Taking to the roads in a car or van grants you the freedom to commute, explore, and play independently, travelling solo or with family or friends to out-of-the-way destinations. But, as road traffic incident statistics show, travelling on the roads doesn’t come without its risks. This article emphasizes the four main tips to bear in mind while driving that’ll ensure you’re taking the extra care behind the wheel to avoid any mishaps, accidents or injurious crashes while driving.

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What to be Mindful of When You are Driving

At Highway Bakkie Hire, we believe that when it comes to driver safety – especially with loved ones in passenger seats, staying alert and alive cannot be more important.

1. Confidence

Whether you’re taking your family car out for a weekend drive, or you’re renting a car abroad, one of the fundamental tips to driving safely and within the confines of road safety legislation is to drive confidently. Not over-confidently, but confidently. That’s because timid and nervous driving is as likely to cause a collision as overzealous and speedy driving – because other road users will find your technique unpredictable, and you can quickly find yourself swallowed by stress and second-guessing. Remain calm and confident behind the wheel to avoid driving in an unsafe manner.

2. Eyes on the Road

Road authorities around the world have been releasing data to show that drunk driving now causes far fewer collisions and road traffic accidents that mobile phone use. You’ll know the law – no phones behind the wheel – but you might not adhere to it fully if your phone dings or buzzes in your pocket. After all, we’re practically hard-wired to check our notifications when we receive them.

Needless to say, this is a hugely important piece of advice: keep your phone in a pocket and on silent while you drive. Even a glimpse at the wrong moment can cause a collision.

3. Signage

While once signs were mostly used to navigate – helping you move from town to town on your journey – they’re now far more useful for giving you prior warning about hazards on the road. Many car accidents happen because signage is neglected; you should look out, especially for the following driving safety tips:

• Stop signs, indicating moving traffic at a junction up ahead
• Tight curve signs, indicating that you should slow down for a corner ahead
• Bumpy road or speed bump signs, helping you slow down to protect your vehicle
• Weather condition signs and novel hazard signs, designating specific hazards ahead

In each case, you’re being warned precisely because of the increased likelihood of a collision ahead. You’d do well to heed their warnings.

4. Other Road Users

It’s interesting that most drivers consider themselves to be in the top 50% of road users in terms of driving skills. This over-confidence can result in collisions and accidents – and even if it’s not you who’s driving erratically, you don’t know those people with whom you share the roads – and whether they themselves are using a mobile phone, are drunk, or are simply a poor driver. Take account of other road users, and be aware of errors they might make, in order to avoid collisions for which you would not be to blame.

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Highway Bakkie Hire Wants You to Arrive Alive!

These four tips are fundamental to top-notch driving in the twenty-first century – helping keep you alert to hazards – and more importantly, alive – while sharing the roads with others. Stay tuned to the blog for more road-inspired info, or chat to us now to discuss your vehicle rental needs.