Safe Driving Decisions

1. Take in the whole scene around you. Don’t just look at the road directly in front of you; look for vehicles, pedestrians or animals, which maybe entering the roadway near snow mounds.
2. Use your turn signals. Turn on your signals 5 to 8 seconds prior to every turn or lane change to give pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers adequate time to respond.
3. Drive carefully next to large trucks. Heavy Trucks can’t move quickly. Don’t force them to brake or swerve suddenly.
4. Make sure the intersection is clear before entering. When the traffic signal turns green, look both ways before entering the intersection; someone on another approach may be running a red light.
5. Give bicycles plenty of room when passing or turning. They may alter their path to avoid potholes or frozen ice on roadway edges.
6. Block the sun, not the view. Use your visor to shield your eyes from the sun and wear sunglasses for added protection.
7. Don't use cruise control when the roads are wet. Cruise control continuously provides power to the wheels, something you don’t want if you’re hydroplaning.
8. Adjust your speed before curves. It’s always better to enter a curve a little too slowly than too quickly.
9. Check for bicycles and pedestrians before opening your car door after parking. It’s the law in Massachusetts and violators shall be punished by a fine. For details check out www.massbike.org/bikebill/index.htm
10. Allow extra travel time for traffic and bad weather.