You know well that you face risks on the road. Other drivers make mistakes and they cause car accidents. You don’t have to do anything wrong to be seriously injured when someone else does this.
It can be hard to avoid these accidents, and one of the best things to do is to become a defensive driver. But how do you do this and what steps should you take to keep yourself safe?
Tips that you can use
To help you focus on being a defensive driver this year, here are some common tips to keep in mind whenever you get in the car:
- Pay attention and stay alert. Don’t get distracted by the phone. Don’t forget to scan your mirrors. You always want to know where traffic is around you.
- Assume other drivers are going to make mistakes. Don’t depend on them. Look for signs of those mistakes, such as a driver who is not slowing down enough as they approach a red light.
- Maintain a proper following distance. This should generally be three or four seconds. The more distance you have from the cars around you, the easier it is to react when those drivers make mistakes.
- Slow down. Always make sure that you follow the speed limit. In some cases, it may even be wise to drive under the speed limit, if conditions warrant it. Again, slowing down increases the time that you have to react to other drivers’ mistakes.
What if you still get injured? These defensive driving tips can help you. But there’s no guarantee that you’re not going to be injured in an accident caused by another driver, and then you need to know how to seek compensation for medical bills and other costs.