Driving is one of the most dangerous activities in which we engage. It’s also one of the most important and necessary functions of our daily lives.
Driving is a skill that requires practice and knowledge, as well as an understanding of how to improve your driving skills. Here are some tips on how to do just that:
Practice makes perfect
The more you practice driving, the better you’ll be at it. You should take advantage of every opportunity to drive, whether it’s on the highway or in a parking lot. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become behind the wheel.
Start to drive before you get too close
You should be getting ready to brake before you get too close. This can mean looking ahead and spotting hazards or other vehicles that might cause a problem. It also means using your mirrors so that you know what’s going on behind you as well as in front of you.
Look for road signs and other warning signs like faded paint on the road, potholes, etc., because they could indicate potential problems ahead like congestion or slippery roads. If there is an unusual situation—a car stopped at an intersection with its hazard lights on; another vehicle crossing the double yellow line into your lane—be prepared to react accordingly: slow down, change lanes if possible or make room for them if not (don’t tailgate!). Don’t assume that all drivers are equally aware of their surroundings!
Keep track of pedestrians, cyclists and other hazards such as animals crossing roadways. They may not see the headlights coming towards them until it’s too late!
Get in the habit of checking your blind spot
It’s important to know what a blind spot is, and how to check for it. Your blind spot is the area immediately next to your car that you can’t see while driving.
To avoid accidents due to blind spots, take the following steps:
- Check your side mirrors before changing lanes or merging into traffic. Drivers are often surprised by vehicles coming up from behind in their blind spots when they switch lanes or merge into traffic.
- Use your shoulder check mirrors when changing lanes at intersections so that you don’t have to turn your head all the way around (use the shoulder check mirrors instead of turning all the way around). This will help reduce strain on your neck and lower back muscles—and make it much less likely that someone will crash into them from behind!
Move up a lane if you’re going faster than cars in front of you
- If you’re going slower than the cars in front of you, move over. This is just good driving etiquette and common sense. It allows for better traffic flow and less road rage, which is always a good thing.
- If you are in the left lane and going faster than your right-hand counterparts, move over to let them pass. Again—good manners!
Learn how to merge properly
Merging is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced. It’s one of those things that seems so simple, but can become difficult when traffic gets heavy.
To merge properly, you should:
- Don’t ever try to cross over into the next lane if it’s not possible. If you do this, you’ll block traffic behind you and cause an unnecessary backup in your lanes as well as the ones behind you. Instead, wait until there is an opening large enough for all of your vehicle to fit through before moving over into another lane.
- Don’t use oncoming lanes as an excuse for why it’s okay for you to cut people off or make sharp turns in front of other vehicles (even if they were speeding!). Your actions could cause accidents which would then lead to long backups on both sides of the road!
Safeguard your vehicle for winter weather
You can take steps to ensure your car will be ready for winter weather.
Check your tires, brakes and lights. Make sure your tires are in good condition, that they have enough tread on them to get through snow, ice or slushy roads and that they’re properly inflated. If you use snow tires, make sure those are in top shape as well.
Have all maintenance work done before the winter season begins so it’s not an added stress during inclement weather when you need transportation most. Be sure to check all fluid levels (brake fluid, transmission fluid) and tire pressure weekly; this keeps wear-and-tear from being a problem when road conditions are worst.
Use navigation
Navigate accurately with GPS head up display navigation systems. Using navigation can help you avoid accidents by alerting you to hazards ahead or suggesting alternate routes around traffic jams or other issues. You’ll also be able to get where you’re going more quickly, which means less stress and more time for fun things like family time or catching up on sleep!
Read the road ahead of you
Reading the road ahead of you is your first step to being a better driver. The best drivers are always scanning for any potential hazards, and you can do the same!
Along with looking forward, it’s important to also look behind and around you so that you’re always aware of what’s happening in your surroundings. It’s not just about hitting another car; there are many other things that could be obstructing your view or otherwise causing an accident.
Just like reading the road ahead of you, reading the road to either side of you will help keep an eye on those vehicles in case they start moving into your lane without signaling or if someone tries to merge into traffic without checking their blind spots first. Also make sure that when someone pulls out from a driveway or parking lot onto a main street they don’t cut across three lanes because they didn’t check their mirrors before pulling away from their original position (again: people forget!).
Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists in parking lots
You may think that you’re the only one in a parking lot, but there are people around you. Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists who may be less aware of their surroundings than you are. And if someone is walking with their head down, texting or talking on their phone, they could end up walking into traffic without even realizing it.
That’s why it’s important to always pay attention when driving through a parking lot: these areas can be particularly dangerous because people who are walking on foot are often distracted by their phones or other distractions, which makes them more likely to step out onto busy roadways without looking first. If there’s an actual crosswalk nearby where cars aren’t supposed to go, make sure that pedestrians use it instead of crossing wherever they please (even though many people do exactly that).
There are a lot of ways to be a safer, more conscientious driver—and it’s never too late to start learning them! Take some time this week to reflect on your driving habits, and think about what sort of improvements you could make.
