It can be easy to hop in your car every day and go about your business, forgetting that you’re in a powerful machine that’s moving very fast! If you’re not careful and conscious, you could do some serious damage to your vehicle and yourself. Here are Top Driver’s top five favorite tips for staying safe on the roads that you might not think about.
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Last Edited: March 14, 2020.
Top Driver’s Top 5 Driving Tips That Could Save Your Live
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Don’t have your car visible in your side-view mirrors.
If you can see any part of your vehicle in your side-view (or “wing”) mirrors, they’re improperly adjusted. This misalignment can cause your blind spots to be much larger than they need to be.
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Techno music & house music can take your attention from the road.
Studies show that techno and house music genres cause your heart rate to increase, which makes you more jumpy and less focused, therefore not allowing you to focus at the level you usually would. Consider putting on some music with a gentler beat or forgoing music altogether as you are still learning the fundamentals of driving.
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Always keep your headlights on.
You can decrease your likelihood of being in an accident by up to 32% by just leaving your headlights on all the time. Having your headlights on makes you more visible and keeps other drivers in check around you. Drivers just don’t pull out in front of a car that they can clearly see!
The NHTSA states that, “To be of optimal use, vehicle headlamps must provide sufficient lighting far enough ahead in the field of view to allow a driver to respond to a hazard while minimizing the amount of light facing oncoming traffic.”
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Your parking brake will stop working if you don’t use it regularly.
Your parking brake – or emergency brake – has steel cables that force your car to stop when you’re parked on an incline or in an emergency when your brakes go out. If you don’t use these brakes regularly, the steel cables can corrode and rust, rendering them useless in an emergency situation when you need them most.
Nationwide discusses how emergency brakes are meant to function, “Your primary brakes work through a high-tech hydraulic system and are meant to slow your car to a stop. The emergency brake, on the other hand, is designed to hold your car in place. However, if your primary brakes fail, you can use the emergency brake to slow down and stop your car.”
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Don’t brake when you get a flat.
Braking during a blowout, or even a standard flat tire, situation can cause you to fishtail and potentially even flip your car. Simply allow your car to coast down to a stop on the shoulder of the road if you experience the situation. The potential damage to your rim is well worth your life! It is equally important to know how to safely stop a car without working brakes. This action requires staying calm under pressure in order to maintain full control over the vehicle.
Read, “What to Do If Your Brakes Fail.“
Read More Teen Driving Safety Tips & Statistics
Top Driver is one of the leaders in teen driving education, offering driving courses in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. Contact us today to discuss your teen driving options or call (888) 471-5418 today!