Practice Good Driving Habits: Tips for Road Safety

Share The Road

Warmer weather attracts roadway users, including motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are vulnerable road users. They do not have the protection of a car or truck, and collisions almost always result in injury.

If you expect to see motorcycles, you are more likely to detect them. We often filter out things we don’t expect to see. Look for motorcycles, especially at intersections.

Motorcycles are much lighter than other vehicles and can stop at much shorter distances. This means that you should leave more distance when you are following a motorcycle. If the rider has to make an emergency stop, the bike will stop at a much shorter distance than your vehicle.

When you see a motorcycle approaching, realize that it’s easy to misjudge its speed because its size and the fact that it is coming towards you make it difficult to estimate speed.

Pedestrians are just as vulnerable as motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Things to remember as a driver:

• You can encounter pedestrians anytime and anywhere – even where they are not supposed to be found.
• Pedestrians can be very hard to see – especially in bad weather or at night. You must keep a lookout and slow down if you can’t see clearly.
• Stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, even if it is not marked. When you stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, stop well back so drivers in the other lanes can also see the pedestrian in time to stop.
• Cars stopped in the street may stop to allow pedestrians to cross. Do not pass if you are unsure.
• Don’t assume that pedestrians see you or that they will act predictably. They may be physically or mentally impaired – or drunk.
• When you turn, you often have to wait for a “gap” in traffic. Beware that while watching for that “gap,” pedestrians may have moved into your intended path.
• Be incredibly attentive around schools and in neighborhoods where children are active. Drive there like you would like people to drive in front of your home.

Avoid Bad Driver Behaviors

• Distracted Driving  Any driver’s focus should always be on driving. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction. Distracted driving can be anything that pulls your attention away from driving. The most prominent forms of distraction are cell phone use, texting while driving, eating, drinking, talking with passengers, and using in-vehicle technologies and portable electronic devices. Before you hit the road, set some safety rules with your co-drivers. These rules should include refraining from activities that take your eyes and attention off the road. Ensure that your co-drivers agree to make every effort to move to a safe place off the road before using a cell phone—even in an emergency.

• Not Using Seatbelts  Buckle Up America. Every Trip. Every Time. Everybody aboard must agree to wear their seat belts when riding or driving in your vehicle. If you’re not buckled up, you could be thrown through a window or into other passengers, sent skidding along the pavement or crushed under a vehicle in a crash. Wearing a seat belt is also the best defense against a drunk-driving-related crash.

• Drunk Driving  Every 51 minutes and 32 times a day, someone in the United States dies in an alcohol-impaired driving crash. Be responsible, and don’t drink and drive. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

Source: NHTSA