Safety in the car gives a good feeling. For more safety on the road, you should (have) your vehicle checked regularly. You should avoid any distractions while driving – even seemingly minor inattentions can cause great harm. Safe driving also favors you in car insurance – your premiums go down.
Drive safely: Here's what you need to look out for before driving off
Safety on the road begins before you start driving. This is especially true if you are starting up your car again for the first time after a long period out of action.
This is what you should check regularly on your car
You should mentally subject your car to the so-called WOLKEN scheme at regular intervals – and basically before every long drive and after every long break from driving. The WOLKEN scheme here stands for water, oil, air, fuel, electrical and emergency equipment.
Check the coolant, oil level, tire pressure and tread depth. Of course, you should only drive off with a sufficient tank of fuel. This is especially important if you get caught in a traffic jam. Also, check your lights before you leave. Another person can help you with this. In addition to low beams, high beams, warning lights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are indispensable for safe driving. Also take a look at emergency items such as the first aid kit and the warning triangle. All this not only helps you in an emergency, but also protects you from high fines!
Put yourself in a special situation mentally. Carry a spare tire with you. Could you put it on the road? And if you don't, your car insurance also covers roadside assistance and towing service, for example, via a cover letter? Also get used to an eye for details. Are your headlights affected by a noticeable number of insects?? This happens more often before the summer. Can affect the light output. Fogging up your windows? Then take a look at the ventilation system.
Some things you cannot check yourself. That's why your car should be regularly checked in the workshop. A regular general inspection is mandatory anyway. Before longer journeys you can make an additional check. For example, have the brakes checked.
People as a factor of insecurity
If you want to drive safely, you should be in the right condition to do so. Do not drive while overtired or under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Also, do not get into the car if you are in an extremely stressful situation.
Maybe you are also a bit afraid of driving a car. There can be many reasons for this. You may not have driven for a while, or you may be facing an unfamiliar route. Additional driving lessons, mental training and relaxation techniques can help here.
If you need certain help to drive safely, this help must be available at all times. For all of them, for example: Sunglasses can be a valuable aid when the sun is low in the sky. Seniors should always have their visual aids and, if necessary, their hearing aids in working order and within easy reach.
Before longer trips you can help yourself with good planning. Check the route in advance to avoid having to rely on a navigation system. Plan breaks. Take enough provisions with you.
This is how you ensure more safety while driving
While driving, car safety depends on you. One of the biggest problems is distraction on the road. There are a number of potential causes for this often life-threatening distraction.
Realize that you must never take your eyes off the road. Do not use your cell phone while driving. Even reading or writing a text message can, in the worst case, result in a fatal head-on collision.
Two automobile clubs published the results of a study in 2020. In this study, road users were distracted from driving by various tasks. The tasks included, for example, reading a messenger message, taking a pack of tissues out of the glove compartment, and similar supposed trivia. The result of the study: two-thirds of the drivers were in the opposite lane for a period of 1.5-2.6 seconds when performing these simple tasks! On average, the eyes of the study participants left the roadway for 3 seconds. 35 m were covered virtually blindly as a result.
When in doubt, put road safety first. If you can't operate your navigation device without additional risk, it's better to pull over to the side of the road. Refrain from eating while driving. If you need some liquid on a long drive (for example, on the highway), it's best to have the passenger hand you a bottle.
Never count on the fact that all other road users behave 100% correctly. Keep a safe distance, don't turn up the music on the radio too loud, and make sure you're mentally fresh. You get these by taking regular breaks. A sufficient supply of fresh air.
In this short video we have summarized five basic tips for safe driving.
To check the safety of your car
Drive safely in winter
Road safety is particularly important in winter. Pay attention to your tires, as there are particular dangers at this time of year. Put on winter or all-season tires by the first onset of winter at the latest. A tip: don't wait until the first snow falls, otherwise you may have to wait a long time for an appointment at the garage. The end of September is a good time to have your winter tires fitted.
Correct behavior in icy conditions
Adapt your driving style to winter conditions. This means: less speed, more distance. On slippery roads you make better progress with low-speed driving in high gear. The tires then have better contact with the road. Starting in slippery conditions is therefore often better in second gear.
Familiarize yourself with the road conditions. It is far. No one wide in sight? Then a short brake test can not hurt. How to get a feeling for the braking distance. Refrain from jerky braking movements in slippery conditions. If freezing rain is imminent, wait until the gritting service has done its work.
Safe driving with a child
If you are transporting children, you have a special responsibility. Make sure you have the right child seat. This should have scored well in relevant tests by automobile associations. Babies are to be transported in a baby seat in as flat a position as possible. Otherwise, the same applies to children as to adults: Sitting upright increases safety. Make sure the seat belt is correctly routed and the child is properly seated. Otherwise, the risk increases – for example, due to the side airbags.
Additional safety for driver and vehicle
You can improve your driving skills and especially your ability to act in dangerous situations by taking a special driving safety training course. You learn there under professional guidance the correct behavior in dangerous situations. The program includes braking and driving techniques, a confrontation with centrifugal forces and much more. In particular, you will also learn to assess and make the best use of safety and assistance systems such as ESP and ABS.
Drive safely with car insurance
A safe driving style and careful handling of your vehicle will protect you from accidents. If an accident does occur – for example, due to a deer accident – your car insurance will cover it. Comprehensive insurance pays even if you cause the accident. Some insurance companies reward drivers who drive prudently. This is possible, for example, through telematics tariffs. Road safety has many aspects. Begins even before you start driving. Always make sure that your car is in perfect condition. But take care of yourself as well. Only drive when you are rested and concentrated. Avoid any distractions in traffic. This also has advantages for your car insurance, as you can be classified in a more favorable no-claims class in comprehensive insurance. With telematics tariffs a thoughtful driving style is additionally rewarded.