When driving if you remain vigilant on the roads can you avoid being in a car crash?

Question

I am about to begin driving soon and one of my biggest fears once I am out on the roads is being injured or killed in a car crash. My friend tells me as long as I remain vigilant on the road, watch out for dangerous drivers, and don't drive fastly then there will be nothing for me to worry about, and that I will be safe. Do you think that my friend is right?

And serious truthful answers only please. I don't have time for sarcasm.

Answer 1

Yes just be cautious, especially of other drivers. Once you get used to driving you'll start to feel more comfortable.

Answer 2

Ok, a very wise thing to do, but always remember this, no matter how defensively you drive, there may always be the risk of an unexplained accident, even police have those. I was a member of the 'Advanced Drivers' in UK, and even these guys can have accidents. Also be aware that many accidents can be caused by driving too slow, find the speed limit and drive to it, because too slow you upset the drivers that on a clear road are entitled to drive to the speed limit, oh NEVER be bullied by a driver coming up so close behind, I find that suddenly my windshield needs washing.... amazing how they pull back when the overflow hits their windshield :)

Answer 3

i would have to guess 9 out of 10 wrecks can be avoided. obviously dont drive like its the track, but there's little hidden tricks riders use to survive the mean streets. so far, these have kept me alive on the bike for over 9800 miles. u wont find em in a book either. here's my mantra.

expect the unexpected. never assume the cager (what we call u drivers) to do the right thing. expect them to pull out/left turn/cut u off.

drive like u are invisible. u might not belive it, but if some shmuck on a cell phone will cut off/pull out in front of a 18 wheeler, they will do the same to u.

develop good situational awareness. this is the art of being able to scan, id, track, and threat prioritize everything that's in ur airspace...outbound or inbound.

expect cars to blow that stop sign and wait till the last second to pull out. what i do is this; i dont look at the driver, i watch the front wheels. if they turn, i get the clutch and brake ready for a shotgun stop....and ive had to do this 3 times this season, and all of them were on cell phones.

never ever drive in their blind spot. hurry up and get around them. also verify at least twice there isnt anything in the blind spot. remember, bikes are much harder to see than cars....u'll kill us if u dont make absolutely sure we're not there.

as far as semi's go, never draft a truck. u cant see mirrors, he cant see u either. to him ur a speed bump. give him plenty of room...he doesnt have the quickness u do.

on twisty country roads the rules change. for cagers, it can get dicey in a split second.
always stay well on ur side approaching and going thru the curves. some curves u cant see thru. we call these blind corners. these are potentially lethal; if a dude comes around them too hot, he will be in ur lane in a head on scenerio u wont have the reflexes to avoid. also consider a twisty road to be a prime motorcycle road. reckless squids on sportbikes have a deadly habit of trying to imitate the blackbird on roads like this, and if they lose it in a corner, the bike will slide right into ur path....here there nothing u can do but hit the brakes and pray he gets lucky enough not to slide under ur wheels.

deer haunt back roads also. prime time for them is at dusk, very early morning, and at night. its a 50/50 chance u'll have a deer strike. to minimize, i always ride with the high beams on as much as possible. i scan the sides of the road....their eyes sparkle like diamonds. if u suddenly see a glint, u might have a deer ahead. this is the only warning u will get. within the next few seconds, u'll have a deer jump in ur path, or they'll already be on the road. where there's 1, there could be more, especially in the rut which will start next month. this is a rider's worst fear...to have a deer in the middle of a corner.

another obvious....dont even think of driving after even 1 beer.
stay off the cell phone. so many wrecks are caused by them. its a too big of a distraction.
at intersections, i'm always looking in the mirror. if he doesnt look like he's going to stop, flash the brake lights.

its alot of work involved driving. this only covers some of it.

Answer 4

Yes he is right, but unfortunately we cannot foresee everything that is going to happen, but by being alert to other drivers we can minimalise mishaps.
You need spacial awareness. Know what is going on around you. I don`t mean spend your time gawping around, but use your mirrors to see what is happening behind you as well as to your sides. When you are overtaking, don`t just look into your mirror but glance over your right shoulder, to eliminate any possible blank spot.
There is nothing more dangerous than seeing someone staring constantly ahead of them without a clue as to what is going on around them.
When I was learning to drive, my instructor would cover the rear view mirror with his hand and ask me what was happening behind me, and if I didn`t know I got a thick ear after the lesson.
Drive carefully, within your limits and the limits of your vehicle and you shouldn`t come to any serious harm
Good luck.

Answer 5

What your friend is describing is called Defensive Driving. They even offer classes for it. The whole idea is to make sure you are driving safely and at the same time, watching for those who are not. It can offer more insurance against being in an accident. Nothing can be 100% sure but doing all this will help protect you.

Answer 6

Hi,so long has your a good driver & keep your wits about you.You will be alright.You have to get them thoughts out of your head there probably nerves.Good Luck on your 1st driving lesson.

Answer 7

Just be as cautious as you can. Always drive for the other driver, not just yourself. Sometimes accidents aren't unavoidable, but we can't go through life in fear.

Answer 8

If you follow your friends advice, your only worry will be rear end collisions, where you are hit from behind.