Driving today can feel high-stakes at times. You don’t always know what’s going to happen next on the road or whether you’re going to be to blame.
The good news is that there is quite a bit you can do to at least make driving feel less risky. While you can’t eliminate the probability of something going wrong entirely, there are steps you can take to ensure that the risk isn’t as high as otherwise.
So, what can you do?
Plan Your Route In Advance
The first step is to plan your route in advance. You’ll want to check:
- The weather
- Busy intersections
- Whether you’ll be driving in rush hour
- The traffic
Usually, Google or Waze will provide this information for you. This will help you time your trips so you can cut down on the risk of something going wrong, which is more likely in heavy traffic or a storm.
Know Your Vehicle
You should also spend some time getting to know your vehicle. The more you understand and take care of it, the less likely you are to do something in error that causes an accident.
For example, it helps to know how the braking system works and where to switch on the traction control. You also want to practice understanding your blind spots and perhaps extend your mirrors if you feel they’re going to be an issue.
Find Support
Another strategy is to find someone you can go to if you find yourself requiring legal support. Look for a firm with great client testimonials who understands where you stand and can fight your corner if third-party insurance companies come after you.
Drive Defensively
It’s also worth exploring the idea of driving more defensively. The idea here is to scan the road ahead for hazards while keeping a safe distance from other vehicles so you can react to the situation on the road as it unfolds.
Defensive driving takes a while to master if you’re not used to it, but it reduces the risk of serious collision dramatically. This way of driving means you’re waiting for other road users to make mistakes instead of falling prey to them yourself.
Drive in Low-Risk Conditions
If you really want to make driving feel less risky, you can also drive in low-risk conditions. Sticking to familiar routes and driving only during the day may reduce the risk of an accident by half because you can see where you’re going, and you know all the rules.
You might want to continue doing this until you complete a defensive driving course. These teach you specific skills in situations that lower your risk of having an accident substantially and allow you to feel more confident on the road.
Use Visualization Approaches
Finally, you might want to use visualization approaches if you think they will help where you imagine making maneuvers on the road. These are handy if you’re unsure about changing lanes or taking certain turn-offs. Interestingly, athletes use this method too, and it can make the driving experience feel less isolated.
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