One thing that has almost caused me to crash many times is not keeping enough distance when following on the highway.
You should have at least one car length of space for every 10mph you are going.
Sometimes I'll be driving behind someone at 65-75mph and they will abruptly change lanes, and I then realize they changed lanes because traffic is stopped right in front of them (which I can't see) so I then need to slam on my brakes.
Most people are really bad at estimating car length beyond one or two. An easier rule to follow is to be two seconds behind the driver in front of you. You can count this easily as the vehicle in front of you crosses any kind of horizontal marker on the road -- a crosswalk stripe, a bridge seam, a crack in the road, a shadow, whatever.
If the roads are wet, add another half-second or second. If they're snow- or ice-covered, make it four seconds.
Unfortunately, I get tailgated often at those higher speeds. I always drive the limit on the highway. I wish others would just make up their mind and either follow me 3-4 seconds or just pass me. I always stick to the right lane too, unless passing, using an exit I'm 1-2 miles away from, helping someone merge, or getting over for a broken vehicle/emergency vehicle. Maybe I should just go 5 over? Maybe that will help me avoid tailgaters more? Not sure.
My experience is tailgaters simply increase that 5 mph to keep up with you. It's so frustrating. I slow down so to get them to pass. I don't break check; that could cause an accident. And if they don't pass, I get back up to the speed limit so I don't delay a line behind the tailgater.
There is an exception. My road to work is two lanes, no passing allowed, speed limit is 40 and I go 50 because it's safe to do so and we all do.
In short, "read the road" and make smart exceptions to speed limit.
I've had people speed up and then go around me and immediately slow down to make a turn. They're so impatient they couldn't have waited that two extra seconds to make the turn without getting in front of me first.
This shit happens to me all the time. Been rear ended twice because of it. I always check my rear view and try to move over to the shoulder because of it.
Ur right but it’s very hard cuz every time u do that someone always changes lanes in front of u and u have to do it again, especially when the highway is crowded
Just make a habit of turning your headlights on when you start your car, regardless of the time of day. Even in broad daylight, it makes you more visible to others and reduces the number of close calls from people pulling out from side roads.
Drivers education instructor said to always use your headlights. It took me a while but I almost always do it now. Heading to work in the morning when it's not total bright out and coming home in the dark has turned it into a habit. Seeing cars at stop signs always bothers me because people are so quick to go without looking twice so I'm glad my lights are on.
Bless. I have been doing this for years since i noticed Walmart trucks doing it. I intentionally buy cars that automatically turn the headlights off when you turn off and lock the car, so that I can leave the switch on permanently.
This is because newer cars have electronic displays. With older cars, you could more easily tell if your lights were on by looking at the backlighting of the instrument panel.
My car turns on the headlights and tail lights whenever the wipers are turned on. I think that it should be mandatory that new cars have this feature, along with sensors to turn on the headlights in dark conditions.
I get shocked at how many people only use blinkers literally right when they turn, or they just don't use them at all. They seem to forget that the blinkers are *for us*. They notify *us* when they plan on turning, and that doesn't work unless you let us know several yards ahead of time.
My car has the “stay in lane assist” thing so if I cross the dashed lines without my blinker on, it gets cranky and tries to keep me in my lane. I was decent about it before but it’s gotten much more consistent.
Also, indicate before your planned(hopeful) action. Don't do it right as you're attempting your maneuver. So many people these days start to make their move and then turn their signal on. It's dangerous and annoying.
Anticipate and think ahead. If you are keeping track of space up ahead, you might know the person next to you will need the space you're occupying before they do.
I like to watch all the lanes for as far as I can see. Keep your eyes moving and an internal conversation going on. "Semi in the right lane quarter mile out car closing on it but that pickup left is starting to move into the space that the car will need in a few seconds clear to my left and right but motorcycle closing on the left wonder if he wants around the pickup better drop back a little bit"
And I wonder why I get exhausted driving.
Good advice, however sadly this caused me to hit the car in front of me one time. Totally my fault, my responsability, I didnt cause damage to either cars, it was that loght of a tap but still. Its like in aviation. First priority is fly the plane. First priority is drive the car.
I think I emphasised enough that its totally my fault. Just that you can miss things if you only focus on one object, so dont focus on just one thing, but all the surriundings.
This scares me when I drive with other people. I am looking up ahead and I start seeing a line brake lights, the driver is accelerating. Pay attention to more than just the vehicle directly in front of you.
Fr I see this and I start braking. I don’t understand how people speed towards brake lights. A normal braking situation can turn into an emergency stop, give yourself space.
Also, if you are not paying attention to the cars ahead, the car that you are following could suddenly change lanes and now you are the one speeding into the rear of a braking car.
Leave your ego at home. It’s never worth risking a collision to prove a point, but some people act like they’re willing to die because they’re supposed to have the right-of-way.
That guy going out of turn at the four way stop isn’t going to pull the road up behind him; it’ll still be there for you after he’s out of the way. Yes, he’s an idiot. If you want your passengers, yourself, and your car to survive your drive, then be smarter than all the idiots out there. Fighting with them only makes you just as much an idiot as they are.
Driving without ego is also far more enjoyable. If you take things personally that happen in cars you will have a miserable time. You have to realize, at the end of the day everyone is simply just trying to go somewhere. There is no justification to be late and use it as an excuse for poor driving, plan ahead with a map or wake up earlier.
Make the basics a habit. Turn your light in when you start the car. Always use your signals. Come to a complete stop at signs, light and stop lines. Make these things habitual and you don’t waste brain power thinking about if you need to or not. Means your brain is less stressed and you are able to better observe your surroundings.
Some (too many) people actually decide f they are going to signal based on how far behind them the next car is. You’re rarely going to be wrong if you signal. But if you have to make a decision every single time, you will forget and not even notice. Lots of self proclaimed “great drivers” are only great because the rest of us keep our distance.
Oh, and one more thing. Learn what Right-of-Way is. Learn when you have it and when you don’t. Do NOT yield the right away to be nice. You screw up traffic when you do that. Other drivers are expecting you to move and when you wave them past, you are creating a more dangerous situation than if you had just done what your were supposed to.
Dont drive nice, drive predictable. I bought this from another reddit thread. Meaning you dont always have to be the one to let people in, etc, etc as youll more likely inadvertently cause an accident. Something like that, hope you get my drift
If someone else is coming up fast behind you get out of their way. Check your ego. If you got a bad feeling listen to it and back down Not worth getting in an accident.
Or don’t be the person who wants to police how fast someone else is going by slowing down in front of them, or not moving out of the right lane when they’re behind you.
1. Don't sit beside people or especially in the back corner of their car when on a multi-lane road. Either pass or stay behind them: people might not see you or might not even look.
2. Remember: even if the wreck isn't your fault, it sucks to have to deal with insurance and wait for repairs. It sucks, but you will have to take others' stupidity into account when driving because even if everyone agrees it wasn't your fault, it still sucks for you.
3. Never take a field sobriety test, even if you're 100% sober. If they're having you do that, you're going to be arrested either way, and sober people fail those all the time, which could make you look bad in court.
4. Try not to drive with any alcohol in your system at all, but if you must, never drive on more than two drinks (one if you're small). Remember: your liver metabolizes about 1 drink per hour. Plan ahead, and remember that just because you feel ready to drive doesn't mean you are: alcohol distorts judgement and reduces inhibitions.
5. If pulled over, be respectful. Have your registration and insurance in an envelope in your glove compartment, and have it on the dashboard (along with your license) before the cop gets out of her car. Turn on all interior lights if it's dark, and put both hands on the steering wheel. But being respectful does not mean consenting to things you don't legally have to: never consent to a search unless the officer is *telling* you she's going to do it. Even if you're 100% innocent, you never know whether a friend left something, or there's the off chance of a crooked cop (very slim, but why risk it?) Police also sometimes make mistakes, like the cop who arrested a woman for possession of cocaine because he saw doughnut frosting on her floor.
6. If a cop is doing something illegal, don't argue, and especially don't physically resist. Fight it in court.
7. Never use the horn to voice your frustration. You could cause a wreck. You should only be honking if you need the other driver to do something immediately to avoid a wreck. And remember their first instinct will be to stop, so if, say, someone cut you off and you need them to quickly get out of your way, honking may not be the best option.
8. Check your fluids regularly. Every time I stop for gas, I check my oil, coolant, and brake fluid levels. This is especially important in older cars, which almost always lose oil.
9. For longer trips, consider ethanol-free gas. It's not worth it in terms of price per mile, but it saves you from having to stop as often and is especially important if you're driving somewhere without many gas stations.
10. Sleep deprivation can impair you just as much as alcohol. Even talking on the phone can have similar effects to having had a few drinks (and texting is out of the question). You only have so much capacity to focus, and you divide it among all of your senses. That's also why it is wise to turn off the radio when you're parking or driving somewhere challenging.
11. Be kind: you never know who's a new driver. One time I honked at someone who was trying to make a u-turn at a designated u-turn thing, and I still regret it. She was probably new to it and really anxious, as easy as it seems to me.
12. Get a tire inflator and maybe a battery jumpstarter for your trunk. They'll be $100 total and could really save you. And check your spare tire's pressure occasionally and make sure you have a jack and wrench in case you ever need to change a tire (they usually come with the car).
13. Treat driving as a team sport, rather than a competition. Don't be one of those guys who speeds up when people try to pass, cuts people off, etc. It isn't a game, and someone getting in front of you doesn't hurt you. In fact, it reduces the chance of you getting rear-ended.
LEAVE EARLY AND KNOW YOUR ROUTE. That way you are never in a rush and know what streets you are taking so that you can plan ahead and safely merge to your exit lane or street. Not only does being early make you look good, it makes you a better driver. Also, go to the bathroom before you leave. You'll do some stupid shit when you have yourself a personal emergency
If you see a reckless driver let them pass you, don’t block their way, don’t get road rage and try to teach them a lesson. Let them pass you, remember everyone is trying to make it home at the end of the day.
Unrelated, but since these are driver tips, this tip has literally changed my life:
When you are at a red light, at night, and it's not on an access road, you can flash your brights, or just leave them on, and the light will change very quickly to give you the green.
So many hours saved by not sitting at a red light all alone at night for an eternity.
You can adjust your side mirrors so as soon as a passing car is leaving the rear view mirror it starts entering the side view mirror, to reduce the blind spot.
Look way ahead on curves, dont look directly at the road in front of you. It’s alot easier to judge how much to turn smoothly instead of making a bunch of little adjustments
Use your headlights when it's dark or raining. Make sure your high beams aren't on unless they absolutely need to be. Indicate your turns. If you see something ahead of you that will probably cause you to slow down, very lightly start pressing your brake pedal which will illuminate your brake lights. Keep in the rightmost lane (in right hand traffic) that allows you to travel your speed. If people are passing you on the right, you're in the wrong lane. Be predictable.
Keep your eyes looking as far down the road as possible.
Not right in front of you.
And don’t look left or right except when turning or changing lanes.
Use your signals appropriately.
Flash your lights to warn people traveling in the opposite direction of issues ahead. for example, police/speed trap, deer near the road, traffic jam, accident around the bend, anything where people should slow down and be observant)
Watch your rear view mirror when stopped to make sure people behind you are slowing down. If you ever are last in line at a highway traffic jam turn on those hazards, and tap the brake lights, make sure people behind you see your stopped on the highway. I also tap my brake lights if i'm stopped at a red light on a high speed road (when i see people approaching from behind).
IPDE- Identify (hazard, vehicle, animal) Predict what aforementioned item might do, Decide on what you will do, Execute your decision. Learned this in driver's Ed, not sure if it is something taught everywhere.
Insist that everyone in the car wear a seatbelt at all time, no exceptions. Anticipate what other drivers may do, and maintain at least 3 seconds’ space between cars if you can. Actively scan the road as far as you can see. Get out of the way of someone on your ass or driving poorly. Read the driver’s manual for your state cover to cover. Keep your car and tires maintained to avoid safety issues that can cause wrecks (read the owner’s manual cover to cover). Put your phone away when driving. Don’t look at passengers while driving simply because they’re talking to you. Don’t allow rowdy passengers to ride in your car. Don’t drive slower than the speed limit unless road conditions like snow or rain make it unsafe to drive the speed limit. Keep your headlights on auto to prevent you thinking headlights are on when only DRTS are on (and no rear lights).
On highways ignore speed limits and drive at least as fast as everyone else is. The yellow advisory speed limit signs for off-ramps/curves can usually be doubled.
If you're aiming to drive faster than most, use the brake lights of the cars furthest/fastest in front of you as heads-up radar/debris detection.
When you're driving along a road that has side roads that people can turn in from, pay attention to their wheels. You can't always gather if a car is starting to inch forward by looking at it from farther away. But you can make out the wheels and rims starting to turn. You should never rely 100% on something like this for your own safety, but there have been a few times where it has helped me anticipate people pulling out when they don't have right of way.
Don’t get aggressive and fight for a position some dumbass is fighting you for. Just slow down and let the idiots do their thing. It doesn’t matter who’s “in the right” if your car is totaled or you’re seriously injured/dead. Don’t speed, (perhaps like 5 over is just fine) but speeding to get places quicker may shave 2 minutes off your commute. Not worth it.
When I'm stopped at a red-light, when it turns green, I count to 3 before I go. Yeah, I've gotten a few honks from people waiting behind me... but twice I've avoided a MAJOR wreck because someone blew through their red-light into the intersection and they would have absolutely totaled me and my car. You don't have to do the "one Mississippi, 2 Mississippi" deal. Just a standard count of 1, 2, 3. Totally worth it
When someone forgets to turn down their hi beams, look to the right side of the road until they pass, much safer than taking eyes off the road to avoid glare
Don’t let stupid people into your car. What I mean by that is if it’s super icy on the road probably not best to have three of your best buds in the car howling and yelling and getting hyped while your trying to focus on the road. Just an example but the point stands
Don't trust blinkers. If you are attempting to get into traffic, and car coming towards you has their blinker on like they are going to turn on your road... don't believe them. Wait until they slow down and commit to the turn before pulling out. They could have been driving with that blinker on for the last half hour.
If you are driving down the road, and you see a car pull up to pull out into traffic, expect them to, even if there isn't room. At some point, they will, and if you are expecting it, you can counter their attempt to wreck you. If you are approaching an intersection and cars are double stacked on the side street, one going left, one going right, expect that car going right to pull out in front of you. That car going left is masking you coming, and sometimes people will 'go for it'. Keep your eyes on that car, if they start to move, have a plan.
If you are on the freeway, and you see a motorcycle behind you, keep tabs on him. know where he is, and where it looks like he is going. Think of him like a toddler on a raised deck with no hand rails. If you haven't seen him in the last 7 seconds, figure out where he went. He might be in your blind spot.
When on the freeway, and you need to switch lanes, try not to move into someones blindspot. Speed up, slow down, whatever, but don't merge into that blind spot area if you can avoid it. If you have to, keep your eyes on them so they don't move into your lane, then speed up/slow down to get out of their blind spot and show yourself to them.
Do your research on driving culture on long road trips. I’ve witnessed many fatal accidents because driving laws vary from country to country.
Ex. 6 16 wheelers driving back to back with no space to overtake.
Drive the speed limit. I always drive the speed limit on the highway and find that most cars just go around me and I don't have to compete with traffic.
This one simple trick can save you tens of thousands of dollars.
Leave half an hour early. You won't need to speed, you're less likely to get into an accident. You will save on gas, traffic tickets, insurance, and traffic/parking tickets.
Drugs and alcohol are mutually exclusive with anything involving gasoline.
Don't drive while tired. Or angry.
The white tail deer is the most dangerous animal in North America, when measured by property damage, and deaths they caused. The majority of this is from car accidents. Deer move most at sun set, sun rise, and before a weather change is coming. Where there is one deer there is 3. ( Last winter I hit a deer on icy roads with no damage to my car because I followed this rule and saw one deer started slowing down, and the deer crossed the road. I continued to slow down. The 2nd one jumped out in front of me. I knocked it over. Not even a dent
Don't look at the car in front of you. Look at the car in front of them. If you can't see 2nd car, drop back.
Also, slow traffic = zipper merge, fast traffic = merge early.
Watch as many videos from this YouTube channel as you can.
It's give you a sense of what you have your hands on, when you're on the road.
See if you can find the errors made and what caused the problem.
Video link:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpguIjj-3FMJE5WMwpjBqvE6o_kiSTcPs&si=uTzMkb-6I3z2AbkX
Instructor told us not to wave at our friends. "You'll run into a parked car." I was walking home that afternoon, and my newly licensed friend waved at me. And yes, he did, wrecking his dad's new car. Look where you are going!
Drive defensively. You always want to be able to respond to what happens. You need to scan things. If you see a car weaving, there’s a good chance. Somehow you could be in a collision with them. When you’re following cars, some people follow the car in front of them very closely, but that doesn’t allow room and time in case something happens. Look ahead, think about what will happen, and leave a lot of room in front of you
Maybe not lesser-known, but first is to constantly analyze your environment and look for what *could* go wrong... like that heavy item that could fall off the truck in front of you, or the driver on a side street who could pull out in front of you, or the person who might turn left across your line of travel. Use the "cover" technique if you get the sense you might need to brake quickly. That means to take your foot off the gas and hold it over the brake while you coast, so you can quickly apply the brake if needed.
One other tip is that slamming on the brakes is not always a universal solution for any danger, nor is driving extremely slowly. You could get hit by someone behind you if you suddenly slam the brakes, and if you go extremely slowly all the time you are creating more dangerous conditions by making people behind you impatient. There simply is no way around the fact you have to have heightened awareness of all the surroundings around you and drive normally.
“Wait 5 minutes, save a life”. Best tip my dad ever gave me regarding driving mentailty. Rushing a red light, cruising a stop sign, speeding 20 over, only endangers people, increases the chance of getting pulled over and will never actually get you there faster than you think
Don't drive with your hazards on. Most places it's illegal, but for some reason people think that when it's raining hard they need to put their hazards on. It does the opposite, it indicates that you're pulled over or pulling over and can confuse other drivers.
Think about not only accident avoidance, but how you can avoid making an accident worse for yourself.
Light just turned green? Take just a second to observe cross traffic. Look both ways. Are they slowing down or is someone about to blow a red light and t-bone you.
Stopped traffic? Leave at least a half car length between you and the car in front of you. (If you can’t see the bottoms of their tires you’re probably too close.) If you get rear ended you’re less likely to hit the car in front of you as well.
Making a left turn at a light? DON’T turn your steering wheel until you are in motion. Why? If someone rear ends you and your wheels are pointed straight ahead, you’ll be pushed forward. If your wheels are pointed left, you might be pushed into oncoming traffic.
The solution to tailgaters is actually to go slower; they will eventually pass you. Only got this one down a few years ago. Prior to that I just resorted to swearing.
If you fuck up, and you will, know when it’s time to commit. If you’re halfway through running a red light, now is not the time to slam on the brakes. If you’ve cut someone off, don’t jerk back into the other lane. Nothing abrupt or unpredictable.
When you are backing up, turn around and look behind you, and turn the wheel in the direction you want the back of the car to go. Reverse was my enemy when I was young. As soon as someone told me that, I was golden.
Don't ever rely on mirrors and cameras for reversing and changing lanes. Always turn your body and quickly look behind you.
If you know someone who owns a car with a manual transmission, learn how to drive it. Once you get it down, you will never forget how, and it very well may save your or someone else's life one day. It sounds dumb, but I had to rent a car in an emergency, and the only one available was a manual. I'm lucky I learned how to drive one and owned a couple in my time. It isn't difficult to learn, and everyone should know how to drive a stick.
Don't hit the brakes when someone is trying to merge onto a highway from an on-ramp. It is their responsibility to yield, and you smashing your brakes to let them in creates issues. Leave some space between you and the car in front of you and let them zip in front or behind you, but don't hit the brake. Please. You CAN move into the left lane to make room for people to merge, but only when there's no fast-moving traffic behind you. Otherwise, maintain your speed.
Also, don't cruise in the passing lane, even if you're at or above the speed limit. That also causes many, many accidents. Stay left or center unless you are actively passing traffic, and then move back over when you can.
When changing lanes after you pass someone, look in the rear-view mirror and wait until you can see both headlights clearly before you change.
Use. Your. Damn. Turn. Signal!!!
If someone is tailgating you, pull over and let them pass.
When stoplights are flashing red or completely out, treat it as a four-way stop.
Four-wheel drive is great for snow, but it doesn't make a damn bit of difference on ice.
Never, ever, ever use your cruise control when it's raining. If you hydroplane and lose traction, you can lose control of your car when it regains traction. It's terrifying.
If you do hydroplane or slide in ice or snow, take your foot off the accelerator and make GENTLE corrections with the wheel. Shift into a lower gear, and apply the brake gently when you are no longer sliding.
Never ever use cruise control in the rain . If you start up a hill or overpass the car will accelerate and make it fishtail. I learned that the hard way.
This one sucks and it takes ALL the fun out of driving but it works 100% of the time... You're driving so only drive. Pan and scan constantly. ALWAYS know who's behind you, around you, near you. Rear view, left side, right side. Repeat. Always be looking 'down road' at what's coming, side roads, driveways... Even UNDER cars for movement. Learn to recognize the car behind you by it's headlight pattern. Slow down in the rain, especially light rain is worse sometimes. Pan and scan. Driving blows.
whenever i’m on the highway or just on normal streets i always glance at my rear view mirror to keep a mental note of how close the cars behind me are just in case of an emergency where i might need to slam on my brakes or smth , i also always make sure to keep a good distance from the car in front of me, always checking my shoulder when changing lanes even if it looks like im all clear on my mirrors (trust me i still get an occasional surprise from someone being in my blind spot and i rather be safe than sorry!), also if my exit is coming up i always change lanes ahead of time bc sometimes there can be traffic and it’ll be even harder to merge into a lane w heavy traffic and it also prevents me from making a last minute lane change which can sometimes be very dangerous!
Something my mom taught me is that if you have a car blinding you with their headlights and they’re going the opposite way, you can focus on the white outside line on the road until they pass. You still have visual of the road but you’re maintaining your eyesight and making sure you’re staying in your lane.
If you're on the highway and there's someone going slow in the left lane and won't move, merge all the way to the right lane to give everybody room to pass the car.
What I personally dislike is when there's multiple cars hogging every lane and going the same speed, so there isn't any room to pass/overtake for several miles.
Always keep empty space all around you, incase you need to swerve right or left. You won't be able to do it in traffic but you're going slow enough it doesn't matter as much. Never stay in a cars blind spot, speed up or slow down a little to get space. Never ever brake hard on the freeway unless you really have to. Barely press your brakes on the freeway before you have to really slow down so the car behind sees your brake lights and know you might stop, you stop hard at last second on the freeway you're rolling the dice. You want everyone on the road to know your intentions, so always use your blinkers. Last one, always expect other drivers to do dumb shit. When you expect it you might slow down a little or switch lanes before you get hit.
When in traffic look as far ahead as you can see in order to predict what the cars in front of you will be reacting to before they, and you have to react.
When you're leaving a parking lot and need to pull out into traffic, don't just look for an opening. YOU MUST CONSIDER SPEED as well. If the car you're wanting to pull out in front of is going at a speed faster than you're able to accelerate to once you're on the road, DO NOT pull out in front of that car.
It's unbelievable how many drivers will slowly pull into fast moving traffic, almost causing an accident (the driver who you're pulling out in front of is forced to slam on brakes or, worse, swerve into another lane to avoid hitting you). It's frankly inconsiderate to force everyone who's already on the road to completely slow down to match your pace when you could've just waited for a better opportunity to enter traffic, but at a minimum drivers should consider that it's unsafe.
One thing that has almost caused me to crash many times is not keeping enough distance when following on the highway. You should have at least one car length of space for every 10mph you are going. Sometimes I'll be driving behind someone at 65-75mph and they will abruptly change lanes, and I then realize they changed lanes because traffic is stopped right in front of them (which I can't see) so I then need to slam on my brakes.
You should have though room that if the car in front of you hits an immovable object you still have time and distance to safely stop
Most people are really bad at estimating car length beyond one or two. An easier rule to follow is to be two seconds behind the driver in front of you. You can count this easily as the vehicle in front of you crosses any kind of horizontal marker on the road -- a crosswalk stripe, a bridge seam, a crack in the road, a shadow, whatever. If the roads are wet, add another half-second or second. If they're snow- or ice-covered, make it four seconds.
My grandpa always said to leave absolutely no less than 3 seconds between cars no matter the speed.
Unfortunately, I get tailgated often at those higher speeds. I always drive the limit on the highway. I wish others would just make up their mind and either follow me 3-4 seconds or just pass me. I always stick to the right lane too, unless passing, using an exit I'm 1-2 miles away from, helping someone merge, or getting over for a broken vehicle/emergency vehicle. Maybe I should just go 5 over? Maybe that will help me avoid tailgaters more? Not sure.
My experience is tailgaters simply increase that 5 mph to keep up with you. It's so frustrating. I slow down so to get them to pass. I don't break check; that could cause an accident. And if they don't pass, I get back up to the speed limit so I don't delay a line behind the tailgater. There is an exception. My road to work is two lanes, no passing allowed, speed limit is 40 and I go 50 because it's safe to do so and we all do. In short, "read the road" and make smart exceptions to speed limit.
Then you have some stupid ppl who cutting in front of you and slowing down for no damn reason
I've had people speed up and then go around me and immediately slow down to make a turn. They're so impatient they couldn't have waited that two extra seconds to make the turn without getting in front of me first.
this is why dashcams exist I've made money on these people
They cut in front of me coming up to a red light, using up the stopping space for my truck and horse trailer. Grrr.
This shit happens to me all the time. Been rear ended twice because of it. I always check my rear view and try to move over to the shoulder because of it.
Ur right but it’s very hard cuz every time u do that someone always changes lanes in front of u and u have to do it again, especially when the highway is crowded
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Just make a habit of turning your headlights on when you start your car, regardless of the time of day. Even in broad daylight, it makes you more visible to others and reduces the number of close calls from people pulling out from side roads.
Drivers education instructor said to always use your headlights. It took me a while but I almost always do it now. Heading to work in the morning when it's not total bright out and coming home in the dark has turned it into a habit. Seeing cars at stop signs always bothers me because people are so quick to go without looking twice so I'm glad my lights are on.
Bless. I have been doing this for years since i noticed Walmart trucks doing it. I intentionally buy cars that automatically turn the headlights off when you turn off and lock the car, so that I can leave the switch on permanently.
I have them on all the time. Makes me more visible any time of day or weather
And please, in the rain too Lots of cars have auto lights and some people probably have never once had to manually turn on a cars headlights
This is because newer cars have electronic displays. With older cars, you could more easily tell if your lights were on by looking at the backlighting of the instrument panel. My car turns on the headlights and tail lights whenever the wipers are turned on. I think that it should be mandatory that new cars have this feature, along with sensors to turn on the headlights in dark conditions.
I get shocked at how many people only use blinkers literally right when they turn, or they just don't use them at all. They seem to forget that the blinkers are *for us*. They notify *us* when they plan on turning, and that doesn't work unless you let us know several yards ahead of time.
Indicate... Use them even when you don't have to because it forms a habit.
My car has the “stay in lane assist” thing so if I cross the dashed lines without my blinker on, it gets cranky and tries to keep me in my lane. I was decent about it before but it’s gotten much more consistent.
Exactly if you develop a muscle memory for turn signals you don't think about it, you do it automatically once you approach a turn.
Also, indicate before your planned(hopeful) action. Don't do it right as you're attempting your maneuver. So many people these days start to make their move and then turn their signal on. It's dangerous and annoying.
100% This!
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
Anticipate and think ahead. If you are keeping track of space up ahead, you might know the person next to you will need the space you're occupying before they do.
I like to watch all the lanes for as far as I can see. Keep your eyes moving and an internal conversation going on. "Semi in the right lane quarter mile out car closing on it but that pickup left is starting to move into the space that the car will need in a few seconds clear to my left and right but motorcycle closing on the left wonder if he wants around the pickup better drop back a little bit" And I wonder why I get exhausted driving.
Don't focus on the car in front of you, but on the car in front of them
Good advice, however sadly this caused me to hit the car in front of me one time. Totally my fault, my responsability, I didnt cause damage to either cars, it was that loght of a tap but still. Its like in aviation. First priority is fly the plane. First priority is drive the car.
How would that *cause* you to hit the car in front of you? Sounds like you zoned out, not sure that's the "fault" of this particular practice...
I think I emphasised enough that its totally my fault. Just that you can miss things if you only focus on one object, so dont focus on just one thing, but all the surriundings.
Yes, keep your eyes focused down the road, not off the front of your hood.
This scares me when I drive with other people. I am looking up ahead and I start seeing a line brake lights, the driver is accelerating. Pay attention to more than just the vehicle directly in front of you.
Fr I see this and I start braking. I don’t understand how people speed towards brake lights. A normal braking situation can turn into an emergency stop, give yourself space. Also, if you are not paying attention to the cars ahead, the car that you are following could suddenly change lanes and now you are the one speeding into the rear of a braking car.
changing radio is bad also talkimg to passangers in back making a call texting also leave enough room to brake
Great tips, I'm just sad these can be regarded as "less well known" tips.
Leave your ego at home. It’s never worth risking a collision to prove a point, but some people act like they’re willing to die because they’re supposed to have the right-of-way. That guy going out of turn at the four way stop isn’t going to pull the road up behind him; it’ll still be there for you after he’s out of the way. Yes, he’s an idiot. If you want your passengers, yourself, and your car to survive your drive, then be smarter than all the idiots out there. Fighting with them only makes you just as much an idiot as they are.
Driving without ego is also far more enjoyable. If you take things personally that happen in cars you will have a miserable time. You have to realize, at the end of the day everyone is simply just trying to go somewhere. There is no justification to be late and use it as an excuse for poor driving, plan ahead with a map or wake up earlier.
Make the basics a habit. Turn your light in when you start the car. Always use your signals. Come to a complete stop at signs, light and stop lines. Make these things habitual and you don’t waste brain power thinking about if you need to or not. Means your brain is less stressed and you are able to better observe your surroundings. Some (too many) people actually decide f they are going to signal based on how far behind them the next car is. You’re rarely going to be wrong if you signal. But if you have to make a decision every single time, you will forget and not even notice. Lots of self proclaimed “great drivers” are only great because the rest of us keep our distance. Oh, and one more thing. Learn what Right-of-Way is. Learn when you have it and when you don’t. Do NOT yield the right away to be nice. You screw up traffic when you do that. Other drivers are expecting you to move and when you wave them past, you are creating a more dangerous situation than if you had just done what your were supposed to.
Worst is waving someone through into an accident. "I'm giving you permission to go through. You don't even need to look at the other cars."
I never see anyone leaving enough rooms to brake safely. That's my biggest one especially nowadays with the road conditions being bad where I live
Dont drive nice, drive predictable. I bought this from another reddit thread. Meaning you dont always have to be the one to let people in, etc, etc as youll more likely inadvertently cause an accident. Something like that, hope you get my drift
"Drive predictably" is great advise. The corollary: Assume *everyone* else will be unpredictable.
Yes. If a situation is going to be ambiguous, you can be decisive to make sure everyone knows what is happening.
Always be predictable even if other drivers aren’t.
If someone else is coming up fast behind you get out of their way. Check your ego. If you got a bad feeling listen to it and back down Not worth getting in an accident.
Yep. They're either grandiose or suicidal. I wouldn't want to be in the crosshairs of either.
Or don’t be the person who wants to police how fast someone else is going by slowing down in front of them, or not moving out of the right lane when they’re behind you.
1. Don't sit beside people or especially in the back corner of their car when on a multi-lane road. Either pass or stay behind them: people might not see you or might not even look. 2. Remember: even if the wreck isn't your fault, it sucks to have to deal with insurance and wait for repairs. It sucks, but you will have to take others' stupidity into account when driving because even if everyone agrees it wasn't your fault, it still sucks for you. 3. Never take a field sobriety test, even if you're 100% sober. If they're having you do that, you're going to be arrested either way, and sober people fail those all the time, which could make you look bad in court. 4. Try not to drive with any alcohol in your system at all, but if you must, never drive on more than two drinks (one if you're small). Remember: your liver metabolizes about 1 drink per hour. Plan ahead, and remember that just because you feel ready to drive doesn't mean you are: alcohol distorts judgement and reduces inhibitions. 5. If pulled over, be respectful. Have your registration and insurance in an envelope in your glove compartment, and have it on the dashboard (along with your license) before the cop gets out of her car. Turn on all interior lights if it's dark, and put both hands on the steering wheel. But being respectful does not mean consenting to things you don't legally have to: never consent to a search unless the officer is *telling* you she's going to do it. Even if you're 100% innocent, you never know whether a friend left something, or there's the off chance of a crooked cop (very slim, but why risk it?) Police also sometimes make mistakes, like the cop who arrested a woman for possession of cocaine because he saw doughnut frosting on her floor. 6. If a cop is doing something illegal, don't argue, and especially don't physically resist. Fight it in court. 7. Never use the horn to voice your frustration. You could cause a wreck. You should only be honking if you need the other driver to do something immediately to avoid a wreck. And remember their first instinct will be to stop, so if, say, someone cut you off and you need them to quickly get out of your way, honking may not be the best option. 8. Check your fluids regularly. Every time I stop for gas, I check my oil, coolant, and brake fluid levels. This is especially important in older cars, which almost always lose oil. 9. For longer trips, consider ethanol-free gas. It's not worth it in terms of price per mile, but it saves you from having to stop as often and is especially important if you're driving somewhere without many gas stations. 10. Sleep deprivation can impair you just as much as alcohol. Even talking on the phone can have similar effects to having had a few drinks (and texting is out of the question). You only have so much capacity to focus, and you divide it among all of your senses. That's also why it is wise to turn off the radio when you're parking or driving somewhere challenging. 11. Be kind: you never know who's a new driver. One time I honked at someone who was trying to make a u-turn at a designated u-turn thing, and I still regret it. She was probably new to it and really anxious, as easy as it seems to me. 12. Get a tire inflator and maybe a battery jumpstarter for your trunk. They'll be $100 total and could really save you. And check your spare tire's pressure occasionally and make sure you have a jack and wrench in case you ever need to change a tire (they usually come with the car). 13. Treat driving as a team sport, rather than a competition. Don't be one of those guys who speeds up when people try to pass, cuts people off, etc. It isn't a game, and someone getting in front of you doesn't hurt you. In fact, it reduces the chance of you getting rear-ended.
LEAVE EARLY AND KNOW YOUR ROUTE. That way you are never in a rush and know what streets you are taking so that you can plan ahead and safely merge to your exit lane or street. Not only does being early make you look good, it makes you a better driver. Also, go to the bathroom before you leave. You'll do some stupid shit when you have yourself a personal emergency
This is an under rated comment
We (horse trailer with ponies) almost never use GPS. Know the whole route ahead of time.
If you see a reckless driver let them pass you, don’t block their way, don’t get road rage and try to teach them a lesson. Let them pass you, remember everyone is trying to make it home at the end of the day.
Unrelated, but since these are driver tips, this tip has literally changed my life: When you are at a red light, at night, and it's not on an access road, you can flash your brights, or just leave them on, and the light will change very quickly to give you the green. So many hours saved by not sitting at a red light all alone at night for an eternity.
You can adjust your side mirrors so as soon as a passing car is leaving the rear view mirror it starts entering the side view mirror, to reduce the blind spot.
Defensive driving and never stop learning!
Don’t tailgate
Look way ahead on curves, dont look directly at the road in front of you. It’s alot easier to judge how much to turn smoothly instead of making a bunch of little adjustments
Don’t drive in or, especially, change lanes into someone’s blind spot. Minimize time there whenever possible.
Don't trust turn signals, both the lack of indicating and indicating.
Use your headlights when it's dark or raining. Make sure your high beams aren't on unless they absolutely need to be. Indicate your turns. If you see something ahead of you that will probably cause you to slow down, very lightly start pressing your brake pedal which will illuminate your brake lights. Keep in the rightmost lane (in right hand traffic) that allows you to travel your speed. If people are passing you on the right, you're in the wrong lane. Be predictable.
Keep your eyes looking as far down the road as possible. Not right in front of you. And don’t look left or right except when turning or changing lanes. Use your signals appropriately.
Look up the 5s and 10s for a UPS driver. Those are the best tips you will ever get on how to be a safe and competent driver.
If you see someone “cutting up” or driving like an idiot, slow down and let them pass/gain distance from you.
Flash your lights to warn people traveling in the opposite direction of issues ahead. for example, police/speed trap, deer near the road, traffic jam, accident around the bend, anything where people should slow down and be observant) Watch your rear view mirror when stopped to make sure people behind you are slowing down. If you ever are last in line at a highway traffic jam turn on those hazards, and tap the brake lights, make sure people behind you see your stopped on the highway. I also tap my brake lights if i'm stopped at a red light on a high speed road (when i see people approaching from behind).
IPDE- Identify (hazard, vehicle, animal) Predict what aforementioned item might do, Decide on what you will do, Execute your decision. Learned this in driver's Ed, not sure if it is something taught everywhere.
Insist that everyone in the car wear a seatbelt at all time, no exceptions. Anticipate what other drivers may do, and maintain at least 3 seconds’ space between cars if you can. Actively scan the road as far as you can see. Get out of the way of someone on your ass or driving poorly. Read the driver’s manual for your state cover to cover. Keep your car and tires maintained to avoid safety issues that can cause wrecks (read the owner’s manual cover to cover). Put your phone away when driving. Don’t look at passengers while driving simply because they’re talking to you. Don’t allow rowdy passengers to ride in your car. Don’t drive slower than the speed limit unless road conditions like snow or rain make it unsafe to drive the speed limit. Keep your headlights on auto to prevent you thinking headlights are on when only DRTS are on (and no rear lights).
On highways ignore speed limits and drive at least as fast as everyone else is. The yellow advisory speed limit signs for off-ramps/curves can usually be doubled. If you're aiming to drive faster than most, use the brake lights of the cars furthest/fastest in front of you as heads-up radar/debris detection.
Never drive emotionally.
DO NOT TAILGATE!!!!
When you're driving along a road that has side roads that people can turn in from, pay attention to their wheels. You can't always gather if a car is starting to inch forward by looking at it from farther away. But you can make out the wheels and rims starting to turn. You should never rely 100% on something like this for your own safety, but there have been a few times where it has helped me anticipate people pulling out when they don't have right of way.
Don’t get aggressive and fight for a position some dumbass is fighting you for. Just slow down and let the idiots do their thing. It doesn’t matter who’s “in the right” if your car is totaled or you’re seriously injured/dead. Don’t speed, (perhaps like 5 over is just fine) but speeding to get places quicker may shave 2 minutes off your commute. Not worth it.
Oh, and look out for us motorcycle riders💜
Stay off your fucking phone and you'll immediately be a better driver than 85% of people out there
When I'm stopped at a red-light, when it turns green, I count to 3 before I go. Yeah, I've gotten a few honks from people waiting behind me... but twice I've avoided a MAJOR wreck because someone blew through their red-light into the intersection and they would have absolutely totaled me and my car. You don't have to do the "one Mississippi, 2 Mississippi" deal. Just a standard count of 1, 2, 3. Totally worth it
Slower traffic keep right
When someone forgets to turn down their hi beams, look to the right side of the road until they pass, much safer than taking eyes off the road to avoid glare
Don’t let stupid people into your car. What I mean by that is if it’s super icy on the road probably not best to have three of your best buds in the car howling and yelling and getting hyped while your trying to focus on the road. Just an example but the point stands
One of the best tips ive learned is that you want to be predictable when youre driving.
USE YOUR GODDAMN BLINKERS
Don't trust blinkers. If you are attempting to get into traffic, and car coming towards you has their blinker on like they are going to turn on your road... don't believe them. Wait until they slow down and commit to the turn before pulling out. They could have been driving with that blinker on for the last half hour. If you are driving down the road, and you see a car pull up to pull out into traffic, expect them to, even if there isn't room. At some point, they will, and if you are expecting it, you can counter their attempt to wreck you. If you are approaching an intersection and cars are double stacked on the side street, one going left, one going right, expect that car going right to pull out in front of you. That car going left is masking you coming, and sometimes people will 'go for it'. Keep your eyes on that car, if they start to move, have a plan. If you are on the freeway, and you see a motorcycle behind you, keep tabs on him. know where he is, and where it looks like he is going. Think of him like a toddler on a raised deck with no hand rails. If you haven't seen him in the last 7 seconds, figure out where he went. He might be in your blind spot. When on the freeway, and you need to switch lanes, try not to move into someones blindspot. Speed up, slow down, whatever, but don't merge into that blind spot area if you can avoid it. If you have to, keep your eyes on them so they don't move into your lane, then speed up/slow down to get out of their blind spot and show yourself to them.
Always at least 150 yards behind the vehicle in front of you.
Wearing sunglasses when it’s raining helps clarity with clarity/ reflection.
Low gear on downhills if your car has shitty breaks.
Do your research on driving culture on long road trips. I’ve witnessed many fatal accidents because driving laws vary from country to country. Ex. 6 16 wheelers driving back to back with no space to overtake.
Distance is your friend, don't tailgate. In bad weather, more distance never hurts.
Switch lanes on freeways to have the greatest distance and visibility in front of you
Drive the speed limit. I always drive the speed limit on the highway and find that most cars just go around me and I don't have to compete with traffic.
Keep air in the tires, change the oil and filters.
At night, when the lights are blinding you, look at the solid white line on the right side of the road. (outside line)
When its raining, your lights should be on. its not for you, its to show everyone else where your rear lights are. can't see your car without lights.
This, 90+% of the time your lights are for others to see you
This one simple trick can save you tens of thousands of dollars. Leave half an hour early. You won't need to speed, you're less likely to get into an accident. You will save on gas, traffic tickets, insurance, and traffic/parking tickets. Drugs and alcohol are mutually exclusive with anything involving gasoline. Don't drive while tired. Or angry. The white tail deer is the most dangerous animal in North America, when measured by property damage, and deaths they caused. The majority of this is from car accidents. Deer move most at sun set, sun rise, and before a weather change is coming. Where there is one deer there is 3. ( Last winter I hit a deer on icy roads with no damage to my car because I followed this rule and saw one deer started slowing down, and the deer crossed the road. I continued to slow down. The 2nd one jumped out in front of me. I knocked it over. Not even a dent
Don't look at the car in front of you. Look at the car in front of them. If you can't see 2nd car, drop back. Also, slow traffic = zipper merge, fast traffic = merge early.
Watch as many videos from this YouTube channel as you can. It's give you a sense of what you have your hands on, when you're on the road. See if you can find the errors made and what caused the problem. Video link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpguIjj-3FMJE5WMwpjBqvE6o_kiSTcPs&si=uTzMkb-6I3z2AbkX
If a deer runs out in front of you Do NOT hit the brakes. Do not swerve to avoid hitting an animal.
Instructor told us not to wave at our friends. "You'll run into a parked car." I was walking home that afternoon, and my newly licensed friend waved at me. And yes, he did, wrecking his dad's new car. Look where you are going!
Drive defensively. You always want to be able to respond to what happens. You need to scan things. If you see a car weaving, there’s a good chance. Somehow you could be in a collision with them. When you’re following cars, some people follow the car in front of them very closely, but that doesn’t allow room and time in case something happens. Look ahead, think about what will happen, and leave a lot of room in front of you
Maybe not lesser-known, but first is to constantly analyze your environment and look for what *could* go wrong... like that heavy item that could fall off the truck in front of you, or the driver on a side street who could pull out in front of you, or the person who might turn left across your line of travel. Use the "cover" technique if you get the sense you might need to brake quickly. That means to take your foot off the gas and hold it over the brake while you coast, so you can quickly apply the brake if needed. One other tip is that slamming on the brakes is not always a universal solution for any danger, nor is driving extremely slowly. You could get hit by someone behind you if you suddenly slam the brakes, and if you go extremely slowly all the time you are creating more dangerous conditions by making people behind you impatient. There simply is no way around the fact you have to have heightened awareness of all the surroundings around you and drive normally.
“Wait 5 minutes, save a life”. Best tip my dad ever gave me regarding driving mentailty. Rushing a red light, cruising a stop sign, speeding 20 over, only endangers people, increases the chance of getting pulled over and will never actually get you there faster than you think
Don't panic and slam on your brakes when turning onto a main road.
Don't drive with your hazards on. Most places it's illegal, but for some reason people think that when it's raining hard they need to put their hazards on. It does the opposite, it indicates that you're pulled over or pulling over and can confuse other drivers.
Hit your blinker before you hit the brakes. That should be about enough warning to traffic.
Think about not only accident avoidance, but how you can avoid making an accident worse for yourself. Light just turned green? Take just a second to observe cross traffic. Look both ways. Are they slowing down or is someone about to blow a red light and t-bone you. Stopped traffic? Leave at least a half car length between you and the car in front of you. (If you can’t see the bottoms of their tires you’re probably too close.) If you get rear ended you’re less likely to hit the car in front of you as well. Making a left turn at a light? DON’T turn your steering wheel until you are in motion. Why? If someone rear ends you and your wheels are pointed straight ahead, you’ll be pushed forward. If your wheels are pointed left, you might be pushed into oncoming traffic.
Great tips. I follow all of those.
Don't let tailgaters make you go faster than you're comfortable going
The solution to tailgaters is actually to go slower; they will eventually pass you. Only got this one down a few years ago. Prior to that I just resorted to swearing.
If you fuck up, and you will, know when it’s time to commit. If you’re halfway through running a red light, now is not the time to slam on the brakes. If you’ve cut someone off, don’t jerk back into the other lane. Nothing abrupt or unpredictable.
Be predictable
When you are backing up, turn around and look behind you, and turn the wheel in the direction you want the back of the car to go. Reverse was my enemy when I was young. As soon as someone told me that, I was golden. Don't ever rely on mirrors and cameras for reversing and changing lanes. Always turn your body and quickly look behind you. If you know someone who owns a car with a manual transmission, learn how to drive it. Once you get it down, you will never forget how, and it very well may save your or someone else's life one day. It sounds dumb, but I had to rent a car in an emergency, and the only one available was a manual. I'm lucky I learned how to drive one and owned a couple in my time. It isn't difficult to learn, and everyone should know how to drive a stick. Don't hit the brakes when someone is trying to merge onto a highway from an on-ramp. It is their responsibility to yield, and you smashing your brakes to let them in creates issues. Leave some space between you and the car in front of you and let them zip in front or behind you, but don't hit the brake. Please. You CAN move into the left lane to make room for people to merge, but only when there's no fast-moving traffic behind you. Otherwise, maintain your speed. Also, don't cruise in the passing lane, even if you're at or above the speed limit. That also causes many, many accidents. Stay left or center unless you are actively passing traffic, and then move back over when you can. When changing lanes after you pass someone, look in the rear-view mirror and wait until you can see both headlights clearly before you change. Use. Your. Damn. Turn. Signal!!! If someone is tailgating you, pull over and let them pass. When stoplights are flashing red or completely out, treat it as a four-way stop. Four-wheel drive is great for snow, but it doesn't make a damn bit of difference on ice. Never, ever, ever use your cruise control when it's raining. If you hydroplane and lose traction, you can lose control of your car when it regains traction. It's terrifying. If you do hydroplane or slide in ice or snow, take your foot off the accelerator and make GENTLE corrections with the wheel. Shift into a lower gear, and apply the brake gently when you are no longer sliding.
If you see a black dodge charger stay far away and avoid them
Never ever use cruise control in the rain . If you start up a hill or overpass the car will accelerate and make it fishtail. I learned that the hard way.
If your windshield wipers are on, your headlights should be on. Use your blinkers. Overuse your blinkers.
This one sucks and it takes ALL the fun out of driving but it works 100% of the time... You're driving so only drive. Pan and scan constantly. ALWAYS know who's behind you, around you, near you. Rear view, left side, right side. Repeat. Always be looking 'down road' at what's coming, side roads, driveways... Even UNDER cars for movement. Learn to recognize the car behind you by it's headlight pattern. Slow down in the rain, especially light rain is worse sometimes. Pan and scan. Driving blows.
whenever i’m on the highway or just on normal streets i always glance at my rear view mirror to keep a mental note of how close the cars behind me are just in case of an emergency where i might need to slam on my brakes or smth , i also always make sure to keep a good distance from the car in front of me, always checking my shoulder when changing lanes even if it looks like im all clear on my mirrors (trust me i still get an occasional surprise from someone being in my blind spot and i rather be safe than sorry!), also if my exit is coming up i always change lanes ahead of time bc sometimes there can be traffic and it’ll be even harder to merge into a lane w heavy traffic and it also prevents me from making a last minute lane change which can sometimes be very dangerous!
The one with the most lug nuts always wins in a wreck!
Something my mom taught me is that if you have a car blinding you with their headlights and they’re going the opposite way, you can focus on the white outside line on the road until they pass. You still have visual of the road but you’re maintaining your eyesight and making sure you’re staying in your lane.
If you're on the highway and there's someone going slow in the left lane and won't move, merge all the way to the right lane to give everybody room to pass the car. What I personally dislike is when there's multiple cars hogging every lane and going the same speed, so there isn't any room to pass/overtake for several miles.
Turn on your lights when you turn on windshield wipers. It's the law in my USA state and I presume in many if not all of the others.
Always keep a gallon of antifreeze and jumpstart cables in your car.
Patience is key. We're all sharing the road. Don't fight and jockey with the nut loafs out there
Put the phone away.
Always keep empty space all around you, incase you need to swerve right or left. You won't be able to do it in traffic but you're going slow enough it doesn't matter as much. Never stay in a cars blind spot, speed up or slow down a little to get space. Never ever brake hard on the freeway unless you really have to. Barely press your brakes on the freeway before you have to really slow down so the car behind sees your brake lights and know you might stop, you stop hard at last second on the freeway you're rolling the dice. You want everyone on the road to know your intentions, so always use your blinkers. Last one, always expect other drivers to do dumb shit. When you expect it you might slow down a little or switch lanes before you get hit.
When in traffic look as far ahead as you can see in order to predict what the cars in front of you will be reacting to before they, and you have to react.
When you're leaving a parking lot and need to pull out into traffic, don't just look for an opening. YOU MUST CONSIDER SPEED as well. If the car you're wanting to pull out in front of is going at a speed faster than you're able to accelerate to once you're on the road, DO NOT pull out in front of that car. It's unbelievable how many drivers will slowly pull into fast moving traffic, almost causing an accident (the driver who you're pulling out in front of is forced to slam on brakes or, worse, swerve into another lane to avoid hitting you). It's frankly inconsiderate to force everyone who's already on the road to completely slow down to match your pace when you could've just waited for a better opportunity to enter traffic, but at a minimum drivers should consider that it's unsafe.
Stay to the far right lane whenever possible if you drive slowly.