Great video with some important reminders and tips for handling less than ideal driving situations, like fog, rain, and dust storms.
Tag Archives: driving tips
Driving in the Rain
Driving in the rain can be difficult for almost every driver. In fact, the FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) states that “the vast majority of most weather-related crashes happen on wet pavement and during rainfall.”
Some things you can do to avoid a potential weather-related crash are:
- Slow down and give yourself space between other vehicles.
- Use your low beam headlights to help you to see better and to make yourself more visible to other drivers.
- Ensure that your windshield wipers are in good condition. This is very important as visibility is already bad with rain.
- Tire health is also very important. Bad tires can lead to your car sliding and potentially skidding. Check your tread depth and tire pressure regularly.
If you still don’t feel safe about driving in the rain, then postpone your outing if possible.
Speed Control Tips
Join instructor Micah from our partner company, Drivers Ed Direct, as he reviews great speed control tips for beginners. And they’re great reminders for veteran drivers, too!
See You Later Tailgater
No time to read a long-winded BLOnG? Welcome to the Three-Second-Stop mini-Blog.
Today’s Three Seconds: Dealing with Tailgaters
Summer break will soon be coming to an end and children will be returning to school. As school hours return so does the morning traffic. You might notice more tailgating occurring as people rush to get their kids to school and try to make it to work on time. Tailgating is not only dangerous but also illegal, not to mention that it is also a form of reckless driving. If you notice that you are being tailgated, make sure to remain calm and allow more space in front of you. This can help give you more time to slow down if there is a problem up ahead, lowering the chances of being rear-ended. If you are able to move over to the next lane do so. Drivers who tailgate are impatient and the best way to avoid the situation getting worse is to just let them go ahead. Tailgating can be deadly if it leads to an accident. Losing a few minutes of your life is better than losing your life in a few minutes!
Summertime Dangers
With summer just a few months away we have a few tips to make your summer a safe one.
Summer brings sunnier days and sunnier days make for harsh sun glare. Sun glare can be extremely dangerous while driving. The NHTSA or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that sun glare is the cause of approximately 9,000 accidents per year. Make sure to have a pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes, but be sure to avoid frames with wide side pieces that reduce your ability to see to the side!
With summer also comes heat and we tend to change our choice of footwear to something lighter. While flip-flops are great for the pool or for walking along the beach, they can be a hazard while driving since they can get stuck underneath the brake or the accelerator. Experts even claim that flip-flops can actually double the time that it takes for a driver to brake. Flip-flop accidents are not that rare. In 2013, a study was conducted and it turned out that 7% of drivers who were polled had actually crashed or nearly caused a crash because of the flimsy sandals!
Have a safe summer and another quick summer reminder: Never leave children or animals in the car unattended. The temperatures in a vehicle can reach dangerously high temperatures in just minutes.
Windy Weather Conditions
With Spring just around the corner it’s important to know what comes along with it. Spring is known for being the season of new beginnings, but did you know it is also the windiest season?
During the months of March and April wind speeds tend to be about 3 to 5 times stronger than other months. With strong winds come High Wind advisories. But what does that have to do with driving? Well, high wind is on the list of top car accident causes because high wind advisories are usually overlooked by drivers. When driving in high winds there are a few precautions you should be taking.
During high winds be sure to slow down, maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel, and keep a safe distance from larger vehicles such as busses, trucks, and RVs. Larger vehicles are more affected by high winds and usually have difficulty staying in their own lane. And as always, make sure to be alert and aware of your surroundings.
Stay safe and have a wonderful Spring!
*This traffic safety topic is covered in our 8-hour California Traffic School course for traffic tickets. If you need traffic school to keep a moving violation hidden on your driving record, sign up today at https://www.trafficschool.com/california/california-traffic-school/?source=blog_02162022
Parallel Parking Easy Step by Step
Popular video from our partner company, Drivers Ed Direct: Watch instructor Jay as he walks through easy step by step directions on how to parallel park.
Poor Vision
No time to read a long-winded BLOnG? Welcome to the Three-Second-Stop mini-Blog.
Today’s Three Seconds: Night Blindness
Compensate for poor night vision by slowing down. This gives you time to identify a potential hazard in your headlights and react to avoid it by stopping in time. Also, avoid looking directly into the headlights of an approaching vehicle. Instead, guide your car by looking at the road markers on the right-hand side of the road.
*This traffic safety topic is covered in our 8-hour California Traffic School course for traffic tickets. If you need traffic school to keep a moving violation off your driving record, sign up today at https://www.trafficschool.com/california/california-traffic-school/?source=blog_07302021
Self-Regulation Techniques
More and more, today’s driving schools and defensive driving institutions teach self-regulation to drivers of all ages. Drivers who self-regulate make driving decisions based on experience to limit certain driving behaviors in order to keep themselves out of harm’s way on the road. For instance, do you ever find yourself making multiple right turns to avoid having to make a tricky left turn at a hectic intersection? Then you, like many other safe drivers, are practicing self-regulating techniques.
Here are some other common self-regulation techniques you can try:
- Limiting your night driving (this is the most widespread form of self-regulation)
- Limiting your driving during bad weather
- Choosing routes that avoid congestion, construction, and difficult traffic scenarios
- Driving in the lane you are most comfortable with (i.e. driving in the slower lanes or not driving in the lane directly adjacent to parked cars)
- Not making optional right turns at red traffic lights
- Limiting the volume on your radio so you can better hear traffic and emergency vehicles
- Parking towards the back of parking lots where it is less congested
*This traffic safety topic is covered in our 8-hour California Traffic School course for traffic tickets. If you need traffic school to keep a moving violation off your driving record, sign up today at https://www.trafficschool.com/california/california-traffic-school/?source=blog_06302021
Brake and Stop Like a Pro
Another great tutorial from our partner company, Drivers Ed Direct! Watch driving instructor Alejandra as she demonstrates how to brake safely and smoothly.
Right Side of the Road 