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Drive defensively. There are a lot of unsafe drivers on the road. There are people who are very old and can hardly see; there are young people just learning to drive, and people who are ill, very tired, or emotionally unstable. There are people driving defective cars, with poor brakes and bald tires. And there are visitors who are sight-seeing, or who don't know where they are going, and who are used to driving on the other side of the road. There are people fiddling with electronic gadgets. Keep all this in mind, and drive accordingly!
[guest]
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Leave as much space as you can between you and the vehicle in front. It will make your drive much more pleasant and relaxed, as well as being much safer. It is also better for fuel economy, since you will be less likely to be continually speeding up and slowing down. Most people drive much to close to each other, unnecessarily.
[guest]
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Don't drive either drunk or tired. If you do, you are guaranteed to come to grief.
thesource (378)
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Take "40 winks" for fifteen minutes or so if you are feeling tired. It will make a world of difference. Not only will you avoid having an accident, but you will enjoy your driving more once you are rested.
thesource (378)
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Don't speed. The small amount of time you will save will be far outweighed by the increased chance of an accident. It doesn't matter how good a driver you are because not everyone on the road is a good driver, and they will be more likely to run into you.
thesource (378)
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Don't fiddle with electronic devices, such as GPSs or phones, while driving. Pull over and do what you have to do, before you continue driving.
thesource (378)
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Use a GPS unit if you are unfamiliar with the roads. They are a lot safer than using a folding map.
thesource (378)
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Keep your eyes on the distance to see what is coming up, and anticipate any problems or actions you will need to take. You should be able to see close objects using your peripheral vision.
thesource (378)
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Wear your seat belt. You don't want to be thrown through the windshield.
thesource (378)
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Drive more slowly in bad weather or when the road surface is poor. The speed limits don't apply when conditions are bad.
thesource (378)
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Brakes and tires. Make sure they are in good condition. If your tires have a low pressure then you will have poor handling, and fast braking is important in an emergency.
thesource (378)
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Listening to music might be relaxing, but research suggests that it decreases your reaction times.
thesource (378)
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If you get stuck in mud, sand, or snow don't use a tow rope or recovery rope or strap unless you really need to, because they are dangerous, even for those who are trained in how to use them. It's best to use a professional towing company. But if you have to use a rope, then:
- Don't use a tow rope for vehicle recovery (ie, pulling a car out of mud, sand, or a hole). Tow ropes are not designed to stretch much, and so are not designed for this job. Only specially designed recovery straps are suitable for such tasks. Tow ropes are only designed for pulling cars along normal surfaces. Tow ropes have dangerous hooks on the end, and if they come loose, they can, and do kill people.
- Move everyone who doesn't need to be there well away from the area because people have been killed when hooks on the ends of the rope go flying at very high speed.
- Use a rope of the correct strength for the vehicle you are pulling
- Attach the ends to the appropriate strong points on the chassis of the vehicle
- Hooks should be attached so that the strong part of the hook is engaged, and so it is less likely to fall off.
- Don't attempt to attach the rope to a tow ball. It's not strong enough, and nor is it designed for the purpose. The rope can fly off, or the tow ball itself can go flying.
- A person needs to be driving the vehicle being towed. If being towed, turn the ignition key to the accessory position to turn off the steering lock. Also, turn off the handbrake, and put the transmission in neutral. [Or if being recovered out of a hole, you will trying to drive out in first gear.]
- If the power steering is not working, it's best not to attempt to tow the vehicle, as driving it can be dangerous.
- Don't tow a car backwards. Both cars must be going forwards.
- Go easy when you pull, starting very slowly, and don't go fast.
- When being pulled, the rope must always be taut. The vehicle being towed should carefully brake at the same time as the towing vehicle.
- Don't pull the vehicle any further than you have to.
- If towing a vehicle along a road, you should place a sign on the back of the vehicle being towed, saying "On tow".
thesource (378)
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Driving in fog:
- Use low beam. Using high beam will only light up the fog in front of the car, making it more difficult to see.
- Drive more slowly.
- Open the windows slightly, and listen for traffic.
- Use the line on the side of the road to guide you. Do not use the center line.
- Yellow-tinted sunglasses, used during the day (not at night), may help to increase contrast, and help you to see the line on the side of the road.
thesource (378)
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Always turn the overdrive off on the gearshift in an automatic when driving under 70km/h. It saves your gearbox and helps to grip the road better at lower speeds.
myxlfidian (150)
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