Getting to your destination safely is a subconscious decision when you get in the driver’s seat and set out on a drive. However, there is an additional set of safety considerations to keep in mind when setting out on a long highway drive that you often don’t think of when going on a five-minute spin to your grocery store.
To stay safe when hitting the highway, it’s important to consider the following highway safety tips:
- Use the left lane for passing. If you’re driving on the interstate or the freeway, you should stay in the right lane if you plan on maintaining a steady speed and merge into the left lane for passing. It’s safe to assume that using the left highway lane for passing is common knowledge. Be sure to use your mirrors and look in all directions before merging into the left lane for passing!
- Use your mirrors. Since highways often have multiple lanes, from two to six or more, it’s essential to stay aware of where you and your vehicle are in relation to other vehicles. This is where your mirrors come in handy! Use your side mirrors to make sure you are staying within your highway lane and are a safe distance away from vehicles in front, behind, and beside you.
- Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. No one likes being tailgated, especially on the highway! In order to maximize your highway safety, make sure that the vehicle in front of you is at least three seconds ahead of you. This gives you time to stop if, for example, there’s an accident on the road ahead and the driver ahead of you slams on his or her brakes.
- Stay aware of tractor-trailers. Tractor-trailer drivers obviously are maneuvering rather large vehicles at high speeds on the highway, and if you can’t see a tractor-trailer driver, the odds are that he or she can’t see you, either. Especially if you’re in a smaller vehicle, make sure you leave ample space between your vehicle and the tractor-trailer and try to speed up or slow down to avoid being in the tractor-trailer drivers’ blind spots.
In addition to these tips, check out the American Red Cross’s highway safety tips for more insight on how to stay safe when driving on the highway!
If you ever have the misfortune of experiencing car trouble while on the highway, don’t hesitate to call Tow Pro at 888.695.1555 for a lift. We have plenty of towing services available in addition to roadside services, including light and heavy-duty towing, specialized transport, and private property impounding services.