Most of the driving tips are from common sense. Sometimes we forget basic check up with our vehicle creating bigger problems while on road. During my past almost 39 years of driving experience, I learned alot and today I am going to share some with you.
1. Older cars need more regular checkups. Basic check up start from your home. If you don’t do them periodically you end up at a mechanic mostly as your car grows with you.
2. Check every morning tire pressure, you can simply walk around your car if its standing on even surface gives you an idea how much your car tire is inflated on ground. Normal passenger vehicles in Pakistan require 26 to 28 psi depending on tire size.
3. While driving at night you should be aware of your car lights. Blown up bulbs or short circuit give uneven indicator time interval. Ask somebody to check your brake lights periodically or use reflection on wall to check if rear lights work well.
4. Time senses, while driving always plan your journey time, to avoid race with time to reach your destination. For example, always keep time to change a flat tire on way while reaching airport to catch flight.
5. Always wear your seatbelts. If your car does not have them you can buy those new or second hand from car market.
6. Always a better idea to use low beam headlight in bad weather condition. eg: storm, rain, fog, snow, etc.
7. While the driver in front is always has right to way, you cannot hit a car in front from rear and start blaming the driver in front, if he has already given an indicator and for driver in front its better to brake slow if your driving in front of traffic, to give cushion to cars behind you to brake at red light signal.
8. Use handbrake when you stop at red light to avoid your car rolling back in case you don’t realize road has slope in it.
9. When light turns green at signal, use common sense to keep watch on left, then right, straight ahead, then left again before proceeding through the light. Never just follow the car in front. A typical mistake.
10. Never run a red light straight even at odd hours of morning, if you fear to stop at 4am in morning alone at red light which has absolutely no traffic, by law these signal lights turn into amber after midnight hours unless programmed by the traffic police, always slow down ready to stop immediately to avoid any other speeding car at early hour at the intersection.
11. Keep your eyes moving to notice what is happening on the sides of the road front of you in case someone decides to walk or drive into your path.
12. Always check centre and side rear view mirrors from time to time, especially to avoid sudden honks from emergency vehicle behind.
13. Keep your stereo at level in traffic where you are in position to hear horns.
14. Using cell phones while driving can cause accidents attend to phone after you park away from traffic while the person calling you can wait, always make a phone call when you’re not driving.
15. Drive a moderate speed with traffic flow, to avoid sudden brakes, driving too slowly is not recommended either. Someone behind you could be in emergency to reach hospital etc.
16. When entering an intersection always give way to driver on right.
17. Always stop before entering a main road to look to your right and left before proceeding.
18. A good habit to notice your car underneath when it is on service station lift. Regular check up will help you notice any unknown in time eg: cracks in rubber, oil leaks etc.
