Accidents on the highways usually occur when drivers neglect to heed road markings, signs and signals carefully. It is imperative for drivers to always be on the lookout for these markings and avoid traffic accidents.
It is a driver’s legal responsibility to learn and master the meanings and special indications of the different road signs, and to practice safe driving behavior.
Keep your eyes on the road – The best way to promote road safety is by staying alert and focused while driving. You must keep your eyes on the road, look to the sides, and look behind your vehicle so you will always see the road markings and the color of the road paint used.
Your driving should get your full attention and you should avoid engaging in non driving-related activities such as texting, eating, or reading. If you need to look at a map for directions, you must always pull over to read; never read a map while your vehicle is running.
Always drive in the right lane – When driving in a highway with two lanes, you should keep driving to the right hand lane. Never cross to the other lane if there are double solid yellow lines, and cross carefully if there are broken lines.
In a highway with four lanes or more, you should still keep driving to the right hand lanes. Be very careful in taking turns, passing lanes, and giving way to other drivers.
Control your speed – You do not need to maintain your speed at the minimum, but it is also risky to keep your speed up. Always check your speedometer and keep watch for any speed limit signs that you may pass by.
When you are running at a constant speed and a speed limit sign indicates that your current speed is beyond the specified speed limit, you must always adjust your speed. Never try to challenge the road’s speed rules. Those rules are there for a reason, and no driver is in the right position to defy them.
If you do not adjust or change your driving speed accordingly, you may either end up being pulled over by traffic patrols or become a victim of traffic accidents due to improper speeding.
Pass appropriately on highways – If you need to pass another vehicle, use the left lane in doing so. Never use the shoulder or unpaved path in passing. Make sure that there are no other vehicles passing through the left lane when you make a quick pass.
You can also use the right lane to pass a vehicle that is turning to the left. Before passing a vehicle that is in front or ahead of you, ensure that you are currently driving on a safe passing zone; pay heed to the road lines and the color of the road paint.
Always check for traffic on the other lanes and for blind spots. Signal other drivers that you are going to make a pass so that they would know and could give way to you as you make the maneuver. Give room to the vehicle you just passed, do not re-enter the right lane until you can see the vehicle in your rearview mirror.
