Nearly everyone I know (apart from my two eldest children!) now drive a car almost as soon as they reach 17, passing a theory test and the practical is all very well, but there is so much more to driving than that, ensuring you stay safe is essential and that means driving carefully. Here are just a few top causes of accidents and how you can avoid them.
1.Tyre Blowout
I have lost count of the remnants of tyres I have seen strewn across motorways when I have been driving to collect Xene, so its very important to check your tyres before you attempt any long journey, ensure you purchase good quality tyres, I prefer to order them online from somewhere like Iverson Tyres Ltd ensure they are roadworthy and have tread within the legal limits. Ensure the tyres are correctly inflated and check for any sharp objects to avoid getting a puncture.
2. Distracted Driving.
Everyone thinks that averting their eyes for a short time, to check their hair in the mirror, change the radio station or find a new track on spotify, won’t have any serious consequences, but they are SO wrong, being distracted even for a second can cause a major accident. It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving, but it still amazes me how many people I spot doing it. One second could be the difference between causing a major accident and averting one. If you have to do something that distracts you from driving, either pull over in a safe place or get a passenger to do it for you.
3. Bad Weather.
It is nearly the end of May, yet only this morning my speed and vision were impaired by Fog, it was so dense I had trouble seeing a short distance in front of me, the amount of drivers that did not even have their lights on meant it was very difficult to judge distance and speed, which could ultimately cause a serious accident. If you encounter bad weather, adjust your driving for the conditions, slow down, ensure you can be seen by other drivers and most importantly, stay safe.
4. Running A Red Light
We are all in a hurry to get to our destination, whether it be the school run or the office, but there is no point hurrying if you are not going to arrive in one piece! Yes traffic lights are irritating, particularly temporary ones that are put in place for things like roadworks and you can see that the road is clear ahead, but running a red light puts you and others at great risk, no matter how late you are, the traffic lights are there to ensure all traffic moves backwards and forwards safely, and everyone has to wait their turn.
5. Tailgaiting
I see this on a regular basis, particularly on the country roads that I travel daily, some people are in such a hurry and they are nipping in and out of spaces to try and overtake the cars they deem slower, more often than not, they overtake five cars and still end up stuck at the same red light! Overtaking on windy roads that you cannot see far ahead is bad enough, but when cars are literally touching your bump, it creates an even bigger hazard. If you have to brake sharply there will be no way they will avoid hitting into the back of you, causing damage to both cars. You can prevent an accident from occurring by ensuring you leave a one car buffer in front of you for every 10mph you are travelling at.
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