Five Tips to Driving Safely
Posted on 11th June 2019
We’ve all been there: you’ve just passed your driving test and your finally behind the wheel of your own car … on your own. It’s something that, quite a lot of people would feel, you aren’t quite prepared for. After all, before you pass, you’re not ever given the opportunity of being behind the wheel and left to your own devices.
However, whether you’ve been driving for fifteen years, or five months, we all need to make sure that we’re doing our best to drive safely and be mindful of other road users, whether that be other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians or horse-riders.
So, how do we stay safe on the road? Well, our expert team of Personal Injury solicitors in Lancaster have put together a list of the top five things to do (or not to do) to make sure you’re driving safely.
#1
Before starting your car, make sure that you’ve not left it in gear, and you’ve already got your seat-belt correctly in place. Both things are of the utmost importance – if your car is left in gear when you start your engine, it will jump forward and could injure anyone who is just a little bit too close. Not wearing your seat belt is also a criminal offence in the UK, and you could be fined up to £500.00 for not wearing one correctly. Think of all the money you could save yourself, just by wearing your seatbelt!
#2
Your car engine has been started, and you’re ready to pull off, but STOP! Before moving from a stationary position, you should always make sure that you check ALL of your mirrors to make sure that there is nobody, whether they are in a vehicle or on-foot, who could be injured. You should also check any blind spots (places that you can’t see by using your mirrors) in case. Only once the coast is completely clear, should you pull-off.
#3
When you’re approaching traffic lights, make sure to slow down. The temptation will always be there – you know the lights are still on green, and you’re sure you can make it. But, if you don’t slow down and your light turns red, you could cause an accident. Another thing to be careful of is other people who might decide to skip a red light. Skipping a red light is also illegal in the UK and, according to RAC, could land you with a prosecution, six penalty points on your licence, and a maximum fine of £1,000.00.
#4
DO NOT USE YOUR MOBILE ‘PHONE! We can’t say this one enough. DO NOT USE YOUR MOBILE ‘PHONE! There’s no excuse. No ‘I just need to send a quick text’ or ‘I was making a ‘phone call on speaker’. Just don’t do it. Another very illegal act (even though there’s no such thing as less illegal), you could face a driving ban, points on your licence and fines of up to £2,500.00 (depending what vehicle you’re driving). Worse still, if you cause injury or death due to your careless use of your ‘phone, you could face prison time. No ‘two minutes ‘phone call’ is worth that.
#5
Another important thing to remember, is not to tailgate. Tailgating is when a driver drives behind another vehicle so closely that they have not left sufficient distance between themselves and the car in front to stop in the event of an incident. Not the same at all times of the year, how far you should leave between you and the car in front can also differ depending on the weather conditions and the time of day, among other factors.
So, if you’ve been involved in a Road Traffic Accident and you’ve made sure that was not your fault (because you’ve very carefully followed all of the rules above), contact personal injury solicitors in Lancaster on 01524 581 306 or email enquiries@mglegal.co.uk.
MG Legal – Your Local Solicitors
Tagged as: Accident Injury Solicitors, Best Medical Negligence Solicitors, Garstang Solicitors, Lancaster Law, Longridge Solicitors, Solicitors in Preston, Your Local Solicitors
Share this post: