Tips and Tricks for Driving Safely

There is nothing more exciting than turning 16, getting that driver’s license, and hitting the roads for certain independence that you never had before. However, before you hit the roads for that driving experience, there are few car safety, road safety, and auto safety things that young and old drivers alike should remember. In this article, you will find several ways to stay safe while on the roads so you can easily get to where you need to go.

Changing a Tire

You’re cruising down the road, and next thing you know, you hear that awful flapping sound accompanied by a sharp pulling of your car to one side. First, you need to safely pull off on the side of the road before you can assess the issue or call your roadside assistance. If you don’t have roadside assistance, you need to gather the following materials:

• Spare tire
• Lug wrench
• Jack
• Flashlight
• Gloves
• Wheel wedges
• Flares or Reflective triangles
• Tire repair kit (optional)

If you don’t have these things in your car right now, you need to get them and store them in a dry part of your vehicle to ensure that you are prepared for the worst. Most vehicles are equipped with a spare tire, a lug wrench, and a jack, but if you find that they are missing, you should replace them immediately. Those are the bare essentials for changing your tire. You should check your spare tire regularly as well to ensure that it is not flat, and it doesn’t hurt to keep a battery operated tire inflation system in your car either just in case.

First, you need to remove your tools and place the flares or the reflective triangles out where people can see them. This is for your general safety. Next, you’re going to put the wheel wedges up against the tires on the opposite side of the flat to keep your vehicle secure. You will now need to remove your hubcap or the wheel cover.

Next, you loosen the lug nuts but do not remove them. Then, move your jack underneath the vehicle, jacking it up until the car is six inches from the ground, and completely remove the lug nuts from the tire. Remove the flat tire, and then align the spare tire with the lug bolts that are exposed. You will need to put the lug nuts back on and tighten them by hand only.

Carefully lower the jack until the spare is touching the ground. Using your wrench, tighten up the lug nuts all the way by using a star pattern. They need to be extremely tight. Then you can replace your hubcap or cover, check the pressure on your spare, and look into getting a new tire for your vehicle.

All About Airbags

Airbags in the automobile are a giant leap for both passenger and driver safety in the vehicle. They can cause injuries and even death if they are not properly used, which is why airbag safety is very important.

The first thing to note is that kids are not meant to ride in the front seat. Frontal airbags are not designed with children in mind, and it can be dangerous for them. These airbags can be fatal to kids who are under 12 or below the general weight limit, those who are not belted by the shoulder belt, small children in any front facing car seat, or infants in a rear-facing car seat.

Airbag safety is required to have all passengers be belted into the car by using the seat belts. Riders should be sitting up with their feet on the ground. The airbags are put in place to help cushion riders in the event of an accident, which means those who wear their seatbelts can be protected.

Mature Drivers

As you age, your mental capacities change as well. Just as many other important decisions in life, knowing when to surrender the car keys is another. For seniors who have issues with hearing, seeing, and even slower reflexes, driving might not be a good idea any longer. Those who might have joint pain or a reduction in their coordination might suffer from an inability to control the vehicle.

Finally, those with mental changes like slower multi-tasking ability can hinder your ability to spot traffic signals, pedestrians, and road signs. Others with health conditions like dementia or Parkinson’s disease might struggle to drive as well. It is okay to surrender your car operating ability because it can keep you and others on the road safer in the long run.

Using Those Headlights

Some people, even seasoned drivers, find it difficult to remember when they are to use their headlights. However, this is a very important part of driving because it can improve your overall visibility on the road, but it can also help others on the road know that you are there.

Using headlights during the day should be done in situations with adverse weather like snow, rain, sleet, smoke, or fog. It should also be done on the narrow, two-lane highways that are in many rural areas. Those operating a car on rural or mountain roads should be using their headlights during the day as well, and some areas might indicate a daytime headlight zone which legally means your headlights must be on. During the times just after the sun rises and just before the sun sets should indicate a need for headlights as well.

Using high beams is for operating a car on rural or mountain roads and open highways until a vehicle approaches in either situation, you will then need to swap to low beams. The low beams are for operating a car in the city during the night when another vehicle is approaching you, when the road signs indicate the daytime headlight zone, when operating a car in the rain or fog, and when you are following another vehicle in the dark.

Intersection Safety

When two roads meet one another, this is called an intersection. This might include side streets, freeway entrances, cross streets, and roundabouts. The chances of a collision increase in an intersection, which means all drivers should proceed with caution.

You should always decrease your speed when coming to an intersection to be prepared to stop if needed, especially in a yield location. If you are making a right-hand turn, you should look for cyclists or pedestrians and always yield to the drivers that are going straight. When you are making a left turn, you need to give the approaching vehicles the right-of-way, yield to the pedestrians or cyclists and yield to any drivers going straight.

Roundabouts are practically the same. You will need to yield to any and all traffic within the circle, watch for any pedestrians on the crosswalks, and enter the circle only when there is a gap in the traffic.

Conclusion

Knowing the right car safety, auto safety, and road safety tips are ideal for ensuring a safe experience when in the vehicle. By following the laws and maintaining your vehicle, you can be safe and have an efficient vehicle to get you from point A to point B without issues, collisions, and more.