Vehicle accidents are a major cause of death, injury and property damage in the United States. Often it isn’t good enough to simply pay attention to the rules of the road. Driving safely also means looking out for the other guy and expecting the unexpected. Learning a few tips and using them on the road can greatly reduce your chances of being involved in an auto accident and realize car insurance savings.
Left Right Left
Here’s a basic tip to apply each time you come to a stop sign. Before crossing at an intersection, look left, then right, and then left again. The reason for this strategy? In countries where people drive on the right side of the road, a car approaching from your left will hit you more quickly than a car approaching from your right. Cars coming from the right are a bit farther away, allowing a few extra seconds for either you or the other driver to react.
Never Tailgate — Use the Two-Second Rule
Tailgating is following the vehicle in front of you too closely. Tailgating is the most common cause of accidents and is almost always preventable. By simply leaving a little extra distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you, you’ll greatly reduce the odds of rear-ending another car. A good rule of thumb to follow is the “Two-Second Rule.”
The goal of the Two-Second Rule is to stay at least two seconds behind the car in front of you. To use this rule, select a marker, such as a sign or street lamp, and wait for the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you to pass the marker. Once it has, count two full seconds before allowing your front bumper to reach the selected marker. If the roads are icy, wet or slick you should increase the distance to three or more seconds to give you more time to slow down and stop when necessary.
Don’t Get Squeezed
When you are stopped at a red light, it’s a good idea to leave plenty of distance between your front bumper and the back bumper of the vehicle in front of you. If you are hit from behind, your car may be pushed into the vehicle in front of you. Not only does this type of crash create damage to the front and back of your car, it also punishes your body with two collisions rather than one. So the next time you pull up to a red light, allow a little extra space, especially if the roads are slick.
Flash the Truckers
Due to their size, semi-trucks create large blind spots for their drivers. Driving within a trucker’s blind spot is one of the most dangerous things you can do on the road. If you’re driving on a highway at night and are about to pass a semi, it’s a good idea to flash your headlights before passing. This gives the trucker a visual signal in his rearview mirror that you are in his blind spot and you are preparing to pass. Truckers are trained to pick up on this quick warning flash that can protect you both.