Recently, I had the opportunity of driving in another country and the experience was, well, rather foreign.  The lights were different, they blinked green until they went red, I could not read any of the signs and my map was in language other than my own tongue.   Needless to say… I was anxious.

It is this type of anxiety I believe drivers feel when they are driving in a city which is unfamiliar to them, the uncertainty, the fear, the speed, all of it combine to make a driver, nervous and unsure.   Add to it the horns, well, we have all been there.  

Some basic tips and low technology suggestions for properly navigating a strange city or country and doing so with the least amount of stress:

1) The low tech map.  GPS devices are great, but when it gets down to it, when you are driving amongst the natives, it is best to have a plan prior to the drive and a map/Atlas is the best for pre-planning.   Know your route prior to driving it.

2) Plan.   Make sure you know well in advance of your trip, what you plan where your are going and what you plan to do.   There is nothing worse than driving around aimlessly in a place you are not familiar with.   Ever get drive in Texas?  Ever drive in Houston, Dallas or San Antonio?   You should have a plan or you might as well be driving in Greece!

3) Know the laws - every country and every state has different laws.  Right turn on red for instance, fluctuates state by state and if you have a high tech “smart” phone, you should know the laws about their usage… it could save you a ticket. 

DefensiveDriving.com offers state approved defensive driving courses throughout the US and these tips are a sampling of the good driver safety behaviors we teach via our online driver safety course. 

Drive Friendly, Safely and with a Plan!

Imagine you are happily cruising down the interstate at 70mph—music blasting, windows slightly open. You don’t notice that you’ve crept up a little too close to the car in front of you. This car stops suddenly; by the time you see it, there isn’t enough space for you stop. However, the lane to your right is free.

You need to execute an emergency lane change. This is a helpful technique that allows you to change lanes quickly and safely in the event of brake failure, a tire blowout, a sudden obstacle in the road, or other similar emergency. Use this simple one-two-three motion to make an emergency lane change to the right:

1.      Your hands should be opposite another on the steering wheel—at 9 and 3 o’clock. From this position, spin the wheel 180 degrees to the right, so that your arms are crossed.

2.      As soon as your arms touch, spin the wheel back 360 degrees, so that your arms cross in the opposite direction.

3.      Immediately straighten the wheel with a 90 degree turn back to the right.

To enter the right-hand lane: RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT.

To enter the left-hand lane: LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT.

Using this technique, you’ll be able to make a quick lane change when traveling at speeds as high as 60-70mph without losing control of your vehicle. 

To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects ranging from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Battery”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!

By completing a state approved defensive driving course such as DefensiveDriving.com, you’ll not only improve your skills as a driver—you also could be eligible to save money on your insurance.  Many of the leading insurance companies in the state of Texas offer various kinds of “safe driver” discounts, including discounts for completing a defensive driving course.   Most of those companies offer a 10 percent discount for three years after successful completion of defensive driving.

How Much Can You Save?

Because auto insurance rates vary depending on gender, amount of coverage, marital status, zip code, and especially age, there is no meaningful “average” insurance premium cost. But it is reasonable to assume that most adult drivers under the age of 25 in Texas will pay at least $1000 a year for minimum coverage. That means the average person would save $100 for taking a defensive driving course, $300 for three years.

Now imagine you pay more – much more, as some drivers do. The chart below shows potential savings:

How much does DefensiveDriving.com cost?  $25.  Would you pay $25 to save up to $750? 

DefensiveDriving.com

By completing a state approved defensive driving course such as DefensiveDriving.com, you’ll not only improve your skills as a driver—you also could be eligible to save money on your insurance! Many of the leading insurance companies in the state of Texas offer various kinds of “safe driver” discounts, including discounts for completing a defensive driving course.  

These discounts can be anywhere from three to twenty percent off your automobile insurance premium; most discounts are valid for three years. After completing your defensive driving course, contact your insurance provider with a valid certificate of completion to claim your discount. If you’ve already completed your course—don’t worry! Most companies will allow you to apply for this discount any time within three years of completion. 

Below are some of the top Texas insurers that offer a discount for completing a defensive driving course. However, you should contact your local agent to confirm that this discount applies to your policy.  

• State Farm
• Farmers Auto Insurance
• GEICO, GEICO Indemnity, & General Insurance Company
• USAA County Mutual Insurance Co.
• Southern Farm Bureau Casualty
• USAA
• Mid-Century Insurance Company
• Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
• State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas
• Liberty County Mutual Insurance Company
• Colonial County Mutual Insurance Group
• AAA Texas County Mutual Insurance Company
• Safeco Insurance Company
• Amica Mutual Insurance Company
• Germania Insurance Company
• Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas
• Infinity County Mutual Insurance Company
• General Insurance Company of America

For more information on insurance companies and agents operating in the state of Texas, check out the Texas Department of Insurance website. This website has contact information for leading insurance companies, agent contact directories, lists of top insurers in various categories, and lots more information:

http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/

Even if you don’t see your company on the list, they may still offer a discount. Contact an agent in your area for more information.

Tips:

Any additional individuals listed on your insurance policies can realize savings if they also take defensive driving.

If taking the course for insurance only, you can take the course again if you get a ticket (as long as you have not dismissed a ticket with defensive driving in the past 12 months)

DefensiveDriving.com is state approved and consumer approved – it is the most popular online course in Texas since 2000!

This article discusses how to find and take an online defensive driving for ticket dismissal in Texas.

In June 2009, five teenagers were killed in a tragic accident in Detroit when their car was hit by a passenger train. This accident occurred in spite of the fact that all safety measures—including gates and flashing lights—were functioning effectively.

Avoiding a collision with a train may seem like common-sense; however, as statistics show, such collisions are tragically commonplace. Did you know that a potentially fatal car-train collision occurs every 90 minutes in the United States? According to the Federal Highway Administration, accidents at highway-train crossings resulted in 299 fatalities and 817 injuries in 2007.

Many of these accidents occur when drivers try to “beat” a train across the tracks. Remember that when a car goes up against a train, nobody wins. The average train weighs 12 million pounds, while the average car weighs only 4,000 pounds; a speeding train can crush a car like a soda can. However, the passengers in the car aren’t the only ones at risk. A car on the tracks can derail a train, endangering the lives of train passengers. If the train is carrying dangerous freight, like volatile chemicals, a car-train crash can result in environmental damage that puts entire communities at risk. When you race a train, you are putting countless lives at risk.

Approximately two-thirds of all car-train accidents occur during daylight, when drivers should be able to see approaching trains! These accidents occur for a number of reasons.

1.      An approaching train is an optical illusion; drivers often don’t realize how fast a train is moving.

2.      Drivers think trains will be able to stop for them. In reality, the average freight train travelling at 50 MPH will need 1.5 miles to come to a full stop.

3.      Drivers ignore safety devices like lights, gates, and bells.

A few simple safety measures could prevent these tragic crashes. First and foremost, be patient and don’t take risks.

Keep these other rules in mind:

1.      Always obey signs, gates, lights, bells, and other safety equipment. Never dodge a gate in order to “beat” a train.

2.      Don’t start crossing a track if you can’t get all the way across. Wait for traffic on the other side to clear before beginning your crossing.

3.      If your car stalls while you are on the tracks, get out immediately, move away from the tracks, and call the police. Your life is more valuable than your property.

4.      Only cross at designated crossings. 

5.      If the crossing doesn’t have gates or other warning equipment, make sure you check in both directions before crossing. Then, turn off your radio and listen for a train. If you can see or hear a train, don’t begin your crossing. 

6.      If you are at a crossing that does have gates and/or lights, make sure to look both ways and listen even if the gates are raised and the lights are off. Safety equipment can and does malfunction.

7.      If there are multiple tracks, make sure you check all of them before crossing.

8.      Never walk, run, or cycle on or near train tracks.

9.      Stay off train bridges and out of train tunnels.

10.   Remember that school buses and trucks carrying flammable liquids are required to stop at train crossings, regardless of whether or not a train is approaching. If you are behind one of these vehicles, be aware that they will have to stop before the crossing.

11.   Common driving distractions like talking on a cell phone, eating and drinking, and texting can result in a failure to observe proper safety procedures while crossing a train track. Be an alert and responsible driver.