
eric
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Here are some ideas to cover:
Keep a safe following distance between you and the traffic ahead of you. It's recommended using the 2 second rule, but allowing 3 or 4 seconds of space is better depending on your reaction time. If you don't know about the 2 second rule, it's when the car ahead passes an object or intersection, then start counting, one mississippi, two mississippi, and so on. If you pass the same object in less time that you're allowing (2-3 seconds), then you're following too close.
Always use turn signals for turns and lane changes. It can make a difference between having an accident. Other drivers are not mind readers. Always check your mirrors before making a lane change, if it's clear in your mirrors, check your blind spot, if clear put on your signal and move.
I've read good drivers should look in their mirrors every 8 seconds. Be aware of what's around your vehicle at all times. Look 1/4 mile ahead of the road (to be prepared to stop if necessary) and also know what's coming from behind and on each side of your vehicle.
Don't drive on the side of semi trucks or any car for that matter. Semi trucks have large blind spots and you don't want to be in any driver's blind spot in case they have to make a quick lane change.
When merging on the interstate, pick a space you want to get into with the traffic, use the merge lane to pick up speed close to traffic speed as possible, and merge into that space. Never stop in the merge lane unless traffic is backup. If drivers would keep a safe following distance on the interstate, then merging shouldn't be difficult because there should be a space to merge between each vehicle. The idea of merging is not to disrupt the traffic speed already on the interstate. There's a big difference between merging and yielding. Yielding is when you slow down and if you can't go you stop and go when it's clear. Merging is when you fit into gaps on traffic without slowing down. You should be going traffic speed before merging into the right lane.
Always drive in the right lane and only use the left lane to pass on interstates and 4 lane highways (unless you have an left lane exit or turn within 2 miles). When your pass is complete, move back in the right lane unless more slower moving traffic is within 1/8 of a mile ahead. If there's more than 2 lanes in each direction, drive in the middle lane if you don't have an exit coming up and if you're going with the speed of traffic. If you're not going with the speed of traffic, stay in the far right lane. It's unsafe to have cars passing on both sides of you. And it's safer to drive with the speed of traffic (even if they're running 15-20 mph over the speed limit) than to go the speed limit if you're in the middle lane. Only use the far left lane to pass and get back over to the middle lane when your pass is complete.
Also, never slam on your brakes when the light turns yellow. If you're close enough to the intersection, proceed through, but don't speed up. If you're a distance back, then prepare to stop.
Slow down for bad weather. 5-10 mph slower for rain and more slower if it's a downpour. 20 mph slower for snow. Basically, on the interstate you don't want to be going only 20 mph because it's raining. If it's not a hard rain, go about 60 mph and keep a greater following distance from traffic around you (10-12 seconds). |