First of all, you should not focus solely on the vehicle ahead. You need to assess the overall road situation, and to do this you have to pay attention to the movement of cars and other vehicles in front, behind, and to the sides. The ability to objectively assess the road situation will be useful in case of emergency braking or a sharp turn.
Moreover, if you are behind the wheel, try not to pay attention to billboards and bright neon signs. Nothing distracts a driver as much as colorful advertising. By being distracted from road events, you risk getting into an accident, and even a momentary lapse of attention can result in quite serious damage to your car – so serious that you will have to call a tow truck.
What else should you not look at while driving? First of all, ignore the urge to look at the pedals under your feet or at the gear shift. By doing so, you will completely divert your attention from the road for several seconds, but the situation on the road can change so quickly that you simply will not have time to react appropriately. If you suspect that you need to inspect any elements of the control panel, pull over to the side of the road without creating a hazardous situation. The same applies to a map: do not look at it while driving; it is better to study the map in advance or stop for a few minutes to view it.
Novice drivers should remember that both hands must be free: only then can you fully control the vehicle. Therefore, you should not talk on a mobile phone without headphones while driving or smoke. Smoking while driving is also dangerous because the driver will have to periodically look away from the road to put a cigarette butt in the ashtray or flick ash from a cigarette.
Even if you really love music, do not listen to it too loud in the car – even pleasant music can distract you from the road. In the event of an emergency on the road, a driver listening to loud music may not hear warning signals from other drivers. Such behavior often results in a collision on the road.
If you are involved in an accident due to your own fault, do not leave the scene: call a tow truck, wait for police officers, and if possible, try to provide assistance to other accident participants if they need it. To prevent emergency situations, try to avoid unnecessary maneuvers on the road, change lanes as rarely as possible, and if you are a beginner, stay close to the right lane.
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