Driving on the road is one of the most dangerous things that most people participate in on a regular basis. Even if you’re a safe driver, there’s really no telling what kind of accident could happen either to you or around you every time you cruise down the road.
As a general rule, the faster you’re doing in your car, the more potential for danger you’re risking. Because of this, it’s critical that you take it seriously whenever you’re driving on a highway or freeway.
To help you with this, here are three tips for safer highway driving.
Know What To Do In Emergencies
Before you plan to spend a lot of time driving on highways or freeways, you should first educate yourself on what you should do if there’s any type of emergency that takes place on your route, either with you and your vehicle or not.
According to AARP, you as the driver should only stop on a highway or freeway if you’re having a real emergency. And when you do stop, be sure you pull over as far as you can off of the road and that you put on your emergency hazard lights so that other drivers can see you from far enough away. If you’re coming up to an emergency that happened in front of you, it’s best to slow down and move to the side of the road farthest away from the scene. Additionally, if emergency vehicles are coming up behind you, slow down and move over to the right so the cars can pass you on the left without you having to stop completely.
Maintain A Safe Speed And Following Distance
Part of what can make driving on highways or freeways so dangerous is the fluctuations in your driving. For this reason, Jana Rhodes, a contributor to MotoSafety.com, recommends that you do whatever it takes to maintain a safe speed and following distance around other cars.
If you’re driving in open space, you may want to put on cruise control so you can ensure that you maintain a consistent speed and don’t wind up going too fast. And if you’re driving close to other cars, it’s safest to give the vehicles in front of you enough space that you could safely stop behind them if they were to jump on their brakes.
Stay Out Of The Left Lane
On most highways and freeways, there will be at least two lanes of traffic going in the same direction. When this happens, Jason Kavanaugh, a contributor to Edmunds.com, shares that you should only move to the left lane if you’re actively passing another vehicle.
Not only is this the law in most places, but staying in the right lane is also going to be much safer for you than jumping back and forth between lanes or driving primarily in the left lane.
If you’re worried about how to keep yourself and others safe when driving at the high speeds of a highway or freeway, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you become a better driver in these environments.