Rules of the road; How well do you know them?
Learning to drive is one of the most difficult, yet rewarding things that you can do. Being an inexperienced driver and sitting behind the wheel for the first time can be one of the most daunting and frightening things. After hours of stressful driving lessons, theory mock-up tests and the dreaded driving test itself, you’re ready to hit the road solo. There is no better feeling than being able to pick up your keys, get in your car and drive around freely to your hearts content. It doesn’t take long to turn from a shy driver to an extremely confident one who knows the roads back to front and all the rules that go with it… or so you might think.
When it comes to driving, safety should always be the number one priority. Wherever you drive, the basic rules will always be the same.
Follow the speed limits
Speed limits are there for a reason, they are not placed there just as a recommendation. Did you know that inappropriate speed contributes to around 11% of all injury collisions reported to police, 15% of crashes resulting in a serious injury and 24% of collisions that result in a death?
Don’t run a red light
Many drivers will attempt to run through an amber light that is just about to change to red. This can be a dangerous game, however, if the traffic light has a camera attached to it and you’re even just a fraction of a second too late, the camera will flash and you’ll be receive a hefty fine and potentially points on your license – which is never good for car insurance renewals!
Keep a safe following distance
You must drive a safe distance behind a vehicle travelling in front of you. This will give you enough time to react and break safely if the driver in front has to break suddenly for any reason. Following another vehicle too closely is known as tailgating, which is a primary reason for rear end crashes. It’s recommended to keep a 3 second distance between you and the car in front of you in dry conditions, 4 seconds for wet conditions!
Always wear a seatbelt
Do you always wear your seatbelt? Well, you should. Even if you are only travelling a short distance and think you have no chance of crashing. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Seatbelts are pivotal to keeping you safe on the road; they dramatically reduce the chance of death and serious injury. Front seat passengers and drivers who wear their seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45% and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%. People not wearing a seatbelt are 30 TIMES more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash. So before you turn on that ignition, strap up!
To keep up with safety standards, the rules of the road are always changing in order to deliver the safest possible experience for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. With all these constant changes it can be overwhelming to stay on top of them all. There may be some situations where you’re not even aware that you’re breaking the law!
Did you know that it could be our four legged furry friends that could land you in the dog dirt? You may often see dogs hanging out the window, tongues out and enjoying life whilst they cruise down the road with their owners. However, there is a correct way you should be driving with your dog in the car and you could be breaking the law if you choose to ignore these rules. Your dog should be retrained in the car so they are not to cause a distraction when you are driving. With this being put into action the dog should be harnessed in a way that will not cause injury to you or him in case you were to come to a sudden stop. Failure to comply could land you a hefty £5000 fine. Tyre Pros have published a handy article of all the dos and don’ts of the road that involve your dog that are worth checking out!