Driving a car is an essential part of daily routine of a number of people. Driving as an activity requires a state of consciousness of your own self, as well as for those around you. Not all drivers are able to maintain the same calmness and consciousness while driving, therefore, driving laws and rules have been put in place in the UAE. These regulations maintain discipline on the roads.
Despite the laws, there have been numerous accidents recorded by traffic authorities in the past years, resulting in fatalities or injuries. Many modern cars do come with advanced safety features that may reduce the risks of fatalities at the time of accidents but not all the cars are equipped in such a way. Therefore, it’s wise for every car owner and driver to adopt certain preventive measures that may help them to avoid any such unnecessary accidents. Other than that, there are certain car maintenance measures to avoid any car mishaps (sudden breakdown of mechanical parts, bursting out of tyres), which ensure maximum road safety.
Also read: Dubai Police Released New Traffic Accident Statistics For 2016
Here we will discuss some of these proactive measures that will allow you to drive safely and avoid any chances of accidents and even near misses.
Have a Regular Car Maintenance
In order to avoid any car mishaps, it’s important to keep your car components in mint condition. Every component of the car is prone to depreciation, therefore increasing the chances of potential breakdown during driving. Following are some of the components that need some serious focus when it comes to car maintenance and safety precautions.
Also read: Introducing Car Maintenance Guide for Your Vehicles – Never Suffer a Car Breakdown Again
Engine Oil
Engine oil is one of the major component of the engine. If it’s not maintained properly then the car is bound to break down. Therefore, it’s important that you as a car driver should change the oil regularly for smooth functioning. The engine oil is prone to contamination with time due to dust particles, gases, bits of metal and the heat, causing it to reduce the oil’s effectiveness and its ability to lubricate the engine parts.
Brake Pads
The condition of a car brakes can prove to be the cause of life and death for car drivers and passengers. Therefore, brake pads become a crucial component to maintain. In every car, there are two kinds of brakes; the service brakes and the emergency brakes. The services brakes are most frequently used therefore, they are prone to wear and tear earlier than emergency brakes. It’s advisable that car drivers don’t keep their foot on the service brakes while driving as it may cause them to worn out quickly. Use the emergency brake more in order to give a respite to the service brakes and allow them to survive for longer.
Air Filter
Another main component which needs serious maintenance check is the air filter. It is the filter that protects the engine from any possible debris in the outside air while giving the engine enough air to create power to run the car. In case of a clogged air filter, it can reduce the mileage, horsepower and may cause the engine to stall.
Tyres Condition
Bad quality or ill-maintained tyres can also be one of the reason for an accident. Therefore, it’s important to keep a check on the condition of your tyres once a week or before starting off on a long journey, which will only take a few minutes.
In order to keep the tyres in pristine condition at all times; it’s important that you keep a look out for the tread wear indicator bars on tyres. After the tyre reaches to a minimum legal tread, it is mandatory for the car owner to change the tyres. Furthermore, invest a few bucks in a hand-held tyre pressure gauge and check the pressure weekly, especially when the tyres are cold.
Also read: Driving Safety: Quick ways for knowing When to Replace Car Tyres
Proactive Car Safety Measures for Driving
Along with the car maintenance tips, car drivers should also be aware of the safe driving methods. Staying aware of proactive car safety measures will help maintaining the safety while driving thus, reducing the risk of fatal road accidents.
Also read: 7 Tips to Avoid a Car Accident in the UAE
Following are some of the proactive measures car drivers can adopt to ensure safety while driving:
Stay in your Lane
The main roads, highways and freeways have lane markings for a major purpose; to maintain an organized flow of traffic. Drivers are trained to keep their cars within these markings in order to avoid any unpredictable movements. Nevertheless, there are drivers who would always think that they are in more of a hurry compared to others and cut lanes. In order to avoid being victim of their unpredictable lane changing, it’s advisable to keep away from them. Always keep in your lane at all times at a steady pace. As a general rule, a driver should always avoid the left lane as it is the fast lane, thus more prone to accidents. Keep to the right lane as it also has exit routes in case of any mishaps.
Drive with both hands (10 to 2 o’clock rule)
Another preventative measure for car accidents is the position of your hands on the steering wheel while driving. This may be an insignificant measure especially for experienced drivers as it may not be the most comfortable position, but following the 10 to 2 o’clock rule allows you to be more flexible especially when you have to adjust your course in an emergency.
Also read: 6 Bad Habits to Avoid While Driving in the UAE
Scan the Traffic 12 seconds ahead
Driving a car is all about judging the movement of the vehicles around you and what reaction you need to make within the time period. In order to achieve that, you have to be extra vigilant and scan the traffic 12 seconds ahead. That means keeping your eyes on the traffic ahead of the car in front of you. This way you can judge a problem while still having enough time to react to it, and decrease your chance of rear-ending the vehicle in front of you, should they make a sudden stop.
Stay Extra Careful at Blind Spots
Make sure that all your rear-view mirrors are positioned in such a way that it gives a seamless panoramic scene of the view behind you. These mirrors come in handy while driving straight or changing lanes on a highway. Nevertheless, don’t solely rely on these mirrors alone.
Also read: 6 Most Affordable New Cars with Blind Spot Warning System
In situations like turning in on the main road or moving on a crossroad, it’s important that you consider your blind spots and turn your head whenever it’s needed to get a better view. Also, in order to save yourself, it’s important that you consider the blind spots for other drivers around you, especially truckers, and try to minimize the amount of time you spend in.
Patience is the Key for Safe Driving
After considering all the above proactive measures to avoid car accidents, it can be said that patience and self-awareness is the key to safe driving. It is important to note that none of these measures are sure shot way of preventing accidents. Despite high precautions from your side, you cannot control how other drivers act. Nevertheless, it’s important to take responsibility when you are driving and focus on the task at hand, as other people may be depending their life on you.
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