10 habits of a good driver

Being a good driver means that your driving is not only tactical but safe too…

It’s easy to get into bad habits: texting and driving, not checking blind spots or forgetting to buckle up. But if you want to avoid any damage to your car or yourself there are certain things you should be doing while in the driver’s seat.

1. Keep your phone in your bag

Texting or talking on your phone while driving is a common habit and unfortunately leads to countless road accidents. The AA researchers who are studying brain imaging documented that listening alone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.

Put your phone away and set an example to other distracted drivers who could be responsible for road fatalities because of this bad habit.

2. Stick to the speed limit

Creeping over the speed limit is not only dangerous but costly too. Road accidents and fatalities, particularly over the holiday periods in SA, are often caused by motorists who fail to stick to speed limits and are therefore unable to avoid a dangerous situation. You can also be heavily fined for going over speed limits.

3. Maintain a safe following distance

When we’re in a rush we often forget to maintain a two- to three-second gap between ourselves and the car in front of us. But sticking to a safe following distance can safeguard you against a number of things. Keeping your distance can save you from knocking the car in front of you in case of an unexpected halt in traffic.

With the high risk of hijackings in South Africa it can also help you to move your way out of an otherwise tight spot to escape a dangerous situation.

4. Turn your headlights on when necessary

Safe drivers keep their headlights on whenever visibility is poor, which can be when it rains, between sunset and sunrise or whenever visibility is not clear 150m ahead of you.

5. Check tyres, oil and water regularly

Get into the habit of checking your tyre pressure, oil and water levels every time you fill up at the petrol station. Oil reduces the risk of friction to your engine, while making sure that your water level is topped up is a large part of car maintenance. Always check your tyre pressure before embarking on long journeys.

6. Don’t drink and drive

The dangers of drinking and driving are extensive and most people would agree that getting behind the wheel after one too many drinks is a bad idea. Not only do you risk getting caught at a road block and spending the weekend in jail, if you drink and drive you put the lives of others (in the car or on the road) in danger. Safe drivers opt for a taxi or take an Uber home instead.

7. Stay alert and be aware

Several things stop us from being alert and aware when driving, such as being tired. Being distracted stops us from being able to react to unexpected situations that could easily be avoided.

8. Turn down the music

Blasting your car’s sound system can be fun, but it can be a major distraction as well as hazardous. Loud music can decrease a driver’s ability to react to any sudden or unexpected movements or incidents on the road.

9. Always wear your seat belt

The law makes it clear that it is up to the adult driving to ensure that all passengers have buckled up when in the car. Wearing a seat belt is the simplest way to save your life and a good driver will insist that everyone else does the same when travelling with you.

10. Indicating and blind spots

There’s nothing more frustrating than a driver who doesn’t follow routine checks before turning or changing lanes. Indicating before turning informs other drivers of what you’re doing so that they can follow safely. Checking blind spots might be a pain, but your blind spot is an area that can’t be seen from your car’s review and side mirrors.