The Do’s and Don’ts for Safe Driving

Driving
can be difficult. It tests our patience in many ways every day. It
can surprise us when we least expect it. While going through driver’s
education, I have heard many complain about the repetitive nature of
the course. This is where I stop and ask, ‘did you ever consider
why certain topics and rules were repeated so many times?’ It is
because they will be critical to your safety on the road. Driver’s
ed is critical as it teaches you the do’s and don’ts of driving.
It teaches you to keep your ‘gates’ open, providing options in
case of an emergency. It teaches you when to change lanes, or when
not to. It takes every critical aspect of driving and fully dissects
it until you know it by heart. If I had not known some of these
rules, I may very well have found myself in trouble while on the
road.
Sadly, drivers ed alone cannot prevent accidents from
happening while on the road. Every day, drivers fall victim to wrecks
caused by distracted driving, poor choices, or driving under the
influence. Ways to improve safety on the road would be, first of all,
to better encourage drivers to make safe decisions. The maintenance
and design of roadways is also important; smooth roads are critical
to keeping a straight bearing while on high speed roads. Visibility
is important on the interstate as well. Road drainage and behavior
around rain and ice is also important. Lastly, improvements in
vehicle safety is important. I am a fan of cars and vehicle design,
so I follow this science somewhat closely. I have been impressed by
the improvements that the industry has made; however, no matter how
much vehicular safety improves, such protection can only go so far.
This is where defensive driving comes in.
My biggest pieces of
advice for new driver’s are to know the rules and never make
split-second decisions. Knowing the rules will help you follow,
understand, and predict the behavior of other drivers, and allow you
to drive defensively yourself. Never try to force an entry, nor
should you ever ‘bend’ the rules, even if there isn’t anyone to
stop for at the stop sign. You should always know the rules and
follow them; you never know what other drivers might do. This leads
to my next piece of advice: never make sudden movements or
split-second decisions. Even if you think you know what you’re
doing, no one else does. It can cause others to jump or
overcompensate and cause a wreck. Also, when making quick decisions,
rarely can you fully analyze the situation. You might’ve missed the
car in your blind spot, or you may even find yourself in the ditch if
you were moving too quickly! Always fully analyze the situation, make
thoughtful, predictable movements, watch the drivers around you, and
don’t worry. Making good choices is the most important step to
becoming a safer driver.