5 Rules Every Driver Should Know About

Road safety is the responsibility of every driver. Still, it can be easy to forget specific rules you should adhere to, especially when you haven’t heard about them since driver’s ed!

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Failure to abide by these rules can put you and everyone else on the road in grave danger. Reading up on all the things you may have forgotten since passing your test can help avoid all of that!

To help you with this, we have written five critical driver safety rules we think all drivers should remember. Some may seem painfully obvious, but if you’ve been on the roads recently, you probably know that drivers aren’t always the best behaved. Without further ado, let’s give you a quick refresher.

1. Sideswipe Incident Responsibility

A sideswipe incident is when two cars traveling in the same direction collide, with the side of one car hitting the side of the other car. They most frequently occur during lane merges, but knowing who is at fault in a merging accident can be tricky. More often than not, the driver who initially left their lane is responsible, but nuance can apply to any accident.

2. Traveling Slow? Keep Right

The right lane is exclusively reserved for slow-moving traffic on American roads and almost all highways. It leaves the left lanes open to faster-moving traffic, minimizing congestion and allowing traffic to flow more freely.

If you travel slowly on the left-hand side, you will get in the way of other drivers and could potentially cause an accident.

3. Remember Your Signals Before Turning

Whether turning into a new street or switching lanes on the highway, you need to use your turn signals. They let other drivers know what you’re about to do, where you intend to go, and how they should respond to your movement.

It might not seem like a big deal, but numerous incidents are caused yearly by failure to use turning signals appropriately.

4. Keep a Safe Following Distance

Despite your best predictions, you can never really know what the other vehicles on the road will do. It is why it’s so important to keep a safe distance. If the car in front of you suddenly needs to brake, you need the extra space to avoid going right into the back of them.

The rule of thumb is a car length for every 10mph. Alternatively, you can follow the 3-second rule. The following-distance rule is especially crucial when traveling at fast speeds, as you will need more space to stop.

5. Awareness of Emergency Vehicles

You may think that emergency vehicles will always be easy to identify, given their blaring sirens and flashing lights, but it can be surprisingly easy to miss them sometimes. Always keep an eye on your mirrors and try not to play music too loudly to minimize the likelihood of being distracted.

Every second counts for an emergency vehicle, so pay attention and get out of their way.

Stay Safe on the Roads!

There are numerous road safety rules that all drivers should be aware of, but honestly, they mostly come down to paying attention. Be a considerate driver and stay aware of your surroundings at all times. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a refresher course on some of your local laws either. It never hurts to stay prepared.