While there are things that could cause potential harm to your physical health each day, one of the biggest threats that most people participate in each day is driving. Whether you’re driving the car yourself or are merely a passenger, being on the road puts you at risk of being in a car accident, regardless of how safe you may feel like you’re being
One thing that can make your chances of being in a car accident even greater is the amount of other people on the road and the speeds at which you’re traveling, which is why driving in a big city can be so dangerous. Luckily, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of being in a dangerous car accident.
To help you find out just what these things are, here are three tips for safely driving in a busy, crowded city.
Avoid Driving During Rush Hour
As was mentioned above, the number of people you’re sharing the road with can increase your chances of being in a car accident simply because there are more variables that could cause an accident. Because of this, it’s smart to only drive when there’s going to be less traffic.
According to Driving-Tests.org, this means avoiding driving during rush hour. For most large cities, this is usually between the hours of 7:00 and 9:00 am and 4:00 and 6:00 pm. While there can be traffic during all hours of the day, these hours are generally when the highest number of people are on the road. So if you can keep from being on the roads at this time, you could avoid more potential for a car accident.
Take Construction Signs Seriously
In big cities, there seems to always be some kind of road construction taking place. And while you might not see workers actively doing the construction while you’re driving by, Todd McCann, a contributor to Road And Track, shares that you should always follow what construction signs say and take their speed limits seriously.
Not only will doing so help to keep you safe, but you’ll also avoid large fines that come from breaking the law while in a construction zone.
Look Well Ahead Of Yourself
When driving in a busy city, there are hazards all around you that you need to be on the lookout for. With this in mind, DrivingTips.org advises that you look well ahead of yourself when you’re on the road, especially when you have time to survey your surroundings, like when stopped.
As you look around, you should keep your eyes peeled for things like traffic patterns ahead of you, pedestrians, people coming in and out of parked cars, and more.
To help keep yourself and others safe when in a busy city, consider using the tips mentioned above to be a better city driver.