones who you drive from place to place. But, even if you don't, the car that you hit might...

Everything we do in day-to-day life seems really important until we think of the consequences. If you had a choice between being late to your kid's soccer practice and getting into an accident (even a minor one), which would you choose? Why the do we always take the chance? Leave earlier and spend the extra minutes in the car to be sure that you arrive at your destination safely.

There are a lot of ways to improve your driving. As a start, here are my five tips for safe driving:

Safe Driving Tip #5 - Don't drive when you're tired or on alcohol or drugs (legal or not)

It seems very obvious, but it cannot be stated enough. DO NOT drive if you're under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescriptions drugs that affect your driving ability. Safe driving means always knowing if you're able to pay attention and take action quickly enough to avoid an accident. Think of people other than yourself. There are way too many stories of accidents involving impaired driving where the impaired driver walks away unharmed, but has hurt or killed others in the incident.

Safe Driving Tip #4 - Drive the speed limit or with the flow of traffic

OK, maybe 5 to 10 miles over the speed limit is alright. Just don't speed excessively and don't drive so fast that you won't be able to react to a dangerous situation in time. It may surprise you, but I think that driving too slow can also be dangerous. If you're on a 65 miles per hour highway and you're in the left lane doing 55 mph, that is not safe driving. Your speed should not be too fast or too slow, and should blend in with the flow of the other traffic.

Safe Driving Tip #3 - Don't let your emotions affect your driving

Nobody likes it when they're tailgated or when another driver cuts them off. It feels like the ultimate sign of disrespect. Well... get over it. In the grand scheme of things, these minor abuses of your ego will make no difference in your life. It's best just to keep calm and drive defensively. If someone is tailgating you, let them pass. If someone cuts you off, let them go on their merry way. These people are obviously very important and need to save that extra two minutes in driving time. Safe driving means that you're always in control of your car and your emotions.

Safe Driving Tip #2 - Don't trust other drivers to drive safely

It's very common for us to assume other drivers will do the right thing. We think "Oh. That guy will see me in his mirror" or "That lady isn't possibly going to cut in front of me". Well, these other drivers don't know what you're thinking. And they probably don't know or don't care about safe driving.

Safe Driving Tip #1 - Pay attention

Pay attention to your driving! For the love of God, don't read newspapers and don't apply your makeup in the car. If you want to endanger yourself, you're an idiot, but that's your choice. However, you're also endangering others. Wake up five minutes earlier if that's what it takes. I know there are a lot of arrogant people out there, but you'd have to be supremely arrogant and self-absorbed to think that whatever activity that is taking your attention off the road is more important than others' lives. Safe driving is worth the extra minutes and inconvenience.

These tips will become even more important in the future. Every year there will be more and more cars on the road. That means more and more opportunities for danger. Not to mention more and more dangerous drivers on the road. Use these tips to drive safe and protect your car, your loved ones, your fellow motorists, and yourself. Safe driving could save you a lot of money, a lot of hassle, and a lot of guilt in the future. Plus, safe driving will probably improve your gas mileage!