It’s easy enough to be a safe driver when everything goes as planned — though some people do struggle with it. You generally just need to focus on the road and drive defensively. You can’t prevent all accidents, but you can reduce the chances that you’ll cause one.
But what about when the unexpected happens? That’s when safety gets a bit more difficult, but it’s even more important at a time like that.
For instance, if a tire blows out unexpectedly, you must maintain control of the car. Don’t panic and slam on the brakes, but try to slow down in a controlled fashion and move to the side of the road.
One key thing you can do to prepare for the unexpected, no matter what it looks like, is simply to go the speed limit. This gives you the longest possible reaction times. You also want to avoid tailgating at all costs, striving to stay three or four seconds behind the car in front of you.
As noted above, focus is also crucial. You want to stay alert. Never look at your phone or get distracted. Keep your eyes up and ahead of the car so that you can spot hazards in advance and see those unexpected changes as soon as they happen. You may not be able to predict what they’ll look like, but you can always put yourself in the best possible position to react to them.
These tips can help you be a safe driver, but others are still going to cause accidents, and so you need to know what legal options you have after a crash.