Practicing defensive driving is a personal policy for many Iowa motorists. Most drivers are well aware of how horrific accidents can be, and they understand that safe driving begins with the tactics they employ themselves by driving defensively and conservatively. Statistics have shown that not following the rules of the road contributes significantly to the number of fatalities as well as the high number of personal injuries suffered in auto accidents, many of which are catastrophic medical problems that impact victim’s lives permanently. Here are few driving tips that safety-conscious drivers should follow.
Increased braking and following distance
The best method of avoiding a collision is having complete control of a vehicle, which often means braking much more often than the typical driver. Many drivers attempt to increase speed to avoid a certain driving scenario, which can easily result in serious motor vehicle accidents. Speed indeed kills when it comes to driving, and maintaining a significant distance from a leading vehicle is vital due to increased braking ability.
Reducing speeds
One of the arts of driving effectively is staying with the flow of traffic, which sometimes can include exceeding speed limits. This is especially true on the interstate and other multi-lane road systems. Minus other safety concerns, it is always best to maintain the speed limit, and especially in restricted zones such as work areas, schools, and dangerous curves where auto accidents commonly happen.
Avoid distracted driving
All states have enhanced their distracted driving laws over the past decade due to fatal accident statistics regarding cellphone usage. However, there are other types of distractions as well. Talking to passengers while driving or eating and drinking while in transit are the most common traditional types of distraction that should be avoided as much as possible.
The primary rule of defensive driving is to always keep both hands on the steering wheel as much as possible regardless of the driving scenario. Additionally, maintaining alertness at all times regarding all traffic and road conditions is always the best practice.