Car Safety Tips Every Driver Needs to Know

Staying safe on the roads is so important, no matter how far you’re travelling but it’s fair to say that the further you’re driving, the more safety issues you could incur.

Every driver knows the basic safety checks to do before leaving the house to ensure their car is in working order but not all of us bother and we’re certainly not all as clued up about what to do if we face a safety issue on the go.

The summer holidays are soon to commence if yours haven’t started already which means everyone is about to hit the road for some great summer adventures, so here are the car safety tips and tricks we think every driver needs to know!

The 20p Tyre Test

You should really check the depth of the tread on your tyres regularly anyway but especially before heading off on a long journey. A lot of people avoid testing the tread on their tyres because they think it’s time-consuming but with this handy hack, it’ll take seconds to check if your tyres are safe and road legal.

Tyre Safe have put together a whole article on how to use any 20p coin you’ve got lying around to check your tyre tread depth and it really is genius! In short, all you need to do is place a 20p into the main tread groove of the tyre and if the whole depth of the outer rim of the 20p is inside the groove, your tyres are legal but if any of this outer band of the coin can be seen, they’re not.

Don’t Forget Your Warning Triangle

Hands up if you don’t have a warning triangle in the back of your car? It’s not a legal requirement in the UK but it is highly recommended to keep an emergency warning triangle in your vehicle in case you break down and it could actually help you if you do find yourself stuck.

In terms of your own personal safety, having an emergency warning triangle will help you warn other drivers that you’ve broken down and your vehicle is not going to be moving, this means other road users can easily avoid your vehicle and give you plenty of space to stay safe while having to stand on/near the road.

Having your emergency warning triangle will also help make you visible to the recovery company or mechanic you’ve called, meaning you’ll get the help you need quicker.

Always Take Your Free Car Seat Demonstration

As a parent, you’re not just responsible for your own safety in the car but your child’s too and making sure they’ve got the right car seat and that it is fitted properly is a big part of this.

One of our top hacks for ensuring the best level of car safety for your child is to take the free demonstration many car seat retailers will offer you. Whether it’s showing you how to use the seat in-store or actually fitting it in your car for you, there are many UK car seat stores that offer free demos both before and after buying a car seat and this is a great way to ensure you’re using this car seat to the best of its ability.

Never Put Your Feet on the Dashboard

Anyone who has ever ridden in the car as a passenger is guilty of putting their feet up on the dashboard while grabbing a quick nap before you get to where you’re going but this can actually be really dangerous and one of our top car safety tips would be to avoid doing this at all costs!

An American woman’s story went viral in 2017 after she spoke out about the injuries she sustained after being in a car accident while her foot was on the dashboard and it is now more known than ever before why to not put your feet on the dash! If your car is in an impact, the airbags will go off, one of which is in the dashboard and if your body is in direct contact with this, it could lead to injuries, so be sure to keep your feet off the dashboard!

Choose Your In-Car Playlist Carefully

Most of us like a bit of in-car entertainment and many of us will opt for a bit of music but did you know that some songs are actually proven to be dangerous to listen to when driving?

From being too loud and intense to just downright distracting, Confused.com shared the top 10 songs that are known for being dangerous to listen to whilst driving and unfortunately for some, there’s Guns N’ Roses, The Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and more of some favourite famous faces on the list!

The experiment conducted by Confused.com revealed that certain types of music led to more aggressive driving whilst others led to driving quickly and some drivers even found classical music led to more erratic driving!

For the safest drive possible, its recommended you choose music that mimics the rhythm of the human heartbeat which is 60-80 beats per minute.

Secure Belongings Down That Could Move Around

There’s nothing more dangerous than overfilling your car and then having your belongings rolling all over the car. If you have to brake suddenly in an emergency, you could see your possessions fly to the front of the car and if the impact was strong enough, through your windscreen.

It’s so easy to organise your car storage and keep everything secure, so that nothing could move and hurt someone, including moving your bulky luggage into a roof bag on the top of the car. We have a range of soft roof boxes in varying capacities, making it easy for you to find the one that can perfectly hold all your belongings.

Staying safe in the car doesn’t have to be difficult if you plan ahead, so follow our top car safety tips and you should be in for a smooth and successful journey.

Have you got any top tips for staying safe behind the wheel? Share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!