Warmer weather, brighter skies, and colorful flowers mean one thing—it’s now more enjoyable to step outdoors. With more and more people choosing to be outdoors during the spring season, being caught in heavy traffic is inevitable. As a driver, you’ll want to be more cautious when there are more vehicles on the road than usual.
Here are 4 safe driving tips that can help you avoid the dangers involved in traversing heavy traffic.
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Minimize Distraction
Distracted driving is extremely dangerous for the driver, passengers, and other motorists. When you’re multitasking or are distracted by other things while driving, you’re highly unlikely to spot impending danger and respond quickly enough to avert it. Thus, you’ll want to avoid distractions such as:
- Your smartphone -Talking on your cell phone while driving may cause you to lose focus. It can be as dangerous as drunk driving, including talking on the hands-free mode.
- Texting – It should be a no-brainer, but many drivers are still tempted to quickly respond to a text while behind the wheel. It’s extremely dangerous as it can keep you distracted for about 4.6 seconds on average, according to research. Depending on your speed, that could be more than 100 meters covered with your eyes off the road. Stopping your vehicle to text isn’t safe or even legal either in many states because with your head down, you can’t see what’s happening around your car on the road. Driving in heavy traffic requires your full attention at all times.
- Other distractions– Grabbing snacks, handling drinks, or even operating your car radio while driving can also take your eyes off the road and make it more difficult to control the vehicle.
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Keep Your Headlights on When It Gets Darker
To increase your visibility when it’s foggy, raining, or snowing, turn on your headlights. You also need to use the lights during darker times of the day, such as early evening and morning or late at night. Likewise, lights enable other motorists to see your car from a distance, minimizing the risk of collision.
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Follow the Speed Limit
Speeding is a major cause of serious road accidents. Therefore, you’ll want to always observe the speed limit set by the authorities to keep you and your fellow drivers safe on the road. It’s important to slow down when driving on unfamiliar roads or when there are many more cars than usual on the road. Even when you’re trying to avoid traffic delays, driving within the speed limit can help avoid accidents and costly traffic tickets.
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Stay in Your Lane
Weaving in and out of lanes to overtake other cars is a dangerous traffic offense. It puts other drivers at risk since they can’t always predict which way you’re going to go next. When driving in heavy traffic, try to stay in one lane and only switch when it’s safe and necessary to do so.
Observing these safe driving tips for spring improves your chances of reaching your destination without any ugly traffic incidents. It also helps protect the lives of fellow road users, including pedestrians. If you’d like to protect yourself against auto accident liability, contact the experts at Gee-Schussler Insurance Agency today. We will help you find the right auto insurance coverage for your unique needs.
