In some cases, stopping distracted driving is as simple as turning off your phone. But in other cases, it might require a little bit more finesse. Rather than waiting until you have time to formally study defensive driving in Houston, read this guide of measures that you can take to help prevent yourself and those you love from driving in a way that may be dangerous.
When in doubt, find a safe place to pull over. Not sure if what you’re doing is safe to do while driving? Just pull off the road. This is a commonly taught technique for defensive driving in Austin and around the country. When you’re on the road, you should be focusing on driving with undivided attention. If something else needs to be addressed, pull off onto the shoulder. Pull into a parking lot. Don’t do it and keep driving.
Turn off electronics before you hit the road. If you can’t receive phone calls or texts, you can’t be tempted to answer them as you’re driving. This is a simple step that many parents require from teenagers, but it’s powerful for anyone. In our society of constant contact it can sound like something strange to do, but it can be a lifesaving step.
Know where you’re going and what route you’ll take. With tools like Google Maps available, you can know exactly how to get to your destination and even know what it looks like if you’ve never been there. Plan out your route, and if you’re really concerned about needing turn-by-turn directions, either program your GPS ahead of time or have someone ride along to navigate. Just make sure that if you have to change anything with your GPS while driving, you pull off to the side of the road for it. Just because your GPS has a car attachment doesn’t make it safe to use while the car is moving!
