Wednesday 7 March 2012

Protect Against Crashes By Thinking About Other Road Users

By Jim Timothys


You are going to encounter many different conditions and situations any time you drive regularly. In particular, you'll be sharing the road with various types of cars and people and this can mean that the unexpected will happen at times. If you're aware of your surroundings, it is possible to stop accidents from happening. This article is going to focus on being considerate when driving to minimize the chances of getting into an accident on the road.

The first style of highway user we shall consider are motorcyclists and some of the situations you will encounter with them. You'll find a few cyclists who are alert to their surroundings and are abiding by the rules while others drive like they are the only ones on the road. One of the potential risks with cyclists is that in busy traffic they are much harder to see and if you are driving in particularly slow traffic they can approach you from the rear and you may not see them. It is a good idea to check your mirror and to look over your shoulder when pulling out or overtaking to make sure that there isn't anyone in your blind spot that you have not detected. A number of cyclists prefer to travel in groups so be cautious when approaching them and do not overtake them until you are far away from them.

Motorcyclists are like cyclists but they are obviously much faster. There are several motorcyclists who drive fast and there are going to be times that they may be coming up from behind and you are not aware of it. Those who ride motorcycles really love to weave in and out of traffic so you need to be sure that they are not in back of you when you change lanes.

Larger sized vehicles such as lorries and coaches present different challenges and you certainly want to avoid accidents with these if you can. Individuals who drive transport trucks or lorries have a tendency to go to unfamiliar areas so they may make sudden changes while on the road. A driver might be exhausted after having a long journey and you need to be aware of their blind spots in terms of being able to see you. It's possible you have drivers who are actually from other countries who aren't familiar with the road rules so you need to leave plenty of space between them and you.

You have to be especially cautious when it comes to pedestrians especially around schools and shopping areas. In cases like this, it seems sensible for you to drive slowly and with care to avoid hitting someone. If you are alert to what's happening close to you and you are considerate of others on the road, then you will be safe and you will prevent accidents from happening.




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