Driving requires you to observe and focus, especially when you are driving at high speeds like a motorway would require. Sometimes spending several hours on the same road each day can begin to get boring, and you let your guard down. Bad behaviours begin to appear when you start to feel bored while driving. It is necessary for you to keep alert assessing situations because they can change quickly, even dangerously, which requires quick reaction from you.

Inappropriate speed for the prevailing road conditions is the biggest single cause of accidents on the motorway. At 70 mph an alert driver in a high performance car will take 20 meters to react to a hazard and then a further 50 meters to come to a stop, providing his brakes and tyres are in excellent condition. That means it will take most drivers in excess of 70 meters to come to stop in an emergency.

This distance requires that you keep a two second space between you and the car in front. It is best to use a roadside marker, counting the time it takes you to cover this distance after the car in front of you passes it. By doing this you can determine if you have the appropriate gap between you and the other car.

Sadly there will always be an inconsiderate driver who uses your two second safety gap to pull in, in front of you, and they may even undertake you to do this. However, whilst their foolhardy driving is no doubt annoying and frustrating you need to protect your own safety by maintaining the safety zone.

Tailgating by another driver is a potential hazard you want to avoid. Whenever possible you should pull off the road and let the tailgater pass. You should not allow them to draw you into the same behaviour. The chances are the reckless driver will eventually cause an accident, and you do not want to be in the mix when that happens.

The traffic situation can change very quickly on the motorway and it is very easy to come across a traffic jam before you realise. Guard against this problem by making a conscious effort to look as far ahead as possible, and if you do spot a potential hazard consider switching on your hazard warning car bulbs to warn the drivers behind you.

Driving on the highway can lead to you feeling bored, thinking about more important things, and generally forgetting to pay attention because you may not have to steer or change gears as frequently. If you are driving for long periods of time you should stop every two hours. Stopping at a service location will help stop your feelings of tiredness, getting you refreshed for the next part of the journey. It can also help you relax.

There will be instances where you may have a greater distance to go before you can pull off for a break or stop for the evening. When this occurs there are some steps you can take to fight that tired feeling. You can either open your window or turn the air conditioning to a colder setting. Other options are to turn the radio up louder or talk with your passengers. If you are using cruise control you may turn it off to ensure you are concentrating more on the road and driving.

It can be simple to just listen to the music, enjoy the warm sun shining through the windows of your car, and forget about the important matters when driving. Still, you need to make sure your driving skills are at the optimal level throughout your trip, and be aware of the dangers so that you can react more quickly. Driving accidents occur fast, and are frequently fatal.

Tags: Auto

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