Summertime = good weather = vacation season, and this usually means more car travel. Here are some links to sites that provide tips for saner, safer driving.
- Car Talk, an NPR radio show hosted by the Magliozzi brothers, is a hilarious and instructive way to spend an hour. Their site has links to good information, and you can listen online.
- The Partnership for Safe Driving is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating all forms of dangerous driving.
- Find out how how much you know about driving safely.
And lastly, a terrific bit of advice that I have often used, from one of my favorite essayists, Michael Ventura:
Given that you’re living in a city where driving is necessary, learn to drive. You may think you know how, but my experience of the way you drive is that you probably don’t. So here’s how: Drive for space, not for speed. Space in front of you is the safest thing you can have with a car. Darting in and out of traffic doesn’t change anything, it just makes you older. You can’t beat the average traffic flow on any given street or freeway by more than five minutes, which only makes a difference if you’re having a baby. And don’t you look like an idiot when you’ve passed six cars and they pull up beside you at the next light? They’re laughing at you. And they hate you. Which isn’t good for you. Drive for space.
If the move ain’t smooth, it ain’t right. There’s no excuse for a jerky turn, stop, or acceleration. It’s hard on the car, it’s hard on the other passengers, it confuses other drivers, it’s not aesthetic. Such moves are for emergencies only.
Ninety percent of the time you drive with your habits, not your head, so figure out what your bad habits are — gunning it through yellows? not signaling? tailgating? Your worst habit will turn into your worst accident. So stop it. Drive for space. End of lesson.
Amen, brother. I need the reminder. Be safe, folks. Drive well.