Warm wishes to you if you have recently received your driving permit. Now you are in the club of 227 million drivers in the United States!
Getting a permit becomes a source of freedom and adulthood, but it also requires maturity and responsibility. The most critical aspect of driving is when you are driving recklessly; it not only affects you but also everyone else on the road.
Driving on the highway is different as compared to city streets and requires more focus and attention. Necessary safety precautions and measures remain the same, but rules of the highway are different, hence needs more attention. So when you intend to travel on the highway, you need to be more cautious and check your car thoroughly. There are basics a new driver should know about their car before starting a happy and safe journey on the highway.
Here are a few quick tips for newbies who want to drive on the highway.
Drive at Constant Speeds
Newbies should not drive a vehicle on a highway at variable speed. If there is room to maintain a constant speed, you must continue it as long as you can. Maintaining a constant rate of speed allows you to drive with the flow of traffic, which is always the safest way to travel.
Variable speed can be as risky as speeding, but the safest speed is not always the slowest speed. It means you must check your surroundings and maintain traffic flow without much variance. On the other side, it helps to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, saving your hard-earned money during next refuel.
Learn to Merge
For a beginner, learning to merge on the highway is an essential skill. A driver must master this art as it can lead to severe accidents. You must build up the speed to meet that of the traffic already on the highway to fit in a safe gap between vehicles.
Take care of the opposite aspect also by adjusting your speed and providing a safe gap when another driver wants to merge onto the highway.
Stay focused and attentive in the correct lane as you enter the highway allowing someone else to merge in front of you.
Slow Traffic Keep Right
You will see “slow traffic keep right” signboards on many highways indicating drivers that are slow need to remain in the right hand lane. As a matter of fact, your driving on the highway mantra should be “Drive Right, Pass Left!” The National Motorists Association gives four great reasons why to drive right and pass left or model Lane Courtesy. Lane Courtesy laws sometimes called “Slow Poke” laws, are enforced in most states, and every driver should make this a habit anytime driving out on the road.
Also, remember that sometimes drivers in the right hand lane drive slower because they want to exit the highway, or are looking for services such as fuel, food, car repair, or perhaps even have a medical emergency.
Following this norm of keeping on the right can make driving safer for everyone on the highway.
Be Careful when Applying Brakes too quickly
In case of emergency, avoid braking almost immediately to avoid locking the wheels. This kind of quick action could result in losing control over the vehicle. When you apply sharp brakes, your car could skid.
In a skid scenario, remember to remove your foot from the brake pedal and turn the steering wheel towards the opposite direction of the skid. If the vehicle skids to the left side, you have to turn the steering wheel to the right to balance out the control.
Look but Do Not Stare or Stop
According to a survey by EHS Safety News America, out of 65,000 people killed in car accidents in the last two years, one in ten were crashes with at least one of the drivers distracted. Indeed, distracted driving is a sensitive issue and needs everyone’s serious attention.
Also, if you see any incident or something that distracts you or needs your immediate attention, do not stare or stop in the middle of the road to know the details. You must pass by and stop at a safer place, or you might get involved in a crash yourself.
Even though each state has set its own traffic rules, most of the rules are nearly the same throughout the country. Such as always driving on the right-side traffic rule, except the US Virgin Islands, which requires driving on the left-side such as in the UK.
Become a safe driver by practicing and following traffic rules of the highway. You’ll be glad you did!
If you have further thoughts on how to be safe on the highway, share them below in the comments section.
Amanda Jerelyn is currently working as an Associate Editor at King Essay. She holds a Master degree in Mass Communication. She also provides UK research proposal writing service regarding daily life issues for renowned websites. Amanda is married and has three kids. She likes to discover new tourist destinations and traveling by road.
