2019-Motorbikers-910Most people drive responsibly. But, it is all too easy to get distracted and let poor driving habits develop. So, today, we thought we would remind ourselves and our readers of five important things we need to be aware of.

Pay more attention to signage

Road signs play an important part in road safety. Without them, there would be far more accidents. So, periodically, go online and test how good your understanding of the signage used in your part of the world is. Don't forget to include private signage in the test.

Take a look at the myparkingsign website and you will see that there are lots of private signs available. It is important for you to familiarise yourself with the ones that could have an impact on how or where you can drive or park. In some places, a private no parking sign can be ignored. While in other jurisdictions ignoring it could result in the police being called or your vehicle being towed. So, it is best to familiarise yourself with the private signage rules and regulations, for your area.

The condition of their vehicle

Keeping your vehicle in good condition is essential. If your brake lights are out, the chances of someone running into you at a junction are high. Every week, quickly check your lights, brakes, wipers and tyres.

Be aware of motorbikes and cyclists

It is very important to be aware of the most vulnerable road users. If you hit a car at a relatively low speed, the chances are everyone will be OK. The safety features of a modern car, van or truck ensure that this will be the case.

But, this is not likely to be true if you were to hit a cyclist or motorbike rider. The risk of them being seriously injured is high. Around 78% of crashes involving motorcyclist result in some sort of injury. It is even worse for bike riders.

So, you need to be especially aware of these road users. This helpful leaflet outlines 10 common mistakes drivers make that result in collisions with motorbikes. Importantly, most of the advice it contains, applies equally to cyclists.

Your rear view mirror has a night and a day mode

If you have wondered what happens when you push that switch at the bottom of your rear view mirror, try it. When you do, you will see the glass change. This handy feature, which most drivers do not know about, helps you to drive safely at night. It reduces the glare from the headlights of drivers behind you, so you can see clearly ahead and are less likely to be distracted.

How tired they are

Regardless of where you live in the world people driving while tired is a huge issue. In Australia, around 20% of road accident fatalities are caused by fatigued drivers. According to research carried out by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in America, in 2013, 72,000 crashes occurred because someone drove while they were too tired to do so safely.

As you can see, it is important that you are aware of how tired you are. If you are fatigued you should never get behind the wheel.