Staying mindful, attentive, and focused on the road is critical to avoiding accidents, but driving defensively will take your safety to a whole new level. We’ve compiled a few defensive driving tips to help you avoid accidents and have a more pleasant driving experience.
Mirrors and Seat – A full view around your car is critical to defensive driving. Adjusting your mirrors and seat are things we’re taught to do the moment we get behind the wheel, so it’s still important to practice this habit. Adjusting your seat and mirrors on the road is distracting and can lead to an accident.
Keep Your Hands on the Wheel – You might be good at driving with one hand on the wheel while the other changes the radio station or holds a shopping list. However, this habit makes it hard to keep your full attention on the road. Keeping your hands on the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions ensures you’re ready and prepared for unexpected disturbances and hazards.
Adapt to Conditions – Is it raining? Snowing? Sleeting? Are you on a dirt road or in the middle of construction? Your tires could be dealing with any of these conditions at any given time, and your ability to adapt to the weather and roads is essential to a safe driving experience.
The “What If” Game – Understand the defensive approach. Always be looking for potential hazards and play the “what if” game. What if the driver ahead of you suddenly slams on their brakes? What if someone runs a red light at the next intersection? What if…? Think about what could happen and how you’ll handle the situation.
Preventive Maintenance – Proper vehicle maintenance plays a large role in collision avoidance too. Everything from transmission fluid to clutch inspections helps keep you as safe as you can be. As a transmission repair shop in McPherson, we hope you’ll stop by or call us at (620) 654–3445 so our ASE-Certified technicians can help you prepare for anything on the road.