Driving safely can mean a few different things: planning ahead, making sure your car is ready for the road, and being sure you’re ready for the road, just to name a few.
In this post, we’re providing a fully comprehensive guide on how you can begin to develop a safety mindset while driving. With Labor Day weekend right around the corner, lots of people will be taking to the roads. Using these tips will make your drive much more safe and enjoyable!
Develop a Safety Mindset While Driving
Having a safety mindset while you’re driving is great practice. Not only is it beneficial to you and your passengers, but to the other drivers on the road, too! Here is our complete list of tips for developing a safety mindset:
Avoid driving when you’re tired.
Driving when you’re tired can be just as dangerous as driving while drunk, studies show. If you are feeling drowsy or tired, think about pulling over to take a rest or simply not driving at all.
Plan ahead.
Planning ahead is always a good idea in driving. Before hitting the road, you should know where you need to go, the route you’re going to take, the stops you’ll make, and roughly how long it will take you to arrive. Knowing all of these things before you go means you don’t need to worry about them when you’re driving — leaving you more space to focus on the task at hand!
Leave early! Or be okay with arriving late.
If you leave with just enough time to arrive somewhere, you might hit traffic or have some other unexpected delay, which could cause you to rush in order to arrive on time. Leaving early means you won’t need to speed or drive dangerously to get to where you need to be.
Use a map App or GPS.
We’re living in the age of technology, so we might as well be using it! Get a good map app on your smartphone to use while you’re driving. These are super handy and can safely navigate you almost anywhere using voice control and a hands-free map. To make using your app even safer, put your phone on silent and mount it to a phone holder that attaches to your windshield.
Be prepared for other drivers to make mistakes.
Unfortunately, not everyone drives as safely as you might. You need to be careful when and not always assume that other drivers are practicing safe driving. That means looking both ways before driving through a green light, eyeing idle cars that are looking to pull out onto the roadway, and making sure other cars come to a full stop at a stop sign.
Properly maintain your vehicle.
A safe vehicle is one that is well-maintained. Make sure to take your vehicle in for regular maintenance and fix problems as soon as they appear. Bring it in to Friendly Auto Centers for a quick inspection before you hit the road.
Wear your seatbelt.
We’ve already discussed the importance of wearing a seatbelt in another post that you can read here. To put it shortly, it saves your life.
Avoid driving in bad weather.
Bad weather is never easy to navigate, even for the most experienced drivers. That’s why it’s best to avoid driving in inclement weather. If it’s raining or snowing heavily while you’re driving, don’t be afraid to turn on your flashers and pull over to a safe area while you wait out the storm.
Sign the Pledge to Stay Safe Today
At Drive Friendly AZ, our goal is to help Mesa, Gilbert, and East Valley drivers gain knowledge about safe driving behavior. If you’ve enjoyed reading our tips for developing a safety mindset while driving and want to commit to safe driving practices, sign our pledge today. You’ll be joining other people who want to drive friendly and arrive safely.
More reading to help you Drive Friendly and Arrive Safely on your next road trip:
The No-Zone: When Trucks Can’t See You
Clean Your Windshield
Obeying The Speed Limit (Slow Kills As Much As Fast Does)