JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Car crashes are the leading killer of Americans between the ages of one to 24. More than three quarters of automobile wrecks are caused by driver errors. Here are a few techniques for coping with common driving hazards.
Drivers who run traffic lights
· Don't assume other drivers are going to obey the traffic light when it changes color.
· If you are the first in line at an intersection, hesitate before starting to enter the intersection after your light turns green.
· Look left, right, then left again before you accelerate.
Blowouts
· Know what one feels like. In the front, the car will pull hard to one side. In the rear, the car will weave and vibrate.
· Don't slam on the brakes.
· Take your foot off the accelerator and stay in your lane.
· Pull off the road at a safe location.
Skidding
· Hard or panic braking may cause your rear wheels to skid. In this case, take your foot off the brake. · Ease off the gas pedal if the rear wheels lose traction due to hard acceleration.
· If the skid is due to a loss of traction because of the road surface, shift to neutral.
· Look and steer in the direction you want to go.
· Just before the rear wheels stop skidding, countersteer until you are going in the desired direction. Don't jerk the steering wheel, though, or else the rear wheels may start to skid in the opposite direction.
· Once the vehicle is driving straight, return to a driving gear and accelerate gently so that the engine speed matches road speed.
· If the above methods fail, maneuver to the shoulder of the road and gradually coast to a stop.
Road rage
· Remain courteous.
· Don't honk your horn too much.
· Don't block the passing lane on a highway.
· Signal before you change lanes.
· Don't tailgate.
· Take your time; don't be in a hurry.