To ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, and everybody else around you, here are some good practices to improve your safety ratings while driving.
“Don't drive while tired” is one of the oldest cliches in the book, but it's a cliche for a reason. Tired drivers make many more mistakes than alert drivers. Caffeinated drinks are not always the best solution as although you gain an initial boost, the effects wear off over time and can leave the consumer feeling drowsy or can distract their concentration from vital matters. Ensure that you take brakes during long journeys to maintain your concentration. Also ensure that you are consuming enough food and water to upkeep your concentration and comfort. If you are travelling a long distance with two able drivers it is also a good idea to drive in shifts to allow each other to rest.
Avoid distractions - while cell phone usage is legal in some countries and states it is absolutely not advisory as it will take your concentration from the road. Use a handsfree device does reduce this, but while talking on the phone through one of these you can still be distracted from your driving. If possible, power down your phone or leave it on silent and out of reach.
As well as ensuring you have had enough sleep, you should ensure that you are sober. Even after one beer our bodies become more tired and our concentration begins to slip. Something you might not consider so much is if you are sober from the night before when you are driving in the morning. If you are not sober or you are not sure, avoid driving at all.
When you are driving rental cars, it pays to spend ten or fifteen minutes familiarising yourself with the location of all the devices on the vehicle before you even turn it on. Check for the position of the horn, the lights, the signal indicators, the wipers and screen cleaning devices, the hazard lights and everything you could possibly need to know to help prevent an accident. Also, if your'e driving abroad, you should learn the local driving laws, and always ensure you are driving on the correct side of the road before you take off.
Always check the condition of your vehicle for things like tyre pressure, oil and water levels and also fuel levels. This not only will ensure that you are less likely to have an accident, it will also reduce your fuel consumption as you drive. For longer or more hazardous trips, you may want to have a mechanic perform all of the checks for maximum safety.
You should always drive to the speed limit. Speed limits not only lower your fuel consumption, they are put in place for a reason. Fast driving is reckless and dangerous, and even when you are particularly familiar with the route, you never know what could be waiting around the corner and your over-confidence could be the death of you.
Wearing your seatbelt will ensure your safety in the event of an emergency. Have these checks regularly, particularly after they have been potentially stretched following an accident or an emergency stop.
Drive defensively and always read the road. Be aware of everybody else and their safety and what you can do to minimise risk to them.