Top 3 Safe Driving Tips

Autumn days arrive quickly, so quickly in fact that many don’t even realize it’s begun, yet it brings decreased daylight hours and increased inclement weather. Inclement weather that includes punishing winds, dust storms, and heavy rain fall – part of which is from the fact that monsoon season is still in full swing.

Although this inclement weather is generally brief, it must still be taken seriously when out on the road. Especially when you’re driving down that stretch of I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson, as dust storms so thick can make the ability to see nearly impossible.

If you must travel down that highway, you are encouraged to listen to weather reports on the radio or television prior to departing your home. Should you encounter windy conditions that cause what is called a Haboob (a massive cloud of dust) then you should safely pull of the highway and wait for it to pass you on by.

Once stopped, however, you will want to take safety precautions to ensure you’re not accidentally hit. These include parking a safe distance away from the highway, turning off your lights, setting the emergency brake and making sure the brake light is off – turning off your ignition is probably best.

Other Safe Driving Tips

Safe Driving Tips #1: Slow Down

The faster you drive – you know, doubling the recommended speed limit, or at least attempting to – the longer it will take your vehicle to come to a complete stop. If you need to stop suddenly, you’ll have to slam on your brakes, which causes you to waste gas and puts unnecessary stress on your vehicle.

Safe Driving Tips #2: Buckle Up

You’d be amazed at the number of people who fail to follow this one important, life-saving, tip – a tip that when also save you the expense of a ticket. In Arizona only 68 percent of motor vehicle occupants buckle up, according to Arizona Department of Public Safety. Always buckle up; it’s the law.

Safe Driving Tips #3: Don’t Text and Drive

Approximately 23 percent, or 1.3 million accidents, resulted from the use of a cell phone while driving. When you text and drive, or make a dial a phone number, your attention is taken away from the road for 5 seconds which means you’re driving blind. Save your life and that of someone else’s by avoiding texting and driving all together.

These tips have been brought to you courtesy of Hegarty-Haynes Insurance. We want to hear from our readers: How do you stay safe while driving? Please share in the comments section below.