Automotive Travel & Recreation

8 Safe Driving Tips Every Driver Should Know

safe driving tips
Cash for your car

Driving is so commonplace in our day-to-day lives that it’s easy to underthink how safe you’re driving. Knowing how to optimize your driving will keep you and others safe when you hit the road. Especially for commuters who drive back and forth to work every day, training yourself to drive as safely as possible is critical. There are endless benefits to perfecting your driving style, and it will help you keep a peaceful, content mindset during your many hours on the road. To get you started on the right path, here are eight must-implement safe driving tips every driver should know:

1. Consider the Weather Before Getting on the Road

Understanding the conditions of the road you’re about to be on is essential to being a safe driver. Weather is one of the most hectic, danger-inducing conditions that can affect the road. Before you get on the road, consider whether you should be on the road at all, and if you do drive, make sure you’re prepared to handle the weather you’ll be confronting. 

2. Use Turn Signals At All Times

One of the most common problems drivers have is not using their turn signals consistently. There’s a need to use turn signals even when you’re fairly sure no one is around, so you can train yourself to use them when it matters. An unused turn signal can quickly lead to accidents, which can lead to bodily and financial injury. To avoid these situations, you must remember how important turn signals are to a safe driving environment (especially when you’re in a crowded parking lot). 

3. Drive Predictably

Erratic driving puts you and those around you in significant danger. By driving as predictably as possible, the drivers around you can pick up on your cues, making accidents (both those where you would be at fault, and those where you are not) less common. Everyone will benefit massively from your efforts to master this important safe-driving tip. In combination with new safety tech that’s installed in many cars, the road has the potential to be safer than ever. 

4. Keep Your Directions In Your Head

Especially when you’re driving a route you’re already familiar with, avoiding the use of a GPS can keep you more aware of the road. This is not always an applicable tip, but it can be useful in supporting you as you implement the other tips into your driving habits. Additionally, it can help you feel more present while driving, which will help boost your mood while you’re on the road. 

5. Check Your Headlights Frequently

It’s easy to assume your headlights are in working order. But it’s a dangerous thing, and it can put you and others in danger. By making sure your headlights are working properly every week, you can be certain that your vehicle is safe to drive. While you’re driving, it’s also crucial that you make sure your headlights are on a setting that allows you to drive safely, while avoiding glares that could cause other drivers to become dangerously distracted. 

6. Stay Up to Date on Vehicle Maintenance

Knowing that your vehicle is well-maintained and road-ready is crucial to being a safe driver. If you stay up to date with all your maintenance needs, you’ll also save a ton on future repairs that could have been easily avoided. With the right amount of effort and the implementation of these other useful driving tips, you can even keep your insurance premiums at a low, affordable price. 

7. Drive Below the Speed Limit

Speeding is a quick way to put yourself and those around you into a dangerous, hard-to-predict driving situation. The financial harm that can come from speeding is hard to overstate as well. To avoid these obstacles, make sure to drive at least five miles below the speed limit when possible. Doing so will help you train your mind to stay fully aware of your environment, and keep you extra safe every time you hit the road. 

8. Focus is Everything

Without a sharp sense of focus, it becomes difficult to implement the above eight steps. If you want to stay safe and aware on the road, working on your focus while driving is everything. Training yourself to avoid dangerous habits and to always understand what your current driving situation is becomes crucial. As you master this step, every other step on this list will come easily to you. 

Safe Driving Habits are Everyone’s Responsibility

Without a safe-driving mindset and the implementation of these eight important safe driving habits, you pose the risk of becoming a danger to yourself and other drivers. Thankfully, these eight tips are easy to adjust to and will make your time on the road better than it’s ever been before. Sharing these tips with your family and friends will help ensure your home’s roads are safe, secure and a joy to commute on.

Feature photo by Tyler Clemmensen

About the author

Gianna Brighton