Driving is such a fantastic thing to be able to do, however it can be dangerous, so there are some important things to know about keeping yourself and your car safe. From actually being on the roads to ensuring your vehicle is in the best condition possible at all times, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re brand new to driving or want a refresher on how to stay safe, along with keeping your car, other drivers and pedestrians safe, you’re in the right place! 

Remove All Distractions 

When you’re driving, it’s important to remove all distractions from your eye line, as well as anything else that could capture your attention. So, get rid of the fuzzy dice if you have them, attach your air freshener to the air vent rather than to your mirror, and set up your phone with quiet music before you set off rather than needing to change songs. When you’re driving, everything can change in a split second, so taking your attention off the road even for a couple of seconds could put you, and other drivers, in quite a lot of danger. Making sure you remove all distractions from your car is key to keeping you safe. 

Don’t Expect All Drivers To Follow The Rules!

When you’re learning to drive, you’re told a set of rules that you need to follow on the roads, from when to give way to the safest time to go over a cross road or when you should go on a roundabout. You’re expected to use your common sense, so it’s easy to expect other people will do the same. However, there are plenty of very irresponsible and dangerous drivers out there who are selfish and don’t consider their own, or other people’s safety. As a result, you should always drive whilst being cautious of other people’s behaviour. Don’t assume someone will do something they’re meant to and always give yourself space to change your behaviour if someone else doesn’t act as they should. For example, leave at least 2 spaces between you and the car in front at all times, just in case someone does an unsafe overtake and needs to tuck in. This is just one example of what can happen, but the important message here is to always assume the worst in other drivers, as negative as it sounds. 

Keep On Top Of Your Services

You can do everything right in your car, but without having a regular service, something could go wrong with your car to put you in danger. This could be something like your brake pads being faulty to issues with the suspension or a leaking radiator. Even the smallest of issues you might never notice could be really dangerous, so keeping up with your service is key. If you do have any concerns between a service, make sure you go to have it checked out, as the cost of a quick once over will be a lot less than if you let the damage build up and whole parts need replacing. Plus, there is no real price that you can put on keeping yourself safe. 

Always Keep An Eye On Tire Pressure

Something that is overlooked far too often is your tire pressure. When your tire pressure is too high, the shape of the tire can be distorted which reduces traction and increases wear. If it’s too low, more of the tire surface is on the road so it heats up quicker, which can also be dangerous. So, you need to make sure it’s perfect. To do this, check your tire pressure at your local petrol station once every 2-4 weeks as standard, as well as before you set off on a long journey or are carrying something especially heavy. You can find the ideal tire pressure in your vehicle’s owner manual, so make sure to check this to protect your tires and to keep you safe. 

Be Cautious Where You Park

Moving onto something focused on when your car is stationary, you should always be cautious where you are parking your car. For example, if you’re going on a roadtrip in the countryside, before you park up for the night, check if the ground you’re parked on is even and doesn’t have any potentially damaging rubble on it, such as sharp rocks which could impact your tires. 

Going to the complete other end of the spectrum, when you’re parking in central London, ensure you choose a fully secure car park with round the clock security and CCTV, along with one that is regularly cleaned. This is important because car parks with rubbish can attract vermin that can get into your car, and you also need one that is regularly cleaned so that oil is removed that can cause your tires to become slippery and dangerous. 

Parking your car just anywhere can be dangerous, from a security point of view as well as for the safety of your car. So, spending some time doing a bit of research can really pay off. 

Take Breaks

Something really important that you need to do for your safety is to take breaks when you’re driving for long periods. You might not feel like you need a break, or that you’re tired, but tiredness can come really quickly when you might not expect it. So, make sure you’re taking a break around every 2 hours. This could be just to get out of the car and stretch your legs for some fresh air, you might want to pick up a coffee or you could have a quick power nap in your car. Stopping for a decent amount of time is even better, so perhaps plan to have lunch whilst you stop over to give your body and mind a really good rest! 

Car Security

Something else that you can do to keep your car safe is to have a clear sign of some security in the car. The most effective way to do this is to have an alarm that has a red blinking light on it, which indicates that either the person will be on camera if they break in or a very loud alarm will go off. Avoiding having any valuables in the car will also help to deter people wanting to break in. If you have a fob type key for your car, make sure that you get yourself a storage box that blocks the signal between the fob and the car. They cost as little as £15 and with more advanced car thefts now on the rise, it will be well worth it. 

This being said, when it comes to your car and theft, you should leave your car keys near to the front door (in a box that blocks the signal if relevant). If someone breaks into your house looking for your car keys, then it’s likely they’ll do anything it takes to find them, so having them near the door will keep you and your family safe from them.