Driving skills for life

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Driving skills for life

Get Home Faster and Safer Using Proven Defensive Driving Skills

Driving down the highway in a traffic jam in Southern California is no fun at all. Add in some disgruntled workers, teens, and adventurers and the highway could be a very dangerous place. Every day on the road I see people cutting themselves off, drifting in and out of lanes, yelling, running, not pointing, following behind, etc. Unfortunately for Americans, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTA) reported more than 41,000 deaths from car accidents. accidents in the US in 2007. For many of us, this is a terrifying reality.
Since I graduated from college, I see more and more people driving aggressively and putting others at risk. Traveling to a regular job is nowhere near the same as any summer trip. Joining the real world means taking on more responsibilities, and it starts with your car.
Behind the wheel in VietnamBeing an avid traveler, I spent several months in Southeast Asia after college. Seeing the driving culture is quite a show. If you've ever been to Vietnam, you know that crossing the street can have dire consequences dodging a sea of motorcycles dotted with trucks and cars. Despite the chaos on the roads of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon), one thing that makes it seem so much safer, once you get past the initial shock, is defensive driving skills for life.
Honk your horn to get out of troubleImagine driving on unpaved roads with hairpin turns and no road markers in your car while sharing the road with hundreds of motorcyclists. Don't have enough stress? How about sharing the road with stray dogs and cats, herds of cattle and free-ranging chickens? Fortunately, many of us do not have to deal with these conditions on a regular basis. However, one of the best defenses you have on your car is the horn. In Vietnam and most of the Southeast, car horns are essential in alerting motorists to oncoming traffic, as well as a useful tool to scare off farm animals. The horn is a useful tool in defensive driving and should not be used to deafen the momentum that rudely interrupted you. We must remember to remain calm no matter how bad the traffic or drivers are.
Yield in yellowIn Los Angeles, many police officers turn a blind eye to stranded cars in the middle of an intersection to turn left. However, in many states, including California, it is illegal to slowly drive your car into the intersection even if you are making a left turn. That means if the light turns red and you're still turning around, you could end up with a moving violation. So to help our fellow motorists, please don't knock it down when you see a yellow light. Time your time and consider giving up those last few seconds to cars turning left.
Get Home Faster - Right!Getting used to a full-time job after four years of partying full-time at college can add stress and push younger drivers into more aggressive methods. A helpful tip to get home faster is to avoid all left turns in general. In busy cities, turning right three times is faster and safer. Not to mention, you can avoid moving violations associated with left turns.
You do not believe me? In 2006, UPS began implementing a right-turn policy for all of its drivers because it saves miles on gas and money and ensures that your packages arrive on time. The company now uses software that traces routes by skipping all left turns.
As the rock band Zebrahead wrote in their song: "Two mistakes do not make good, but three rights make a left."
Take the stress out of your daily commuteDefensive driving can help save lives. Consider taking a few extra minutes to plan your travel time. Look your way or think about waiting for traffic to slow down. Taking an interest in your driving habits and using these tips can help ease traffic-related stress and turn your driving time into a more positive experience. Life is too short to waste time and stress on transportation. Take a deep breath and enjoy your ride.
Alyse Speyer holds a BA in literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has several poems published in the 2008 Spectrum. She was also the editor of 2008 Into the Teeth of the Wind, a UCSB poetry publication. She speaks Spanish, French and has knowledge of Catalan. Alyse currently works as a copywriter. know more about our website, please visit: eFourwheel.com

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