52 Tips for Safer Driving
Safe Driving Tips

1. Keep a 3-second "safety cushion" distance between you and the car in front of you. To do this, start counting "1001, 1002, 1003" as the car in front of you passes a stationary point like a tree, road sign or overpass bridge. You should be able to finish counting to 1003 before you get to that same stationary landmark. If not, you are following too closely.
2. Plan your trips and drive your plan. Plan your route BEFORE you start out so you can concentrate your efforts on driving rather than navigating.
3. Avoid heavily traveled or high-speed areas, rush hour traffic, difficult left turns, and bad weather.
4. If you will be taking an unfamiliar route at night, try to make a trial run during the daylight.
5. Always be alert for the unexpected while driving.
6. Accept the fact that driving demands your full attention.
7. Have you had an eye examination lately? You should have regular eye check-ups at least once a year, in addition to regular medical check-ups.
8. Don't daydream…concentrate on your driving.
9. Always give yourself plenty of room (in front of your car and around you) to react. At a speed of 65 miles per hour, you are traveling the length of one football field every three seconds!
10. Get the "big picture." Look down the road far enough ahead to see what's ahead.
11. Turn off your radio or keep it at a very low volume, except to obtain emergency information, such as inclement weather conditions.
12. Avoid heavy traffic.
13. Never drive when you are under stress or emotionally upset!!!
14. Use passengers as co-pilots to help you navigate in traffic. Otherwise, keep conversations to a minimum.
15. An air bag is NOT a substitution for a safety belt. Both must be used for optimal protection.
16. Do you have anti-lock brakes (ABS)? If you do, you should maintain steady pressure on the pedal to keep the system working. Never pump the brakes if you have ABS. If you are not sure about your brakes, consult your owner's manual, dealer or mechanic.
17. Improve your ability to see while driving. Keep windshields, windows and mirrors clean, inside and out. Do not add tinting to windshields or windows. Also, avoid wearing tinted glasses or sunglasses when driving in low light.
18. Use safety belts any time you use your car. Insist that passengers use them, too.
19. Before driving at night, give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness. Use this time to fasten your seat belt and adjust your side and rear view mirrors.
20. Turn on your lights in the rain, snow or other poor weather conditions regardless of the time of day. In most states it is now the law to turn on lights whenever your windshield wipers are on. This dramatically helps other cars to see your car.
21. Turn your headlights on a half hour before sunset and keep them on a half hour after sunrise to help you see and help other drivers see you.
22. Have your headlight aim checked twice a year.
23. Always dim your headlights for oncoming cars.
24. Communicate with your signals! Tell drivers and pedestrians what you intend to do.
25. Check your mirrors frequently.
26. When changing lanes, check traffic by glancing over your shoulder. Never trust your mirrors alone! Someone might be in your blind spot!
27. ALWAYS turn your head to look backwards before you put your vehicle in reverse. Then, when backing up, it is usually best to steer with one hand, while looking out the rear window.
28. Choose routes which are less demanding.
29. Keep your air conditioner or heater on the lowest possible setting to minimize background noise.
30. Watch for the flashing lights of rescue or police vehicles and be alert at railroad crossings.
31. Make a visual check of your turn signal indicator regular if you cannot always hear the sound that tells you whether or not it is working.
32. Do you hate making left turns? No problem! Go one block further and make three right turns. (This works pretty well in most cities). If you have to make a left, try to do so at an intersection with a protected turn (i.e., a green arrow).
33. Is the MINIMUM speed of the Interstate, freeway or highway too fast for you? Then use another route and avoid the interstate.
34. Periodically have your tires checked for excessive tread wear. If treads are worn, this could affect your safety, especially on wet and puddled roadways.
35. In order to reduce chance of injury from an inflating air bag, you need to keep a distance of about one foot between the tip of your nose and the steering wheel. If necessary, adjust seat or use a cushion to increase this distance from the steering wheel.
36. Children's car seats should always be in the back seat! The car seat should either face backward for children under 20 pounds or forward for children 20 pounds or more or age 1. For older kids riding in the front, set the front seat back as far as it will go to avoid injury from an inflating passenger side air bag.
37. Alcohol and medications can build to a toxic level faster as we age. When older persons begin combining medications with alcohol, serious adverse interactions may occur.
38. List all your medications and show them to your doctor, pharmacist or other qualified medical personnel. This will help them see the whole picture and spot any potential effects on driving.
39. Always evaluate your own reactions to medications, because reactions to medications are personal.
40. Investigate transportation alternatives in your community and how to access them in advance of actually needing to use them. That way, you can be prepared to get where you want to go if driving is not your best option at any given time.
41. Roads can be more slick at the beginning of a rainfall when road dust and oil mix with water, so extra caution should be taken when it is just starting to rain.
42. Try to avoid driving at dawn or dusk, the most difficult time of day to see. If you must drive, increase your following distance and be especially alert.
43. Of all the things you can do to lessen the severity of an accident, wearing safety belts is the single most important thing.
44. Keep headlights, taillights and turn signals clean. A dirty headlight can cut output by 70%. Out of line headlights can lose as much as a third of their lighting effectiveness.
45. Slow driving is especially dangerous just after you have passed the crest of a hill because other drivers coming up behind you up the hill may not see you and strike your vehicle before they can slow down.
46. Scan well ahead of the immediate road scene to notice potential trouble. Look for brake lights, and watch speeds on hilltops and curves.
47. When stopping in traffic behind another vehicle, a driver should be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle that is stopped ahead. This provides a safety cushion.
48. In cold weather, bridges, and shaded areas develop an icy surface first, and retain ice longer than the rest of the roadway.
49. Keep windshields and rear windows clean inside and out. Replace worn windshield wiper blades and check periodically for windshield scratches and deterioration.
50. Try to look at least one half block ahead for potential problems in city driving.
51. Help reduce fatigue on long trips by not fixating on or staring at one area for long periods of time. Frequent head and eye movement will reduce fatigue and give you a better overview of the driving environment. Also, frequent rest stops will help you remain alert.
52. Always expect a train! On any track. At any time.

From the AARP Web Site:
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“Safe Driving for Older Adults” – has questions and tips for safe driving:
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“Safe Driving Tips”:
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