10 Driving Safety Tips

Driving accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries and death. It’s important to be as safe as possible while using any kind of vehicle, which is why we brought together this list of safety tips to help you stay safe on the road.

1. Don’t Drive Under the Influence – This cannot be stressed enough, drinking while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is extremely dangerous not only for yourself but everyone else around you. Alcohol and drugs impair your thinking skills and reaction time, putting yourself and others in a heightened level of danger.
2. Avoid Drowsy Driving – Driving while you’re sleepy is almost as dangerous as driving while you’re under the influence. Being drowsy also impairs your reaction times and you’re prone to fall asleep at the wheel.
3. Don’t Speed – Speeding is unsafe for a number of reasons, namely the increase in crashes that occur when individuals speed. One might think that speeding mainly occurs on freeways however this is not the case. Non-interstate highways are the most common areas to speed, which leads to more dangerous school zones, work areas, and more injuries.
4. Avoid Distractions –  Texting, calling, or just checking your phone while driving is very distracting. This can cause you to get into an accident that was completely preventable.
5. Take Caution in Bad Weather – Slowing down during weather conditions like rain, snow, fog, or hail will decrease the chances of an accident occurring. Bad weather can make the roads themselves more dangerous by causing the surface to be slippery or just limit your sight.  Giving yourself more stopping distance and more time to react is the best thing to do in these conditions.
6. Wear Your Seat Belt – Wearing your seat belt while in your vehicle will improve your safety significantly. This is also a law in some states, so it could also prevent you from getting pulled over!
7. Don’t Follow Too Closely –Stopping distance is very important in all driving situations. When you don’t allow yourself ample room to bring your vehicle to a stop you make driving a lot more dangerous. You never know when the vehicle in front of you will need to come to a stop, so take precaution and give yourself room!
8. Drive Defensively – Driving defensively enables you to be more aware of what’s happening around you. Scanning the road and staying focused on driving is what it takes to drive defensively.  By driving defensively you can cut down the risks of driving.
9. Have a Car Emergency Kit – Some accidents are inevitable. For those times that you can’t avoid a crash you should be prepared. Make an emergency kit to have incase something does happen. Road flares, first aid kits, and bottles of water would be good things to have in your car at all times.
10. Keep Your Vehicle Safe – One of the most important things to do to be a safe driver is to make sure your vehicle is safe. This means checking tire air pressure, doing regular engine check ups, making sure you can see out all of your windows, having insurance, etc… Taking preventive measures is always easier and less stressful than having to fix problems after they occur.

Ease your mind while you’re traveling near or far when traveling by having auto insurance. Call a Doyle & Ogden agent today at 616-949-9000 to get your peace of mind and a free insurance quote.