It’s a habit to hop in your car everyday and go to work, unaware of the serious damage that could happen on the road. Driving safely on the road is an important matter of being fully aware of all the dangers and taking necessary protections to avoid them. It all comes down to the riding habits you’ve got that could save your life in the event of an accident. So, let’s see some of the most critical road safety habits you need to create right now in order to stay safe.
1. Be aware
The most important habit you need to develop right now is being aware of the traffic around you. Riding during busy traffic hours is difficult and dangerous, so make sure you keep your eyes open on the mirrors and your ears available for cars moving near you. Keep your phone away and be 100% focused on the road traffic to be alert and anticipate problems that might occur. The driving population is vulnerable to drowsy driving, but the good news is that you can take extra precautions to avoid it. Follow these tricks to prevent drowsiness while you’re on the road:
Hydrate yourself – it may sound familiar to you, but you may not correlate driving with hydration. Well, coffee and energy drinks may provide a buzz, but drinking plenty of water keeps your body temperature cool and prevents drivers from feeling lethargic when on the road.
Ensure you get enough sleep – drivers must start with plenty of energy every day by developing healthy sleeping habits. About 8 hours of sleep per night is suggested to ensure you enjoy a safe driving journey the next day.
Pack healthy snacks – salty snacks might be easy to travel with, but instead, you should pack healthy alternatives, like almonds, fruits, seeds, etc. Pull over whenever you want to eat a meal, and avoid foods like fast food and candy bars that contain vast amounts of salt and sugar, which cause drowsiness.
Whenever you feel tired, pull over and take half an hour of nap in a safe resting area.
2. Music can impact driving safety
Although it is a popular activity, music can affect your mood and driving behaviour. Listening to music can affect your driving performance, as you may experience mood changes. Most people turn on the radio or use their phones to play music and keep themselves entertained when driving. But even enjoyable music can influence your safety; depending on your taste in music, you might be less safe, even though you don’t realise it.
Most of us don’t realise that listening to music can cause distracted driving, although it is. It’s because it has become accepted by everyone, but it doesn’t mean you should do it. When you may want to listen to music behind the wheel, consider the type of music you’re playing. Hardcore music can induce feelings of euphoria, and adrenaline, which may cause you to step deeper on the acceleration. You may exceed the speeding limit within seconds and cause a massive accident. This may turn into your worst nightmare, as accidents may be fatal, causing injuries and even deaths.
If this is your case, make sure you consult a personal injury lawyer in the UK to assess the accident and give further advice.
3. Ride calmly
Don’t ride angry; the common mistake that most people make is to ride when they’re mad, making it challenging for them to overcome issues on the road. When running late for an appointment, driving can become stressful. Feeling angry behind the wheel can lead to aggressive driving, and many things can happen especially accidents. Aggressive driving can have serious consequences, with studies showing that 56% of fatal accidents in the past 5 years come from speeding and overall aggressive driving behaviour.
Common factors that contribute to aggressive driving behaviour:
- Running late for a meeting/work
- Heavy traffic
- Looking for a parking spot can increase a driver’s anger level
- Rude gestures from other drivers in traffic
- Some drivers may not follow the traffic laws
- For some, aggressive driving is normal
Staying safe on the road is more than just your driving skills; it’s about your attitude on the streets and how you choose to react to certain situations in traffic. If another driver acts aggressively, stay away, don’t respond, and don’t stop. Stopping your car could lead to an ugly and dangerous confrontation.
4. What if your car breaks or you’re involved in a car accident?
As much as we want to avoid it, driving remains the most dangerous thing we do. There are more than 30,000 deaths and 2 million injuries from vehicle accidents annually. Although you might be an experienced and responsible driver, it’s still necessary to know what to do in case of an accident. Crashes are very scary, but here are some tips to know what to do in case of an accident:
Take a deep breath and keep calm. After a car accident, you may feel a wide range of feelings and emotions of guilt, fear, shock, or anger. All of them are normal, but take deep breaths and calm down. The calmer you are, the better you’ll handle the situation. Also, it’s important to keep yourself and other passengers safe. Turn the hazard lights on, call the ambulance, and, if possible, move your car to a safe place. If there are injuries involved, make sure you contact an accident lawyer.
Most importantly, check for injuries and report the accident immediately.
Driving is something almost all people enjoy doing, as it offers you the chance to go to new places, explore new cities, etc. But aside from all the fun, your life and other road users are more critical. So, while driving, ensure you are vigilant and aware of the surroundings to help avoid accidents on the road.