Drving Tips To Avoid Accidents (1976)

[Music] [Music] I knew I should have stayed in bed Now it's an hour on the freeway. All those crazy drivers, bumper-to-bumper traffic, smog, stalled cars that make you lose your control and do something that's better. >> Good. You know that a healthy driving at your destination safely. When you have the proper attitude, you're confident, in control, your mind is clear and alert. You're ready to drive. Alertness is many things. It's keeping your eyes constantly on the move, taking in all that's going on around you, ahead, behind, and on both sides. Alertness is concentrating on your driving, and not being distracted to look at things, daydream, or fiddle with something on the front seat. Alertness means anticipating emergency situations and being prepared to deal with them with a clear head. [Music] And being alert means knowing the safest ways to carry out everyday driving maneuvers like crossing intersections or making turns. A good place to learn about the proper driving maneuvers is your local Department of Motor Vehicles. There you can get booklets that will tell you the traffic rules and safety laws you need to know. Then when driving, remember that there are certain major where most accidents occur. We'd like to show you some of these trouble spots and give you some suggestions on how you can prevent these accidents from happening to you. The key word to remember when approaching an intersection without stop signs or signals is caution. Taking your foot off the gas and coasting is not enough. In an emergency, you may not be able to get your foot on the brake in time. [Applause] So instead, about three car lengths before the intersection, put your foot on the brake and gradually slow down. Look up the street to your left to make sure nothing is coming and look to your right. Your view may be blocked, so don't let up on the brake until you are in the intersection and can see that it's safe. When the intersection is clear, step lightly on the gas and proceed through. Even if there is a stop sign at the intersection, the danger of accidents is still there. After you've stopped at the crosswalk, proceed out cautiously till you can see that the street is clear in both directions. [Applause] Then check again to your left to see that there is still nothing coming. If the left side was clear at one time, we can't assume it will still be clear a few moments later. If you're making a left turn, keep your car parallel within the lane so that your rear and front ends are not sticking out into traffic. Don't turn partway into the intersection expecting other cars to stop for you. They have the rightway. And keep your wheels straight. If they are turned and you are hit from behind, you could be shoved right out into the path of oncoming traffic. Once the intersection is clear, you're free to make your move. Crossing an intersection or making a turn at a traffic signal presents us with another set of problems. Again, the watch words are, "Be prepared." If you're waiting for a green light, don't start up immediately after it turns. Someone might be trying to gun it through the light from another direction. [Music] Instead, when the light changes, count to three. This will give you time to make sure the intersection is free and clear. Taking these few extra moments of caution at the light is especially important if you're behind another vehicle. If Richard hadn't waited, he might have rear ended the other car when it stopped suddenly. So remember, take care when starting up at a light. [Music] [Applause] [Music] When approaching a green light, treat it as if it were about to turn yellow. Treat it with respect. Then you won't try to stretch it if the light turns. [Music] [Applause] If you're following another car toward a signal that has just turned yellow, assume that the other driver is going to stop. Be prepared with your foot on the brake till you're certain what the other driver is going to do. Whatever the situation, when approaching an intersection with stop signals or without, consider all the possibilities and act safely and accordingly. Preventing accidents means always knowing what's going on around you, in front, behind, and on both sides. So whether pulling out from a parking space, passing, or changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then look back and toward the side to which you plan to move. This is necessary because cars have blind spots, areas to the right rear side and left rear side which cannot be seen in the mirrors or in your forward field of vision. So, it's best not to make your move until you can double check by looking back. [Music] Dawn and twilight are probably the most difficult times of the day to see what's going on around you. Low sun can be blinding. And just after the sun is down, there are no sharp outlines or shadows. Everything blends into gray. So at these times, use your headlights, reduce your speed, and drive with extra caution. And at all times, just as you should know what other people are doing, they should know what you are doing. This means using your turn signals and hand signals before you make a move. The safety rules we've mentioned apply even more when you're driving at high speeds on the freeway. [Music] When merging onto the freeway, signal and look for a clear space. Once you've found that space, accelerate to traffic speed and move on. Do this smoothly. Slowing down or stopping can be extremely dangerous. Once safely in lane, obey the speed limit and move with the flow of traffic. No faster, no slower. Don't move over into the faster lanes immediately. First, see what the other traffic is doing. Then use your turn signal and find an opening, making sure that no other driver is heading for that same spot. When changing lanes, remember the flow of traffic. It's unsafe to move to a faster lane and then slow down, forcing others behind you to slow down, too. No matter what speed you drive, always keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead. One guideline is to keep a distance of one car length for every 10 m an hour you're going. For example, if you're going 30 m an hour, keep about three car lengths between you and the car ahead. [Applause] You can also figure this safety distance in seconds, keeping at least a 2se secondond distance between you and the car in front. It's easy to estimate this 2-second distance. Watch the car ahead until it passes a landmark like a signpost or a shadow or that overpass ahead. Then count 1,1 1,002 there. If you reach the landmark by the time you say two, you're a safe 2 seconds distance from the car ahead. The advantage to maintaining the safety distance in this way is that you don't have to guess how long a car length is. And this method automatically adjusts your safety distance to the speed you're driving. At 55 mph, the 2-cond distance is about like this. At 30 mph, it's like this. Both are safe distances for stopping in an emergency. If someone cuts in front of you, don't let it bother you. Keep your distance. You've only lost 2 seconds of driving time, and it would take 30 such intrusions before you lost even 1 minute. Even if you're maintaining a safe distance between you and the car ahead, the high speeds and monotonous nature of freeway driving require you to be especially alert and in control. Avoid highway hypnosis by keeping your eyes moving. Watch your mirrors and drive ahead, being constantly on the lookout for danger signals, brake lights flashing on, unexpected lane changes, and the blue smoke of skidding tires. This way, you can anticipate emergencies and prevent them from happening. When you wish to leave the freeway, know well in advance which exit you want to take. Watch the signs so you'll know your exit is coming up. This way you can avoid cutting across traffic and making dangerous lastminute lane changes. [Music] You might be surprised to know that nearly three times as many motor vehicle deaths occur on rural roads as in busy urban areas. People travel at high speeds. Roads are not always divided, and there are fewer danger signals to keep you on your toes. When you're cruising along a country road that stretches out for miles, it's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. That is until something happens. Driving on undivided roads in or out of the country requires you to be extra alert and even more in control. Keep a firm grip on your steering wheel and stay as far to the right as possible to avoid head-on collisions with cars that may cross over into your lane. This is especially important on hills and curves where your vision is limited and you never know what you might encounter ahead. If you wish to pass another vehicle, the watch words are patience and judgment. Don't get anxious. Remember, you're in charge. Before making a move, assess the situation. First, make sure the lines on the road permit you to pass. Then, check the speed of your car, the speed of the car ahead, and the space to move back into the lane once you've passed. And finally, pass only when you're sure the road ahead is clear for a good distance. If there's any question at all, don't pass. It's better to lose a little time than to risk a serious accident. City or country, there are as many tips for safe driving as there are driving situations. Anything can happen, but the chances of an accident are less likely if you'll follow these three basic guidelines. One, when driving, have the proper attitude. Two, be alert. And three, learn the everyday driving maneuvers till they become second nature. Approach intersections with caution. When making a left turn, stay parallel with the lane and keep your wheels straight. At traffic signals, don't jump the gun. [Music] and be prepared when the light changes. Know what's going on around you at all times and let others know what you are doing. Merge onto the freeway smoothly. Obey the speed limit driving on undivided roads. Stay as far to the right as possible to avoid oncoming cars. And when passing, do so only when it's safe and the road ahead is clear for a good distance. Follow these tips and you'll be well prepared to handle the responsibility of driving. You'll be looking out for your own safety and the safety of others. And that's what driving to prevent accidents is all about [Music]