Living around a major city like Chicago, you see people and drivers of all kinds. You see drivers who are exhausted from trying to deliver goods across the country, teens on field trips and families heading to work and school.
The thing about city traffic is that it has a high potential for collisions. Stop-and-go traffic, as well as the addition of cyclists and pedestrians, can increase the risk of collisions in the area.
How can you avoid a crash? Here are five tips to help you stay safe while you’re cruising through the Chicagoland area or in cities across Illinois.
1. Get mentally prepared to drive
One of the first things to do is to get mentally ready to drive. You should get enough sleep and plan your route. Take time to get comfortable in the driver’s seat, too. Once you start driving, stay focused.
2. Limit how much you drive at night
The next thing to do is to limit how much you drive at night. Night driving is always more difficult, since it’s harder to see. Whenever possible, drive during daylight hours.
3. Limit how many passengers you take with you
If you can, limit the number of passengers that you take with you on the road. Passengers can be distracting and cause crashes by taking your mind off the road or by causing you to look away.
If you have children in the car who tend to act up, try to give them something to do. Provide them with books or activities so they are quiet and you can concentrate.
4. Get ready for bad weather
Stop-and-go traffic, as well as traffic jams, can happen in bad weather. Make sure you practice driving in poor conditions and slow down, so you can avoid a rear-end collision or another type of accident. If the weather gets too bad, remember that you can pull over and wait it out.
5. Keep your vehicle well-maintained
Finally, keep your vehicle well-maintained. The last thing you want is for your brakes to go out or for your transmission to die at a traffic light. Keep your car in good shape, so it maneuvers and drives the way you expect it to.
These are five tips that can help you stay safe and avoid collisions while you’re driving in the city. It is up to everyone to do what they can to be safe on the roads so that all drivers and passengers can get home safely.