There are many driving safety tips that increase safety for all drivers

Preventing collisions is our goal

Every driver should have the goal to be as safe as possible on the road.

The 2 most important driving safety tips that will prevent collisions are diligent observation and keeping space around your vehicle

A drivers eyes should not be fixed on one point for more than 2 seconds, and even less at higher speeds. A little head movement while looking around will allow a person to see around the blind spot of the vehicles frame and to get vision around outside objects like shrubs and buildings that can block objects like bikes and pedestrians as well as cars.

Keeping 1 ½-2 car lengths behind stopped vehicles may look strange to others on the road around you, but that extra space could mean the difference between hitting the car ahead if you went forward for any reason, and having time to stop or swerve if someone hit you from behind or you accidentally pushed the gas pedal. That old lady you make fun of for keeping 5 car lengths behind vehicles ahead on the freeway when you keep only 3 car lengths behind has a much better chance of avoiding a collision if the car ahead came to a sudden stop.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 32,885 deaths in the U.S. occurred due to car crashes in 2010. (http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811552.pdf)

Many people call them car "accidents", but really the correct term is "collisions" or "crashes". In a vehicle collision someone was acting in a way that caused the crash to happen which could have been prevented had they acted differently. If it could have been prevented it is NO accident.

Learning and practicing good driving safety tips will prevent a multitude of collisions.

6 Top Reasons For Crashes

1. Distraction
The biggest distraction on the road believe it or not, is drivers onlooking at a collision site!

When I was training to be a driving instructor, my fellow trainee and I were on the freeway when we saw ambulances on both sides of the freeway at the same spot, in opposite directions!

It was clear someone had looked too long at the first crash site and caused another!

2. Fatigue
Be well rested especially starting a long drive.

3. Alcohol
These are usually the most serious, often fatal collisions.

4. Speeding
It's better to arrive late than not at all!

5. Aggressive driving
Sometimes you need to be assertive behind the wheel, but not aggressive. The big difference is emotion.

6. Weather
Respect the road conditions in wet, windy and icy weather.

More driving safety tips to come