Defensive Driving: Five Tips For Post-Lockdown Mania
Millions of drivers are returning to the roads, out of practice and often in poorly maintained vehicles. Defensive driving, then, has never been more important. Here’s five ways to master it…
Avoid Distractions
There are all sorts of ways drivers can become distracted nowadays, whether it’s through mobile phones or increasingly prominent infotainment systems. When you get into your car, you should condition yourself to set aside other thoughts and considerations. Your only priority should be to get from point ‘a’ to ‘b’ safely and comfortably. Text messages, calls and the next CD you really want to listen to can all wait; if they can’t, you need to find a safe place to pull over and stop. Sometimes, your state of mind can interfere with your driving. Whether it’s general stress or after an argument with a significant other, if you’re not composed enough to drive don’t attempt to.
Never Overreact
It’s easy to lose your composure behind the wheel. Why? Because we almost instinctively dehumanise other drivers, instead choosing to see them as vehicles. We forget that they have lives, too, places to be and responsibilities. Most of them aren’t bad people, but it’s easy to become more frustrated than you would, for instance, with a pedestrian who bumps into you or cuts you up on the pavement. If someone does something dangerous or irresponsible, such as running a red light, cutting into your lane or exhibiting signs of road rage, you job isn’t to become upset; it’s to keep yourself and your passengers safe. Remain carm and put things into perspective.
Always Maintain A Way Out
Whilst driving, think about what you’d do if the car in front of you slammed its brakes on. Imagine what’d happen if a child or animal suddenly ran out in to the road. Consider what’d happen if your car began to smoke or caught fire. Would the way your driving allow you to react with sufficient time and safely? Think of defensive driving as tactical, it’s about what you do step by step over the course of your journey. Asking yourself questions about your surroundings whilst out on the road can be powerful; it puts things into perspective and makes you think about potential dangers and hazards. Once you’ve recognised them, you can deal with them.
Try Not To Make Assumptions
Expecting the unexpected may sound like a cliche, but it’s a fundamental aspect of defensive driving. You should never presume that drivers around you are going to drive responsibly or do what you’d do in a given situation. Think of each moment you spend on the road as a story that’s yet to unfold. This will keep you alert and will prevent you from becoming lazy. In practice, this means you shouldn’t expect other drivers to indicate correctly, change lanes in good time or necessarily obey speed limits. A lot of them, after all, don’t. Your job is to prepare yourself for their errors.
Look Far Ahead
Defensive driving is all about anticipation and observation. You need to be looking out for dangerous or risky developments on the road, or even situations that can lead to them. Keeping your eyes at the furthest point of the road is a sure way of spotting anything well before it can become a problem. You may not realise it, but most drivers tend to look immediately in front of their cars and completely ignore what’s occurring further down the road. It’s easy to be aware of what’s immediately before you, harder to judge what’s happening in the distance. You’re travelling forwards, often at speed, that’s where your attention should be.
The Best Driving Apps For Post-Lockdown Driving – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/the-best-driving-apps-for-post-lockdown-driving/
A Third Of British Drivers Haven’t Purchased Fuel In A Month – https://www.autoservefleet.co.uk/latest-news/a-third-of-british-drivers-haven-t-purchased-fuel-in-a-month/
