Hints & Tips
Safe Driving can help get you Cheap Car Insurance
It's a fact that safer driving leads to fewer accidents and claims on your car insurance, and so helps you get cheap car insurance.
For safe driving, there are the obvious dont's:
- Driving too fast
- Driving whilst using a mobile phone
- Driving under the influence
- Driving in inappropriate conditions
- Driving whilst tired
Each of which are quite easily remedied. However there are other hazards that may affect our safety on the roads:
It is a common misconception that it is impossible for a driver to prevent being hit from behind, whist stationary or in a slow moving queue. However, there are a few ways to reduce the risk of an accident.
- When at the end of a queue leave a large gap, between you and the car in front. This will give you adequate space to move into if you believe your car is at risk.
- Pay close attention to any approaching traffic.
- Trying to avoid stopping before bends, rises or bridges in the road, even if this is far from the rest of the queue. This will give approaching vehicles time to see you, before you move forward.
- Always have an escape route planned and ensure that your car is ready, in gear with the handbrake on, so that you can move quickly to avoid a collision.
- Try to keep brake lights on, or even hazard lights. This will draw attention to your position and the queue.
Driving in autumn can be particularly hazardous. The low sun and darker nights may reduce visibility, roads may be slippery and the starting of the school term will increase the amount of traffic on the roads.
- Keep your windscreen clean and free of any smears that may be enhanced by the low sun, particularly during sunrise and sunset.
- If driving towards the sun, be aware that other drivers may not see you in the glare.
- When there is reduced visibility, try putting your headlights on. This will enable other vehicles to see you more clearly.
- Rear foglights should only be used in severe conditions. If you have difficulty seeing the car in front, then those behind you will have the same problem.
- Wet surfaces may cause difficulty when braking. In these instances, you may wish to reduce your speed and/or leave an increased gap, between you and the car in front, to give you adequate opportunity to brake in time.
Single carriageways are often plagued by long chains of closely spaced vehicles. This often causes problems when overtaking. However, with a few adjustments, these may be avoided.
- If you do not intend to overtake the vehicle in front of you, ensure that you leave a large enough gap between you, so that others may overtake.
- It is also important to consider those around you. If they are frustrated then this will increase the chance of an accident occurring. Always give people the opportunity to overtake. If they are agitated, they are safer in front of you than behind.
Motorways are common victims of congestion and accidents, but with a few minor adjustments to driving technique, these may be avoided.
- When entering the motorway from the slip road, try to match your speed to those already on the motorway. This will ensure that you do not disrupt the flow of traffic when entering it. It is also important to maintain the same speed when exiting the motorway, so as not to disrupt the flow of traffic.
- Always try to stay in the leftmost lane, unless you are overtaking.
- Try to maintain one speed, when possible, and avoid unnecessary braking.
- When changing lanes, check for the correct opportunity, clearly signal your intentions and then check your mirrors again to certify that other vehicles have seen your signal.
- Avoid driving alongside vehicles, as this makes it difficult for them to see you and does not provide you with an escape route in case of an emergency.
- Pay attention to any motorcycles on the road around you. Even though the queue of traffic may seem stationary, motorcycles could be moving between the lanes of traffic.
Rain after a prolonged dry period may reduce your tyres grip on the road. There are a few things you can do to minimize your chance of a collision in these instances.
- Start to slow down earlier for junctions, turnings, traffic lights, islands, so you do not have to brake too hard.
- Make sure you do not turn corners as hard as you usually would, especially if on a motorcycle.
- Allow more time to react.