A Guide to Better Driving
Driving is one of those activities that nobody thinks they’re bad at. Even really bad drivers think they’re okay. It’s also one of those activities that we all want everyone to do well. Roads are safer that way. Here are some self-awareness pointers to become a better driver.
Most importantly, the name of the game is predictability. As a driver, the more predictable that your movements are, the more easily people will be able to drive safely near you. After all, if someone is driving on the wrong side of the road but his or her movements are predictable, then people will be able to avoid a collision. So these tips are geared toward increasing predictability of your car’s movements.
1. Easy on the Brakes
It’s easy to want to hit the brakes a lot if you’re getting close to the car in front of you. But unless you’re in stop-and-go traffic, avoid hitting the brakes unnecessarily. Most of the time, you probably don’t need to because easing off the gas will slow down your car anyways. By braking, you signal to the car behind you that you’re slowing down. Unfortunately, brake lights don’t appear differently based on whether you tap the brakes or slam them. So if you tap the brakes, then the car behind you might think you’re slowing down a lot more than you really are. As a result, that car will engage its brakes and the car behind it and so forth. This causes a lot of braking and unpredictable movements. Therefore, only brake if you need to.
On the flip side, slamming on the brakes can cause just as much trouble. If you slam on the brakes, the car behind you might not be able to stop in time (especially if he or she is on a cell phone), which could lead to an accident. If you see that the traffic ahead is slowing down significantly, then it’s okay to tap the brakes a few times to let the person behind you know ahead of time that they should slow down too.
2. Pick a Good Speed
Speeding up and slowing down rapidly can be unnerving for the person behind you. Whether you’re planning on going slow or fast, a steady speed is helpful to let other people know if they need to get out of the way or slow down. Also, steady speeds help prevent burning up too much gas.
That said, if you’re going to drive slower than the traffic around you, you should stay to the right. Everyone should know that left lanes are typically passing (i.e. – faster) lanes, but not everyone drives as if they understand that.
Likewise, fast drivers should stay to the left. It can be pretty intimidating to be going slowly in the right lane with someone right on your tail. Give the slow folks a break and let them drive their speed in the right lane.
3. Entrance and Exit Ramps
On ramps that enter the highway, remember that you’re merging with traffic that is often going 60 to 70 mph. If you’re trying to merge at a speed of 40 to 50 mph, you’ll probably force someone to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting you.
As a side note, I really appreciate when people switch out of the merging lane to give you room to merge. It’s not necessary, but it’s nice when it happens.
On exit ramps, I try to maintain my speed until I’m out of the forward moving lane. Too often, people slow waaaay down before taking the exit. It’s not a big deal, but it still increases the chances of someone behind you running into your car because you’re slowing down in an area that doesn’t require it. Just wait until you’re out of the non-exiting lane to begin braking. It keeps traffic flowing more easily.
4. Keep Up with Traffic
If everyone is going 60 mph, there’s no reason for you to go 35 mph. In fact, it’s dangerous because people behind you might not realize that you’re driving a lot slower than them. Keep up with traffic, and if you have to be slower, stay to the right.
5. Awareness
This is probably the most important tip. It’s too easy to get distracted in the car. Whether it’s a cell phone, the radio, or trying to find something on the floor, people can prevent a lot of accidents by just becoming more aware of their surroundings.
I always try to keep an eye on the car behind me, and the cars beside me. I try to avoid driving in another car’s blind spot, so that the other cars can see me. If you kind yourself not being able to recall the last street sign that you passed, then you’re probably not paying enough attention to the road. Also, pay attention to other drivers. If it seems like someone just isn’t paying any attention to the road, then pass that car or slow down and let that car go ahead.
This part might be a bit like a rant, but: stay off the cell phone while you’re driving. A lot of people say that they can avoid the danger by simply using a headset, but that’s just not true. The danger of a cell phone is that it takes your focus off the road. The loss of use of one hand is rather innocuous compared to the focus deprivation that cell phones cause.
I used to talk a lot on cell phones while driving because I thought it would make me more efficient. I could catch up with people and make necessary calls while I was on the road. But then I got into an accident by a guy that hit me from behind. I never saw the car coming because I was too involved in the conversation.
I believe that it’s possible to be aware of surrounding traffic while on the phone, but I believe that it’s a lot harder than we think. Besides, few conversations are that important. Most of the time, people are on the phone because they’re bored or out of convenience. These are bad reasons to engage in something that reduces your focus while driving.
6. Honking
People are conflicted about use of the car horn. Some people get extremely mad when someone honks at them. I, on the other hand, don’t think it’s that big a deal. Obviously, laying full blast onto the horn is different than a light tap of the horn. If it’s clear that someone is not paying attention, then a quick tap of the horn is appropriate in my book.
The classic example is when the stop light turns green, but the car in front just sits still. They probably aren’t paying attention, so a light honk is okay. It may even be helpful because it keeps traffic from getting held up.
And if someone honks at you, don’t take it personally. They build horns into cars for a reason. Avoiding a wreck is a great reason to honk. Drivers in cars are pretty anonymous, so instead of getting mad, just remember that you probably won’t see that person again, so who cares what they think. It’s not worth getting into a gesture and expletive flinging war.
