Advanced Driving – Being in the Know

Advanced Driving – Being in the Know

Owing to many external factors in modern day living, it has become vitally important for South African motorists to not only drive safely, but to also drive smartly. It simply isn’t sufficient to prioritise K53 driving skills; one must also apply cautious driving techniques whilst travelling.

Cartrack South Africa CEO, Andre Ittmann, stresses how important it is for road users to employ safer and smarter driving practices.

“It has become notably important for drivers to employ well thought out driving techniques whilst on the road. These techniques will not only protect you from bad drivers on the road, but also protect you from hazardous situations such as navigating your car through windy terrain or, even avoiding a possible hijacking.”

This article provides a few helpful hints on how best to use the road while you’re in the driver’s seat, without having to incur the costs associated with taking an advanced driver’s course.

Here are some tips on how to be a good defensive driver:

Always keep a steady pace

The slower you drive, the more reaction time you will have to avoid and prevent collisions and accidents. It is therefore critical that you don’t over speed on the road, and always keep a safe following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.

Make sure you focus

There are always a host of variables that can distract your drive, including the radio, your phone, kids or somebody talking to you. Make sure that you don’t let these distractions overwhelm you and always keep your focus firmly on the road so that you are prepared for any eventuality.

Expect the unexpected from other drivers

No matter how well you drive, you still have to be constantly aware of other drivers’ mistakes on the road. By anticipating their mistakes, you will always be one step ahead and have the means to pre-emptively avoid disaster on the road. In essence, you should learn to be more aware of your peripheral surroundings, which will improve your readiness in this regard.

Safety First

One of the key defensive driving pointers is to ensure that your vehicle is equipped with all the latest safety features such as airbags and booster seats, while your passengers should adhere to basic road safety principles such as buckling belts and not sticking any body parts out of a moving vehicle. Also, always leave a car’s space between yourself and the car in front of you. This will allow you to make a quick getaway should you be approached with a possible crime scenario.

Yield first, ask questions later

If you are placed in a confusing circumstance on the road, the safest course of action is to always give the right of way to other drivers. It makes no difference who is right or wrong. Even if you have the right of way, the best way to avoid an accident is to take a cautious approach.

Cut out the road rage

Tempers can flare out of control on the road, especially when you perceive other motorists to have endangered your life and the lives of other motorists. However, if you don’t keep your cool in these situations you will make things worse, as you might also break the rules of the road and endanger others in your moment of rage. As such, always try to remain as calm and collected as possible and to always keep your wits about you when dealing with errant motorists.

During windy weather conditions

Make sure you keep both hands on the wheel. This is particularly important when driving through windy conditions. When the wind blows, you can feel the car shifting one way or the other and with only one hand on the wheel, you risk veering into an oncoming lane. As such, it’s a good idea to keep both hands on the wheel, not only in windy conditions but at all times.

As you take these tips on board, it is also important to protect your vehicle from would-be thieves by installing a tracking device from Cartrack.

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