Driving is so normal that it’s easy to forget that getting behind the wheel of your car may be the most dangerous thing you’ll do all day long. In South Africa we’ve got quite the record for accidents on the road, especially during the holiday seasons. (How often have you heard about the death rate skyrocketing during the Easter and festive holidays?) Your odds may be even higher depending on where you live and what you drive.
That’s why it’s so important to have an affordable car insurance policy that comes with roadside and medical assistance services to help you if you get into an accident. Another thing that we can do to help you out is tell you about the most common driving habits that we’re getting wrong, according to advanced drivers.
The top driving habits we’re all getting wrong
- Slamming the brakes: Normally this is an okay response, but if your car’s in a skid then braking could lead to fishtailing or flipping your car. Super dangerous. Instead, what you should do is very lightly touch the accelerator. This will help you drive straight in your lane and then you can stop accelerating and let the car slow down on its own.
- Focusing on the car ahead: You should actually be looking at the farthest piece of road that you can see. This will sharpen up your line of sight and allow you to see everything from left to right, and beyond to the horizon.
- Sitting in the driver’s seat badly: Don’t sit too far away from the pedals and don’t extend your legs all the way out because this could cause injuries, especially if you get into an accident. Rather position yourself so your legs have a gentle bend to them which will protect you against hip injuries if you crash.
The reality is that you can’t control the actions of other drivers. But you can control how you operate your own car, which will increase your chances of having a safe trip.
Here are a few simple precautions:
- Always pay attention to the road and your car.
- Be vigilant and drive like you expect others to make mistakes.
- Slow down and don’t speed, because the faster you go, the longer it takes to stop.
- Wear your seatbelt. Always, always, always.
- Inflate your tires appropriately for safer handling.
- Monitor your blind spots.
- Keep a buffer between yourself and other drivers, like 2 seconds of lead time in good weather, more in bad weather.
- Adjust for rain, like slowing down, turning off cruise control, giving more space between you and other drivers, etc.
- Road rage is real and you don’t know who’s behind the wheel of the other car. They could be drunk or have anger issues that could escalate into something nasty, so just let it go.
Our final tip is to make sure you’re covered with an affordable car insurance policy. There are lots of great options out there and because everyone’s online, you can gather quick quotes in minutes. Like from this insurer over here who offers ground-breaking, super cheap car insurance premiums that decrease monthly to correspond with the depreciating value of your car. This way, your car will benefit and so will your wallet.
We hope this helps you if you’re ever in an accident. If you don’t have car insurance, then this is the time to consider an affordable policy that shoulders the burden of all the unexpected costs that come with car accidents. You can to get a quote in just a matter of minutes.
Posted in partnership with King Price Insurance
