Defensive driving is considered an art form to some people because there are people that just can’t figure out how to drive defensively. Being a defensive driver will make you, your passengers, and others on the road around you safer. Before getting behind the wheel of your car tell yourself that you will drive safely today and will do whatever it takes to protect your passengers and yourself when driving. This is the final installment of our five part set detailing the tips and strategies to defensive driving.

Make sure you obey pedestrian laws as a motor vehicle driver. It doesn’t matter where you are driving; always know the laws of that area regarding pedestrians. In most states, vehicles must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks no matter what. If there are people standing in a crosswalk on a corner, a vehicle is supposed to come to a stop and allow the pedestrians to cross the street. If not, drivers can be ticketed and fined in most areas. Some of those fines can be pretty hefty too.

If you are transporting furniture or other goods in your vehicle’s trunk or your truck’s bed, make sure that everything is secure before driving. By tying down loose materials, you are preventing future accidents on the road. Many accidents on the road today are caused by flying objects or debris that falls off of another person’s car because it was not secured tightly to the vehicle. This also includes people. Make sure you and anyone in your car is safely buckled before driving away from a parked place.

Each driver and each vehicle has a blind spot when driving their car on the roads. When driving, make sure you know not only your own blind spot but also the blind spot of other drivers around you. If you stay out of other driver’s blind spots then they will always be able to see you; which can help to prevent accidents. By knowing your own blind spot you will be able to sense when another vehicle is in your blind spot and whether or not to change lanes at a certain time. Most blind spots for drivers occur out of the range of the side view mirrors. That is why before changing lanes a driver should look over their shoulder to make sure that another car is not alongside your own.

Our final tip to becoming a better defensive driver in this five part series is to choose your safest route of travel. Before heading out on the road for travel, plan your route. By planning your route ahead of time you can avoid construction zones, accidents, and other problems that might arise along the way. Taking a safe route could also mean that it is less congested, which means less vehicles, and less of a chance for accidents.

Hopefully this five part set of defensive driving tips can help drivers out there become safer when behind the wheel. Just remember, the most important tip of all is to stay calm and relaxed when behind the wheel. Don’t let your attitude get the best of you when driving because it can impair your judgment.