For many experienced drivers, driving becomes a force of habit. As an experienced driver you may not think about the details of driving.

Being aware of your path, of the cars around you and of your car is very important while you drive. You have to know what is going on around you if you want to drive safely.

It is very common after an accident for one of the drivers to say that they never saw the other driver. Not paying attention while driving can be a result of many different behaviors.

If you find yourself constantly daydreaming, paying attention to distractions, getting very tired at the wheel or you involve yourself in important conversations while driving you may not be paying the proper attention to the road.

If you are going to be driving safely you need to be alert and aware of your surrounds. You will need all of the time you can get when responding to dangerous situations on the road and the only way you can have that time is if you are paying attention.

If you find yourself in a situation with another driver and you do not know if you have the right away or if they have the right away, just yield. There is no point in being pushy and putting yourself into a dangerous position just for a few seconds head start.

There are many situations when the right away laws are not clear to everyone driving. Do not risk getting in an accident, just remember to yield anyways.

Being a defensive driver is something that does not come natural for many drivers. We tend to think that everyone that has been licensed to drive deserves our trust.

This belief manifests itself as individuals drive without watching for the mistakes that the other drivers may make. Although cynical, it is important to approach every car around you with the belief that they will not drive safe.

If you are able to look at the cars around you, watch for mistakes and react quickly to mistakes you will be much safer on the roads. This attentive nature also spills over to watching for unexpected moves that others will make.

These unexpected moves become very obvious in places like parking lots or stop lights. If you are driving by a parking lot make sure that you keep an eye out for the cars that may try to back into the road.


Red lights can also be never wracking because of the number of people that do not adhere to the light. Do not blindly trust that everyone is going to stop when they should stop but instead watch the other cars attentively before crossing the intersection.

It is also important to remember to adhere to the traffic signs that are posted. Officials have posted these signs for extremely good reasons.

Law enforcement has taken the time to study at what speeds people will have enough time to react and at what speeds cars have a better chance of faring well in the accident. The speed limit has been scientifically determined and is important to follow.

When you are driving your car accumulates “stored” energy. This energy increases as your speed increases.

This energy also affects the impact that your car will incur during a crash. The higher the stored energy the more detrimental the accident will be.

There are many times when the flow of traffic exceeds the speed limit. If you find yourself in this position your best option is to pull into the right lane and drive at a speed that suits you.

If you feel that you want to drive slower than the speed limit it is a legal requirement that you stay on the right hand side. If you are impeding the flow of traffic you could create a dangerous situation for yourself and for those around you.

Speeding does not give you enough benefit for the risk. Rationally looking at speeding shows that as you speed up all you will be doing is putting unnecessary wear and tear on your car.

There has been a trend in the last few years that has resulted in a large population of people deciding to not use their signal lights. These lights are courteous and helpful to many and should be used as often as possible.

Driving safely is possible. Building the habits that will make you a safe driver and prevent accidents from happening is very important to do.

Jack Landry has been involved in construction for the last 20 years. Jack recommends (http://www.interwestsafety.com) for all of your traffic signs needs.

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