With the speed with which accidents can occur on the road, the difference between a fright and tragedy is often fractions of a second. To ensure that a driver has as much reaction time as possible, maintaining alertness is essential. Following are three tips for staying alert while driving.
Keep the Vehicle in Good Mechanical Order
Maintaining alertness requires minimising distraction. A vehicle that is suffering mechanical problems can handle erratically, a danger in itself in addition to being a distraction. It can also produce odd noises or puffs of smoke. The first thing to ensure is the mechanical condition of a vehicle. This applies especially to vehicles bought used. As an example: A fellow who buys a used Citroen C1 and understands the gravity of sound mechanics will schedule an MOT test immediately. The MOT will determine that those dangerous and distracting mechanical issues simply do not exist on that particular used Citroen C1.
Establish a Pattern for Scanning the Road
Some problems occur directly in front of the car as it travels the road. Others can be seen and avoided by paying attention to the roadway well ahead of travel. Focusing exclusively on either the area immediately before the vehicle or the area farther ahead will increase the odds of an accident. A wise driver learns to focus mostly on the immediate vicinity with brief scans ahead every few seconds. This allows most of the attention to remain on the area where quick reaction will be required while still maintaining an awareness of potentially hazardous terrain as the vehicle passes into it.
Keep Track of Other Drivers
One of the most unpredictable factors encountered on the road is the sometimes erratic driving of other car owners. Other drivers could be lax about using traffic signals to give fellow motorists time to prepare for their actions. Being aware of not only the relative positions of the cars, but also any manoeuvres that the other drivers may be contemplating is a key part of driving alertness. A driver planning to change lanes for example, will generally glance repeatedly from straight ahead to the rear view mirrors to the next lane. Even when it is not possible to be sure what manoeuvre is being planned, this obvious scanning pattern is almost always a sure sign that something is about to happen.
With the potential danger posed by an auto accident, avoiding collisions is truly a matter of life or death importance. Maintaining a good level of alertness maximizes the odds of avoiding problem situations should they arise.