The Benefits of Learning a Defensive Driving Technique

Automobile accidents cause thousands of deaths and millions of injuries every year. The best way to ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other drivers on the road is by learning a popular defensive driving technique. No one once to wreck there vehicle whether is a vehicle from Chevrolet Cruze Eco or Dayton Ford Dealer.

There are a large number of successful defensive driving techniques to help ensure the safety of all individuals on the road. Being alert while driving is the important defensive driving technique and is connected with all of the others. This means being fully aware of what is going on around you. All too often, drivers concentrate on other objects besides the road, like getting to their Daytona Rentals. Examples of such distractions are:

• cell phones
• car radios
• applying makeup
• other passengers

Some areas of the United States and other countries have already banned, or are enacting legislation to ban, the use of cellular phones when driving. Cellular phones are often held with one hand while the remaining free hand is used for driving. Driving with one hand is not the main cause of an automobile accident, but talking on the phone that is the problem. Many individuals are unable to talk on the phone and to concentrate fully on their surroundings while driving.For instance, an approaching vehicle could swerve into the lane of a driver who is talking on a cell phone, and they would probably not have enough time to process and to react to the situation. There are many drivers on the road, with our without cell phones, who would be unable to maneuver their vehicle around an unexpected obstacle. For this reason, staying aware and alert is a the most popular defensive driving technique. So next time your on your way to your new Daytona Rentals, remember you wanna make it there SAFELY!

The defensive driving technique of vigilance also involves looking out for debris on the road. Although the majority of roads are safe to travel, sometimes harmful debris can end up on the roadway. A driver of large truck hauling construction equipment could have inadvertently dropped debris. If the driver was unaware that debris fell from his or her vehicle, they will likely keep on moving and the debris will be left on the road. Whether a vehicle hits an object traveling at ten miles an hour or sixty miles an hour, damage is likely to occur. A lucky situation would involve only damage to the vehicle; debris on the roadway can cause vehicles to spin out of control or even to flip over, potentially causing injury to the driver or other passengers.

Animals and people on the road or along the side of the road are often a concern for drivers. This. once again, is another reason why being aware of your surroundings is a successful defensive driving technique. Walkers or joggers alongside the road pose a potential hazard, since the slightest nudge of a vehicle can seriously injure a pedestrian. Depending on the location, many roads have cross ways for domesticated or wild animals. It is not uncommon for dogs, cats, squirrels, skunks, or deer to run out in the middle of the road unexpectedly. Although it may be impossible to avoid striking a wild animal, being alert will significantly reduce the risk.

Staying alert and aware of your surroundings is a defensive driving technique that requires little effort. Staying alert is something that should be done regardless of your situation when driving. Popular defensive driving techniques are designed to keep all individuals on the road safe. In addition to preventing injury, applying a defensive driving technique is likely to save you money in the long run. Insurance rates increase with every ticket or automobile accident. Learn a defensive driving technique and see the benefits of being careful.

2 Scariest Roads!

The cars at Gaithersburg Acura Dealers might be trendy and luxurious, but they sure won’t protect you in the event of a random accident on the road.  There are some scary places across the country to drive, and it doesn’t matter if that cute little Acura RL Woodside vehicle comes with all-wheel drive or not because some roads are just known for being dangerous.  The best advice you can get is to drive carefully and pay attention to your surroundings.  Then you can find great deals at Rhode Island Used Cars for your next purchase. 

The hands-down most scary place to drive is probably on U.S. 550 in Colorado between Silverton and Ouray.  This highway is known as the “Million Dollar Highway” and truck drivers have a united opinion that it is the most dangerous place to be driving in America.  The lanes are narrow, the road is twisty, and being high up in elevation adds to its treacherousness.  Winter time brings more than its fair share of avalanches and some of the hairpin turns do not even have guardrails to protect you from the steep cliffs and mountain passes.  If you can take an alternate route, it might be worth it!

On the opposite side of the country in Florida is U.S. Highway 19.  According to NBC and Dateline a few years back, this stretch of highway is the most dangerous in the entire country.  The main area to watch out for is the stretch between Pasco and Pinellas County.  The death toll was calculated for a five year period and it was found that 262 people were killed and a shocking 100 of those were pedestrians!  There really is no lesson to be learned here except that drivers need to be aware if they are coming into an area that is frequently dangerous or has accidents.  Pay attention to the road cautionary signs and drive extra safely if you are not familiar with an area. 

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Prevent Teenage Driving Distractions

Teenage drivers may frequent places like Auto Repair Indianapolis more often than they should be doing.  Young drivers are more distracted than they were even ten years ago, and the rate of teenage drivers who admit to driving while distracted is astonishingly high.  Sure, we still see drivers of Palm Bay Mercury Grand Marquis driving while talking on their cell phones, and it is that exact kind of behavior that makes teenagers think it is ok to do.  There is nothing scarier than driving next to a new driver who is busy trying to text and drive while it is pouring down rain.  No matter how safe the vehicles are at Burlington Volkswagen, if the driver is distracted, then an accident is going to occur, and it is one that could easily be prevented.

Last month, AAA, Seventeen Magazine, and the Department of Transportation held National Two-Second Turnoff Day.  On September 17th, young drivers were urged to take a mere two seconds and turn off their cell phones before starting their vehicle’s engines.  When a survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen Magazine found that 86% of teenagers admit to driving while distracted and that 84% of them realized it was dangerous behavior, there is an obvious disconnect going on.  We all know that teenagers operate under the belief that they are invincible, but parents and other adult drivers on the road need to be good role models.

According to a representative at AAA, taking your eyes off the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of having an accident.  For teenagers who are of driving age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death.  The surveys conducted also revealed that 36% of teenagers are aware that their distracted driving caused them to have a near-crash and 28% admit to texting while driving.  An impressive 60% admit to talking on a cell phone while driving.  It is frustrating to hear these statistics given the amount of vehicles that come equipped with Bluetooth or some other hands free system. 

teenage drivers, teens texting driving, driver distraction

Rollover Accident Prevention Tips.

There are so many things to take into consideration when you are purchasing a new vehicle.  Main topics of concern usually revolve around price, amenities, fuel economy, and safety.  That last one is a huge topic for the cars at Volvo Nashua; the Swedish auto maker has been known for making some of the safest vehicles on the roads, even before all the fancy technological advances were put into effect.  Safety ratings can be a huge selling point, especially for families or parents of teenage drivers.  One of the newest features to be rated by the crash test groups is how well a vehicle does in a rollover accident.  If you have an older car from Toyota Scion Salt Lake City, you won’t have a scale to compare how well your car does in crash tests.  The rollover test went into effect for 2010. 

People who drive a boxy steel beast from Dodge Chrysler Fort Worth may not be overly concerned with how their cars do in a rollover accident, but rollover crashes are some of the worst possible.  It is true that your type of vehicle is going to be the major indicator of safety during a rollover accident, more so than other types of collisions, it still isn’t the only thing to take into consideration.  Rollover accidents tend to involve just one vehicle and usually reflect some sort of environmental situation.  However, tall and narrow vehicles like SUVs will have higher centers of gravity than small cars, so they are more prone to rollover accidents. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compiles data so that consumers have a trusted source for information.  They estimate that 75% of fatal rollover accidents happened in areas where the speed limit was set to be higher than 55 mph, and that 40% of the fatal rollovers happen when the driver is excessively speeding.  Another factor is drinking and driving; alcohol impairs your physical capabilities and motor skill judgment.  

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Labor Day Tips!

Labor Day is a busy time of year, and that means more people are on the roads.  There are some things you can do to be safe as you travel for one of the last times this summer!  Also, Labor Day is a time of great sales, so people who are in the market for a new vehicle should go to a place like Denver Land Rover Dealers to see what specials are being offered.  Some dealerships also do contests, and Fort Worth used car dealers is a great place to get a fantastic deal on a used vehicle. 

So before you load your family into your family Bradenton CX-7 to take off on your last vacation of the summer, take a few moments and make sure you car is in good working order.  Check all your fluids, get your oil changed if you are driving a long distance, and have the tires checked out.  Nothing like car trouble to ruin a family trip!  The National Safety Council estimates that this is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, and that approximately 368 people will die due to a traffic accident over the three day weekend.  Those are not good numbers!  They further estimate that there will be 19,900 injuries from traffic accidents!  Make sure your whole family is wearing their seat belts!

Check to make sure you have the GPS unit with you or your trusty map.  Use one of the dash mounts for it or have the front seat passenger help you navigate around unfamiliar areas during your travels.  When you are on the highways, be cautious of the truck drivers.  The highways are essentially their office, and no one likes it when someone rude comes to your office, so drive friendly.  Lastly, plan out your trip as much as you need and have a great last summer trip!

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Safe Driving?

Before you buy any where make sure you check out all of the amazing deals and great prices on modern luxury at Hattiesburg Honda Dealers. Also keep in mind to check out some of the amazing deals and great prices on a amazing line up of vehicles at Washington Dodge Dealers. Safe driving has fallen behind the curve, and not by the automotive companies. Each automotive company offers a unique way of dealing with safety, but each automotive company is not responsible for how you drive. Also keep in mind to check out all of the amazing deals on a great line up of vehicles at Boston Toyota Dealers.

Nine out of ten a automotive crashes are caused by the driver. It is not due to a safety problem with the vehicle. In fact into days market there are huge numbers of vehicles that are some of the safest ever made. The only problem is the driver, and this includes drivers of all ages.

Newer drivers tend to get into more accidents, because they are more worried about talking on the phone or rocking out. However, many older drivers get into accidents as well. Many of the more experienced drivers slack on the safety rules because they are more comfortable driving. They believe that because they have more years of experience that they can bend the rules.

The safest way to drive is by sticking to the rules, and this goes for drives of all ages. Stop trying to beat the yellow light, and slow down and brake. While some of the rules might seem like they are slowing you down keep in mind they are there for your protection as well as the protection of the other drivers.

Safe Driving Skills for Life?

Before you buy any where make sure you check out all of the amazing vehicles and modern luxury at VW Peoria. Also keep in mind to check out the great line up of safe and fuel efficient vehicles at Fayetteville Mazda. Ford is teaming up to teach safe driving skills for life, and the are doing it with style and class. Ford Motor Company is taking the lead with safe driving with Usher. This popular singer is planning to helps youths become better at driving. Keep in mind to check out the amazing line up of Ford trucks, crossovers, and luxury cars at Winston Ford Dealer.

Ford teamed up with Usher to draw more attention, but they did not do it for the spot light. Ford Motor Company is trying to reduce the number of deaths in automotive crashes, and teens are ranking very high in that total category. Ford is trying to reach out to young drivers to make sure they come home safely.

Ford for years has been taking in safety, and pushing the bar higher in safety then ever before. However, today they did have some help. Ford Motor Company did team up with the popular rapper Usher to draw more people attention to safe driving, and the star even admitted he wishes he had a class like this when you was younger.

At safe driving skills for life Ford Motors gave lessons on how to stay focused when driving, and this includes everything from not texting when driving to how to avoid a automotive crash. Ford is once again taking the lead in safety, and it is with today's youth.

Over all Ford Motor Company is taking the lead in safety, but this time they are doing it with the youth of the nation instead of vehicles. Ford's goal is to make the roads a safer place for everybody driving.

Defensive Driving Tips Part 4;

If you are driving your new vehicle purchased during Chevy Malibu Specials, you are going to want to know defensive driving techniques. Defensive driving can prevent a serious accident from happening to you, and you will definitely want to practice safe driving tips to prevent accidents from happening. There are numerous Arizona Volkswagen dealers that offer Volkswagen vehicles that have safety features that can prevent accidents, but nothing beats defensive driving in terms of reducing accident rates.

Also check out Chicago Chevrolet Dealers for information on the latest safety features that are included with Chevy models. One way to stay safe on the road is to share the road with trucks. Trucks require much more energy than vehicles to slow down. This means that they require more time. If you decide to cut a truck off, you might cause an accident because the truck may be unable to stop.

Similarly, you never want to follow to close to trucks either. If you are directly behind a truck, the driver will not be able to see you and may not realize you are there. You will want to maintain a following distance of around 3 to 4 seconds. Be sure that you can see the mirror of the truck. If you can see the mirror of a truck, the truck can see you.

The other way to stay safe and drive defensively is to show courtesy to other drivers. I don't know how many times I have seen drivers swerve in front of each other out of road rage. That's not even the worst of it. I've seen drivers purposely brake just to irritate or scare other drivers who were tailing them, drivers racing each other out of anger, and even drivers being distracted by swearing and yelling at each other out of their windows.

You might feel obligated to curse at the driver that just cut you off, but your distraction and anger might easily lead to an accident. In the case that an accident happens, you will feel quite silly for distracting yourself with an angry outburst. Practice courtesy on the road. It is much safer than throwing a fit and causing a serious accident.

What does Auto Saftey Mean to You?

Automobile safety should be one of the highest concerns for any driver, but many of us neglect some of the most basic safety tips. Even if the model is a new Volkswagen purchased at a local Volkswagen Dealer with all of the best safety features, there are still several benefits to having an awareness of fundamental auto safety. The latest Ford models also provide several excellent standard safety features such as multiple airbags and other features and can be found at a Ford Knoxville dealership.

Other domestic automakers like Chrysler have several new models that can be found at a High Point Dodge Dealer that are designed to compete with Ford and other automakers in both cost, safety, fuel efficiency, and other features. Auto safety for some people is not a major concern, but it should be. There were 6,420,000 accidents in the United States in 2005 with a cost of around 230 billion dollars. Vehicle accidents claimed 42,636 people and also caused several thousands more of injuries.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you are aware of basic auto safety in order to ensure that you avoid at-fault accidents. A large part of auto safety is defensive driving, which we have previously covered a little. Now, with the availability of numerous other models that are excellent and safe, defensive driving is even easier. There are features such as blind spot sensors, backup cameras, collision warning systems, and traffic detection systems. Many of these systems assist with braking during traffic, emergency braking, and other driving maneuvers.

Even the most experienced driver can benefit from car safety features, and with the wide availability of many features on new models, it makes sense to at least look into the cost of adding safety features to a vehicle. On your next visit to the dealership to purchase a new or pre-owned model, ask your dealer about the latest safety features and in the meantime be sure to read this blog for more defensive and safe driving tips.

Defensive Driving Tips Part 2;

As mentioned in the previous article, regardless of whether you are driving a safe vehicle that was repaired at a Jersey City Saturn Service or other car service, you will want to drive defensive. With the large number of accidents that occur each year even with safe vehicles purchased at a local VW Peoria dealer, it makes sense to drive as safely as possible. KIA is a Korean automaker whose latest models featuring the latest in safety can be found at a Reading Kia dealer.

You should always yield the right of way if you are not sure who should have it. And you should always drive the speed limit to avoid the problems of inaccuracy that go with speeding. However, there is more to defensive driving than just this.

Modern vehicles feature safety devices that help prevent accidents. Many of these devices such as back-up sensors and rear view cameras are coming standard on large vehicles like vans, SUVs, and trucks. However, if your vehicle does not have safety features such as these, it might be a good idea to look into purchasing them in order make your driving that much safer.

Beyond just back-up sensors cameras, there are now vehicles that come standard with numerous other safety features including: emergency braking assistance, blind spot detection and warning systems, traffic acceleration and braking assistance, collision warning systems, impact preparation systems, and many more.

These safety features have been standard on luxury models but are now become more standard on regular models as their cost decreases. A vehicle can never have enough safety features, and your choice of a new vehicle should have as many as you can afford to include. You might save some money going with fewer safety features, however if those features save you from a collision they are well worth it!

How to Avoid Driving Distractions;

If you just purchased a new car from a Chevrolet or other dealer during Jersey Chevy Specials, it is likely important to you that your car and yourself stay safe while on the road. Driving distractions are a common cause of at-fault accidents for drivers. Many accidents could be avoided each year if drivers were aware of what the most common dangerous driving distractions are, how to avoid them, and also how to deal with them. Knowing what these distractions are will help you keep your car far away from a Bradenton Chevrolet Service.

Bill Moore, president of MetLife Auto & Home said, "Safe driving is about focus. Many accidents could be avoided if the basic principles of defensive driving and driver attentiveness were observed."

The most dangerous situations or actions that increase the risk of an accident include: moving one's eyes away from the road, not being awake enough to drive, paying attention to another activity such as talking on a cell phone, texting, or eating, and attempting to read directions while driving.

The sad part is that all of these problems can be avoided and that many accidents could be prevented with just a few easy avoidance steps.

For using cell phones and texting, the best bet for a driver is to simply not talk on a cell phone while driving. If a cell phone must be used, it is advisable to have a hands free device such as a Bluetooth headset to allow one to control the vehicle with both hands. Driving with just one hand is simply dangerous and not necessary. Texting is absolutely one of the most dangerous activities one can do while driving simply because of the amount of attention required to send and type a text message. It should never be done while driving.

If you are feeling tired and are on a trip, the best option is to pull over and take a nap. Studies have shown that a person can fall asleep at the wheel if they are sleep deprived, even though they may have never fallen asleep while performing a task before. To prevent exhaustion while driving, it is important to get a full night's sleep before embarking on a short or long trip.

Eyes should always be kept on the road. If one has to move their eyes to check a mirror or blind spot, it should only be when there are no cars in close proximity, and it should only take a second or less. Moving one's eyes away from the road for other reasons should be minimized. Sightseeing is best performed on the ground instead of the riskier position of a vehicle.

Following just a few of these tips will help you stay safe and keep your car in prime condition for years by avoiding needless accidents.

Are Cell Phones and Driving Safe?

Recently there has been much discussion over the safety of cell phones and driving. Most studies have shown that using a cell phone while driving a vehicle such as a Ford Taurus or a Pontiac Firebird which can be found at a Jersey City Pontiac dealer, greatly increases the risk of an accident. However, many thousands of drivers continue the high risk activity of driving while texting or using a cell phone.

The major risk of driving while using a cell phone is the diversion of attention that occurs. Many drivers are not able to fully concentrate on driving while talking on their cell phones. The distraction of having a conversation can often take the driver off of what is happening on the road. Sometimes driving requires a fast reaction to a situation and a driver will not be able to react quickly enough.

The evidence of driving while talking on a cell phone being dangerous is staggering. A recent report by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Agency showed that the use of mobile devices accounted for 25 percent of all traffic accidents. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute performed a study in July of 2009 that showed that texting while driving increased the risk of an accident by over 23 times. The National Safety Council found that 1.6 million accidents per year are caused by drivers texting or talking on cell phones.

There are many more studies that confirm how risky driving while talking on a cell phone really is. If you are going to speak on the phone while driving, it is best to use a hands free device like a Bluetooth or other type of headset. Other risky activities while driving include eating or unwrapping food or other items, applying makeup while driving, watching a GPS map, reading, and basically anything that takes most of your attention away from driving.