Driving Safety Tip 1:
We have all heard that “When you are mad, count to 10.” For driving safety, however, the rule is “When you are driving, count to 2.”

The “Two Second Rule” was designed to help you maintain a safe following distance between you and the cars ahead, especially on the highway. Most of us were taught, and then promptly forgot, the complicated rules about calculating stopping distances. However, simply count to 2. One thousand one; one thousand two.

The Two Second Rule makes calculating a safe following distance simple and automatically adjusts your following distance to your speed. As you drive, watch the car ahead. When it passes a fixed object (mile marker, etc.), start counting: “One thousand one, one thousand two.” You should finish counting as you pass the same fixed object. If you reach the object before you finished counting, you do not have enough distance between you and the car ahead to stop safely; increase the distance between the cars and try again. In poor weather or when pulling a heavy load, count to three or more.

Driving Safety Tip 2:
As personal injury attorneys representing those hurt in collisions, we’ve seen several fatal head-on collisions; injuries from rear-end collisions can be lessened by defensive driving. Here’s one way to minimize the risk of death from being rear-ended by negligent and distracted drivers:

When preparing to make a left turn and while waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, many drivers cock their vehicle’s wheels to the left in preparation for their turn. DON’T! If you are hit from behind, your vehicle will be pushed forward and to the left, into the path of oncoming traffic.

INSTEAD, keep your wheels facing straight ahead while you wait. Then, if you are hit from behind, your car will be propelled forward.

You may still end up with quite a jolt but you may avoid the more deadly head-on collision.