Driving defensive course

Driving safety

Other safety devices include child safety seats, ABS brakes and air bags. Even if children are “big” enough to use normal belts, those under five years of age are required by the law to use safety seats properly adjusted into the vehicle. There are different types to choose from. ABS brakes have the effect of preventing uncontrolled skids during hard braking by releasing brake pressure. As a result the wheels do not lock up and the driver is still able to steer the vehicle. It is reasonable to practice using ABS brakes on an empty parking lot or wherever convenient, as they require a certain skill to be useful. Air bags are also a popular safety device but you should keep in mind that their opening is not precisely a gentle event. You can be injured by an airbag but the injuries will be minor compared to those that can be caused in an accident if you are thrown out of the car. It should be noted that safety systems are being improved every year, but even if you do not have the newest versions, the positive contribution to safety outweighs their shortcomings.

Yet another important tip for safe driving is not to speed up. Always consider the speed limits, they are not made just for entertainment or restriction of the drivers’ freedom. Driving at a higher than reasonable or allowed speed increases your risks in two ways: first, it shortens your time to react; and second, it results in more energy that is dissipated during a possible traffic accident. These are basic rules of physics you cannot circumvent. Adding up the braking distance to the equation makes things even more complicated. This is particularly important when driving at night when visibility is poorer; drivers are usually tired and lack concentration. Another point that should be made clear is that speeding in the city is completely unnecessary. If you speed up on a boulevard, you may just end up waiting longer at the next traffic lights. This won’t save you time, but may only cause unnecessary stress to all participants on the road. If, otherwise, traffic is moving at a higher speed than you need, keep to the right and out of the way. Whenever possible, give yourself the correct following distance.

The above mentioned rules were to a large extent what is necessary considering safe driving. However, a few words should be said about the use of safety devices. Using seat belts is not a matter of personal choice but of following the law. No doubt, these are the most significant safety devices ever invented.

Before even trying to weigh the pros and cons of wearing a seat belt, keep in mind that the statistics show that seat belts would prevent roughly 50% of deaths and injuries in the event of a car collision. Besides providing impact protection, they absorb crash forces and prevent you from being thrown out of the vehicle. It is true that seat belts wrinkle your clothes and may be a bit uncomfortable, but compared to the safety they offer, these are facts that can be overcome.

The third rule is closely connected to the second one. In order to trust yourself as a driver, you’d better not drive impaired. This means that you should avoid driving when you are drink alcohol, sleepy, ill, emotionally unstable or if you find yourself in any other condition that would impair your ability to drive safely. If you have to take any medicines, you should be informed if their use interferes with driving. This kind of information is available on the drug brochure. Alcohol and drug use are out of question. Sadly, statistics show that alcohol is a prime cause of impairment. Since it acts as a depressant, it begins to diminish a person’s abilities with the first sip. It acts on the very skills and abilities you need for safe driving, often causing the time for reaction to double. Many people fail to realize that impairment if physical and mental abilities occurs way before reaching the legally allowed limit.

Another important rule on the road crucial for safe driving is to yield to other drivers. Often it is impossible to say who has the right to pass first so if ever in doubt, you would better yield. Right of way rules are far too often misunderstood, what seems right for you might not be obvious to the other driver. When it comes to driving safely, it is not the principle, but the outcome that counts. It saves lives.