It goes without saying that everyone should drive safely, but when it comes to people who drive for a living, the issue becomes even more pressing. After all, extra driving hours equates to extra risk. Simple as that. If you’re looking for a few ways to make yourself and other drivers safer on the road, read on.
- Don’t drive tired. A tired brain will take the odd 2-3 second nap. It’s called a microsleep, and you might not even know you’re having them. Don’t risk it. Have a good night’s kip or, if you feel fatigued while you’re on the road, pull over and take a break.
- Look ahead.Look as far ahead as you can so you get a good idea of what the traffic’s doing. Forewarned is forearmed!
- Don’t travel too close to the vehicle in front. Make sure there’s enough distance between you and the person in front so you don’t run up the back of them if you need to stop in a hurry. In good conditions, give yourself a three second gap. In bad conditions, you’ll need to give yourself a bit more. For instance, rain usually means you need to double the braking distance.
- Leave the ‘tude at home.Aggressive driving or being cocky on the road are dangerous to everyone’s health, including yours.
- Slow down in poor conditions.Remember, better late than never.
- Don’t wait ‘til you’re on the road before programming the sat nav, texting your friends, finding your favourite CD, or anything else that will take your attention from the road.
- Obey the road rules. Check your speed, don’t run the lights, remember to indicate, etc. The road rules keep everyone safe. Apart from anything else, if you break them, you lose points off your licence and, if you drive for a living, that can be disastrous.
- Buckle your seatbelt.
- Check your blind spot.
- Don’t drive drunk.Obviously if you’ve downed five schooners, you shouldn’t get behind the wheel. But where a lot of drivers get caught out is driving the morning after a big night on the town. If you’ve had a few the night before, do your calculations and make sure you’re not still over the limit.