Road Hazards

Good, well-maintained tires can also help you avoid blowouts, so keep an eye on their treads and pressure. Under, or overinflated tires can trigger a leak or blowout; store a gauge in your glove compartment, and check your tires once a month. On a family vacation, you're driving at dusk along a narrow lakeshore road. In an effort to avoid a head-on collision, you desperately steer toward the shoulder, but your car flies into a deep part of the water.

First of all, remain calm. As soon as the car is steady, unbuckle your seat belt, climb into the back, and unbuckle your children. If you have manual windows, roll one down. If they are electric, break the glass. Ideally, you should use a 5-inch spring-loaded punch, a tool used by carpenters and machinists. Buy one at a hardware store, and keep it in your glove compartment. Drive defensively and at a safe speed whenever you're near water. Have a game plan for what you would do if you were suddenly forced off the road. Also, be careful when driving in flood conditions.

Avoid flood-prone roads in heavy rains, and if you find yourself in rising water, get your family out of the car and move to higher ground. You're in the midst of a long, boring drive down the Interstate and you notice that your 3-year-old has unbuckled his car seat and is standing up in the back of the car. Firmly explain that this behavior is unacceptable and that the car will not move until everyone is buckled in.

When putting your child into the car, always do so from the curb.

Standing in the road to buckle your child in puts you at great risk of being hit. Never engage in discussions with your child about why he can't get out of his car seat. Tell him it's not allowed, and that's that. Always make sure the harness is snug enough if you can't pinch any harness fabric between your fingers, it's good.

Otherwise, kids can slip out. During an hour-long drive to visit a friend, your 6-month-old begins screaming her head off. You try to console her, but nothing works. Whatever you do, don't ever reach into the backseat to console her; you need to stay fully focused on the road. Instead, pull into a parking lot or another safe place.

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Check to see if she needs a diaper change or wants to be fed. Never bring a baby into the front seat—even in a parked vehicle—because if the car were struck and the airbags deployed, your baby could be injured or killed. Keep in mind that a safety seat is not a natural place for an infant to spend time. If you're with a spouse, take turns riding in the back alongside the baby.

7 Common Road Hazards (And How to Avoid Them)

While you're there, play with her and keep her engaged with soft toys , rattles, and books. On long trips, take frequent breaks to accommodate her needs—as well as to keep you from feeling frazzled. After picking your child up from a playdate, you take a left turn at the green-arrow signal. A driver coming from the opposite direction runs a red light and fails to see you. Instead of trying to salvage the tire, focus on getting off the road. A blown front right tire will cause the vehicle to drift left, for example. Check your tire pressure at least once a week, especially in winter, when the pressure can drop.

But if it suddenly turns warmer, make sure to let the air escape. An overinflated tire can cause the side tread to leave the surface, leaving only the center tread in contact with the road. Your owner's manual or a label inside of the driver's side door will tell you the correct tire pressure for the vehicle.

Road Hazard List - LGAM Knowledge Base

Dislodging it while the vehicle is in motion is dangerous, so prevention is key: Make sure your mat is the right fit for your vehicle, is snapped in place if that option is available, and that you haven't stacked mats on top of each other. If that looks clear, then go into neutral. Some cars have an electronic brake that only requires a button push.

The brake should lock up the rear wheels and allow the car to come to a stop. Having a vehicle riding too close to your rear bumper can be a nerve-wracking experience.

If you need to brake suddenly, the car is likely to collide with yours. If you honk, flash your lights, or make an insulting hand gesture, you run the risk of antagonizing someone who is already behaving irrationally. Feeling the rush of wind that accompanies a passing wheeler can give you a healthy respect for these road behemoths.

A good rule of thumb is to add an extra second of following distance to the recommended three seconds for most drivers. Following distance is the amount of time it would take for your car to pass a landmark, like a roadside sign, after the driver in front of you has passed it.

In bad weather, Solomon says to increase it to seven or even 12 seconds to avoid debris and snow hitting your windshield. The same holds true for buses. Driving through it can reduce visibility in a manner similar to a bad snowfall. Your instinct might be to put on your high beams to better illuminate the road ahead. Back roads can often be nestled directly in the path of deer, animals that have no understanding of passing traffic and can appear out of nowhere.

If you notice that a hauling vehicle has an unsecured load and may throw debris on the road, exit the highway and call the highway patrol to describe the unsafe vehicle. Construction Zones If you come across a construction zone, slow down and drive carefully. Be prepared to safely change lanes and watch out for road workers.

Potholes can cause distractions, and some drivers may swerve around a pothole and cause accidents. When you see a pothole on the road, keep a firm grip on your steering wheel, slow down and, if it is safe, try to drive around the pothole. Malfunctioning Traffic Lights If you come across a malfunctioning traffic light at an intersection, watch out for drivers who may not follow the rules and just drive through the light without stopping.

Make sure that all vehicles are stopped before proceeding. Back to Resources What is Defensive Driving?

• Skidding Out of Control.
• Blowout on the Highway.
• Lesson Plans Walden?
• Road Hazards - Road & Driving Safety.
• Category:Road hazards!
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How to deal with common road hazards and unsafe driving situations?