How to Be a Better Driver: 11 Tips

 

There are dozens of ways that you can become a better driver - some more important than others - but all designed to help you and others on the road to stay safer.

While getting a driver's license can provide you with a great deal of freedom, it also brings with it a great deal of responsibility.  What starts with getting properly licensed and making sure the vehicle you're driving is properly insured according to the law, continues on to following the legal rules of the road (traffic laws) and observing common courtesy for your fellow drivers and pedestrians.

11 Tips

Here are a handful of tips for becoming a better driver.  They're not in particular order of importance, but each is a piece to the puzzle of becoming a better, safer driver:

1. Start by knowing your vehicle.  Read the owner's manual.  Learn how your car operates in the rain and snow (if you have snow where you drive).  Take your car to a safe place and practice various braking methods.
2. Don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking or using drugs.  Call a cab or ride-sharing service.
3. Stay calm when driving, even if the guy behind you is honking his horn or yelling at you out his window.  Let him go by and forget about it.
4. Maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you, appropriate for your speed, the weather, time of day and driving conditions.
5. Watch ahead, not just the car in front of you but several cars ahead, so you can prepare for the unexpected.
6. Always obey traffic signs and signals and use your turn indicators when turning or changing lanes on the highway.
7. While it's recommended to drive at or below the posted speed limit, you want to go with the flow at highway speeds, even if it means going slightly faster than the posted limit.
8. Pay attention to the road.  Don't use cell phones or eat/drink while driving.
9. On long trips take a break every 90 minutes or so.  Don't drive when you're tired or sleepy.
10. Always yield to pedestrians.  They have the right of way.
11. Stay out of the blind spots of large trucks.  If you can't see the driver in his side mirror, he can't see you.

These are just some of the tips you can consider for being a better driver.  You can read more here.