Advice on Staying Safe Around Other Drivers

Even if you’re the world’s safest driver, the recklessness of others on the road has the potential to put you in danger. You’ve likely heard advice suggesting you drive defensively, but not everyone has a clear grasp on what that means. Here are some examples of defensive driving.

Aggressive Drivers

You’ve probably encountered at least a handful of aggressive drivers while on the road. These are the people who tailgate other cars for miles, deliberately cut off other vehicles, and even make obscene gestures. And while aggressive drivers usually don’t intend to cause accidents, their dangerous behavior makes it more likely that they will cause one. If you do encounter an aggressive driver, do your best to stay away. And absolutely avoid doing anything to escalate the road rage–this will significantly increase your risk of an accident.

Dangers of Distraction

In order to keep yourself safe on the road, it’s also important to look out for distracted drivers. One example of distracted behavior is failing to signal before changing lanes. Confirmed by a national study, many people don’t signal when they’re driving. Distracted drivers may be looking at a phone, arguing with someone in the car, or simply not paying attention. Regardless of the cause, it’s a good idea to stay away from these people, too. This is a great example of why it’s so important to pay attention to the drivers around you–staying alert means you’ll know who to avoid almost as soon as you see them.

Beware the Weather

Once a rainstorm or snowstorm hits, it often can seem like half of your city forgot how to drive. Regardless of the reasons why many people drive poorly in bad weather. If you need to drive somewhere when the weather is bad, be sure to drive slowly and monitor other drivers around you. This way, you’ll be less likely to get involved in an accident. And if you’ve just moved to an area with different weather patterns (like moving from a desert to an area prone to snow), be patient with yourself–it may take some practice to adapt to driving in unfamiliar weather.

At the end of the day, other drivers are often the biggest hazard on the road and keeping yourself safe around them is a must. By being confident in your own driving skills while driving defensively around others, you’ll be doing your part to help keep the roads safer for everyone.

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