Maryland is a busy state, with more than 4.4 million drivers taking up our roads. Potomac’s roads are safe and well-constructed, but a moment of inattention can still spell disaster. How can you be a safer driver to ensure you can get around Maryland safely?
If you’re looking for safe driving tips, we’re happy to help. Read on for ten quick tips on how to avoid auto accidents and other road hazards.
- Anticipate the Weather
The first step for driving in Maryland is to anticipate what weather you may encounter. Any state has weather that feels unique.
For example, Floridian drivers are well-accustomed to driving in intense rains. Tourists tend to travel to Florida and find themselves overwhelmed by the debilitating rainstorms. Locals navigate the storms as naturally as a light drizzle.
In the same vein, most Floridian drivers are utterly lost when it comes to driving in snow. Maryland experiences more than 20 inches of snow in the average winter.
If you’re driving around Potomac and the rest of Maryland, it’s critical to understand when weather may impact your driving. Suddenly finding yourself in an unexpected snowstorm can lead to a stressful and dangerous drive.
Make sure you read the weather forecast every day before driving. That way, you can anticipate most storms or weather events. You should also think of what weather is common for a time of year.
Snow, sleet, and hail are something to anticipate during the winter months. Sudden snows or thunderstorms are more common during summer months. By anticipating weather, you make sure you won’t be caught off guard when the storms hit.
- Know Peak Times
Have you found yourself stuck in a frustrating gridlock of traffic driving out of downtown Potomac? These moments can cause tempers and impatience to both run high. When such events occur, human error becomes more common out of anger or frustration.
Knowing these peak times can help you guess when you shouldn’t travel. If you can help it, you can reduce the rate of auto accidents by driving when there are fewer drivers.
But what are peak times? Peak times are when most drivers are out on the roads. These often align with important events of the day or year.
Early in the morning from roughly 7 A.M. to 9 A.M. is one peak time, as many people are heading to work. Noon to the early afternoon can show spikes in traffic from lunch and people picking their kids up from school. Finally, 5 P.M. to the mid-evening will have higher traffic from people leaving work.
These are far from the only times you’ll want to predict. When the holidays come by, Potomac’s roads are often filled with shoppers. The closer it is to Christmas, the more people you’ll see out and about shopping.
When tourist season hits, traffic can vary significantly. Potomac doesn’t see as many tourists as Baltimore, but many people will jump between Maryland and Virginia near Potomac. As such, you can expect higher traffic around these times of year.
In short, do your best to anticipate when traffic is highest. Congested traffic means more drivers to cause accidents. It’s also less enjoyable to drive on crowded, hectic roads.
- Avoid Distractions
Did you know that roughly 8% of all accidents are caused by distracted driving? The accident fatality rate often includes the avoidable event of minor distractions. A moment of inattention is enough to cause a fatal accident.
There are three types of distractions while driving. All three types can dramatically increase the probability of a motor vehicle crash.
The first type is visual distractions. These include taking your eyes off the road entirely. You may have a visual distraction staring at an accident, looking over a view, or staring at another driver.
Second is manual distractions, which includes taking your hands off the wheel. You’re manually distracted while fiddling with your radio or reaching for something in your floorboard. A manual distraction makes it harder to react should you need to respond to an emergency event, such as swerving to avoid a pedestrian.
The third type of distraction is cognitive distraction, which includes your mind being unfocused. A common cognitive distraction is a conversation, phone call, or argument with another driver. You can have a cognitive distraction by letting your mind wander to something else, taking your attention from the road.
While driving, you should focus solely on driving. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. It’s safest to have both hands on the wheel at even spacing to increase your control over your vehicle.
- Understand Maryland’s Road Laws
Another critical step to accident prevention is to understand Maryland’s road laws. The state’s road laws rarely vary from city to city, making it useful to know them for the whole state. Additionally, many of the rules are identical across state lines. It is always advisable to consult with the Best DUI Lawyer before making any decisions regarding your car insurance coverage.
Some of these laws are common and simple. Stop for pedestrians, wear your seatbelt, turn your lights on in stormy weather, and always stop before turning on a red light.
However, there’s more to the laws than simple rules of the road. For example, if you’re teaching someone to drive, ensure you’re familiar with the laws for minor drivers. You should also understand any speeding laws and consequences so you understand what to avoid.
One important note is that Maryland is famously tough on aggressive drivers. Driving aggressively can aggravate other drivers, create unsafe situations, and cause accidents.
As such, Maryland treats aggressive drivers equally as aggressive. The state’s fees for infractions like running red lights, tailgating, or making unsafe lane changes are steep. Obey the rules of the road to avoid finding out just how steep these fines can be.
These laws aren’t there to suffocate you or lower the enjoyment of driving. Obeying Maryland’s road laws will help keep Potomac’s roads safer and more efficient.
- Don’t Drive Drowsy
Similar to distracted driving, one common cognitive issue is drowsy driving. In many situations, we rarely feel an issue with driving drowsy.
If you’re on your way to work and still waking up, you’re not surprised to feel drowsy. Heading home from work after a long day may have you yawning at a few red lights as well. It all feels so natural, it’s strange to think it’s a road hazard.
While drowsy, your cognitive ability is heavily impaired. Your reactions are slowed, and you may not make the best decisions.
Worst of all, it’s common for drowsy drivers to fall asleep at the wheel. Studies show that roughly 1 in 25 adult drivers admitted to falling asleep while driving. If you’re slipping into a nap while pushing 80 on Potomac’s 190, you’re seconds from a fatal accident.
Do your best to get a full night’s sleep before driving. Practice methods of keeping yourself awake at the wheel during long drives.
If you’re on your way home to sleep, coffee or an energy drink won’t appeal to you. These substances can keep you up long into the night well after you’re done driving.
Instead, consider driving with the windows down to let the brisk air keep you awake. Turning music on will also help, but make sure not to turn it loud enough to distract you further.
- Avoid Control-Impairing Substances
One common thread across all states is to avoid any substances that impair your ability to drive. These substances most commonly are drugs and alcohol.
Driving while intoxicated – DWI – is a significant offense that can lead to the suspension or revoking of your license. Driving under the influence – DUI – is an equally severe charge that relates to a broader range of substances. In both cases, you may face jail time, assuming you were lucky enough to survive.
Avoid driving while under any control-impairing substances. These include:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Over-the-counter medications that impair cognitive function
- Prescription medications that impair cognitive function
- Drive Defensively
When looking for safe driving tips, you’ll likely come across many tips saying to drive defensively. But what does driving defensively mean?
In most situations, you’ll know an aggressive driver when you see them. Aggressive drivers push the speed limit, swiftly switch lanes, and cut people off. These drivers are an immense hazard and often the first drivers that a police officer will pull over.
Defensive drivers are the opposite of aggressive drivers. These drivers go at a safe speed that keeps the flow of traffic moving and clearly signal any lane changes. They tend to slow down to avoid aggressive drivers and focus on reaching their destination safely.
- Don’t Rush!
Many of us are in a rush to get to our destination. Running late for an appointment or urgently wanting to be home are common everyday occurrences.
When you rush, you’re less aware of the surroundings of your vehicle. You may overlook a pedestrian in your hurry to get to your destination. The driver switching lanes next to you may also escape your vision.
Rushing is understandable, and we’re all eager to reach our destination. But you’ll find yourself significantly more behind schedule if your urgency causes any auto accidents.
Part of accident prevention is staying calm, aware, and defensive behind the wheel. While the rush is understandable, it increases the chance of human error and tragedy. Slow down and obey the rules of the road to reach your destination safely.
Should you find yourself held back by an accident, don’t hesitate to seek legal representation. Automotive accidents are extremely common and often result in court action. Click here to get more info on how proper representation can reduce the consequences of a car accident.
- Vehicle Maintenance
When thinking of safe driving tips, you may only consider your actions while driving. But part of being a safer driver is making sure that your vehicle is as safe as it can be.
The best way to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive is with common maintenance. Your vehicle will require maintenance throughout the year on several fronts.
One of the most common is regular oil changes. If your vehicle’s oil isn’t changed regularly, the engine may seize up. Not only is this disastrous for your vehicle’s health, it can also cause a severe accident for your engine to suddenly fail on the highway.
Windshield wipers need to remain functional for stormy weather, as do headlights and brake lights. You should also have your brakes inspected and ensure your tires aren’t going bald and losing traction. Proper maintenance of your vehicle will help make sure you’re as safe as can be.
- Stay Alert
A frequently-repeated adage is “everyone on the road is an idiot except for me.” If you’ve driven during rush hour, there’s a good chance you’ve felt this way before.
While comical, the meaning of the saying is more serious. It’s a safe bet to assume that all drivers around you aren’t good at driving. As such, you can safely assume that you’ll need to be alert of their actions.
Using this adage, you can stay alert for sudden and violent lane changes of a nearby aggressive driver. Waiting a couple of seconds before going at a green light stops you from getting hit by the driver that’s actively running their red light.
These defensive actions all stem from the belief that other drivers are something to avoid. The best way to see the saying is simply to stay alert of all situations on the road while driving.
Look out for other drivers and avoid pedestrians. Be aware of any oncoming emergency vehicles and make ample room for them. Practicing awareness is the most effective of all safe driving tips.
Becoming a Safer Driver
Being a safer driver is more than staying attentive at the wheel. Be aware of your surroundings, and never drive while impaired or distracted. Do your best to keep your vehicle maintained and obey the laws of Maryland and all other states.
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