Do you often find yourself a target for road rage? Are you a victim of tailgating, flashing highlights, and horn-honking? The main thing to remember when driving is to clearly broadcast to other drivers what you intend to do at all times. This may be difficult, considering you can't speak at length with other drivers, but there are many tools at your disposal. Let other drivers know what you're going to do.


This article is targeted at countries where driving takes place on the right. For countries where driving takes place on the left, the words right and left may have to be interchanged.

Steps
Drive consistently. Don't speed up and slow down for no reason, don't make one turn fast and the next slow. Consistent driving, whether more aggressive or less, is the best way to allow other drivers to accurately predict what you're going to do next.

Don't tailgate. Ever. It's completely unnecessary, highly annoying and quite dangerous. If the vehicle in front is traveling slowly in the passing lane, flash your headlights, once, from a respectful distance. Then be patient. If you find that you keep catching up to cars ahead of you, then you're probably going too fast relative to traffic around you. When being tailgated, get out of the way by signaling and changing lanes.

Use your turn signal lights to signal your intentions to other drivers so your actions don't come as a surprise. Signal before you turn, change lanes, merge, or exit the freeway...every time, even when you don't think it's necessary. If you need to slow down to make a turn or pull over, use your turn signal before pressing the brake pedal. This will give other drivers advance notice that you'll be slowing down soon. When you're finished making your turn or lane change, make sure your turn signal is off. If someone is performing a reasonable merge or lane change in front of you (timely and using a turn signal), let them in - especially tractor-trailers; truck drivers are just doing their jobs.

When you need to use the brake to slow down, put your foot on it and decelerate smoothly. Frequent tapping of the brake pedal will make drivers around you unsure of whether you're actually stopping. On the other hand, don't brake at the absolute last possible second. Give drivers behind you plenty of time to notice that you're braking and to do likewise.

Accelerate with purpose. This is not to say you should floor the gas and take off like mad. Just don't dawdle, especially when the light turns green, or when it's your turn at the stop sign. When you are changing lanes, do not slow down unless traffic demands it. In fact, speed up a little bit.

When pulling into moving traffic, time your move carefully and accelerate quickly so you don't force oncoming drivers to hit their brakes. Be patient and wait for a big opening, then hit it! If the traffic is moving at 60 mph and it takes you a leisurely 30 seconds to get up to speed, you'll need almost half a mile of empty highway to avoid endangering or irritating other drivers.

Stop at the stop line, especially at intersections with traffic lights. Stopping well short of the line can be confusing to other drivers--is that car stopped for the light or has it broken down?--and you may fail to trigger the sensors that change the traffic lights. Stopping beyond the line won't get you to your destination much faster but it will interfere with other vehicles, especially those trying to turn left onto your street.

When you are moving into a turn lane in preparation for making a turn, signal your intention, change into the turn lane, then slow down--in that order. If there are multiple turn lanes, pick one and stay in it all the way throught the turn. Drifting into an adjacent lane is likely to force another driver to take evasive action.

Try to drive close to the speed limit unless conditions demand that all drivers slow down or speed up (such as in heavy traffic or inclement weather). Even if there are passing lanes, stay close to the speed of other vehicles unless there is a real need to go slower. When you must drive more slowly than others (looking for an address or when your car is having mechanical difficulty), use your hazard flashers. If passing is difficult and you're holding up traffic, pull over from time to time to let others get by. They'll thank you for it.

If there is more than one clear lane and you are in the right lane behind someone going a few miles under the limit, do not honk or speed by and cut them off to make a point that they are going too slow. The speed limit is technically an upper limit, and people are not required to drive any faster. If you need to go as fast or faster than the limit, pass when it is safe to do so.
When driving on a multi-lane road, do not block other traffic by driving right next to another car at the same speed. Not only does this prevent faster traffic from flowing past, the driver next to you will be continuously distracted by your car in the corner of their eye.

Do not drive in the left lane continually unless heavy traffic or upcoming turns demand it. It is the passing lane and is not intended for general traffic flow. If you're in the left lane and driving faster than the vehicles on your right, watch for vehicles driving faster than you coming from behind. Pull over so they too can pass.

Stay out of other cars' blind spots as much as possible, which are at the right and left rear corners of their car.

Make eye contact with other drivers when you or they are changing lanes, making turns, or passing through a stop sign. It helps other drivers to know that you see them too.

If you inadvertently cause a situation that annoys other drivers, and they honk the horn or indicate their displeasure in some other way, do not gesture wildly, honk your own horn or jam the brakes. Accept your short-lived punishment, indicate to the other driver that you are sorry for your infraction, and move on.

In heavy highway traffic, pick a lane and stay in it. Over the course of many miles, all lanes will go approximately the same speed. Excessive lane changing will not get you to your destination any faster, and ultimately only makes traffic run more slowly overall. It also increases your chances of a collision.
If you are on the freeway and it looks like the car next to you is trying to get over, it probably is because they are trying to get over. Speeding up so they can't get into your lane is just childish, and it may mean you have made them miss their exit. Unless in fact they are switching toward the middle of the freeway. Then it means they either intent to pass a car in front of them, and may not have seen you, so use caution and allow them to merge if they continue to come into your lane.

Hang up the cell phone. Holding a cell phone to your ear while you're driving is a surefire signal to other drivers that you care more about your personal conversation than about about their safety.

Learn about rights of way, especially when it comes to traffic signals and stop signs. If you come to a stop sign at the same time as someone else, the person on the right always has the right of way. You must stop at the stop sign, especially if there are other cars that have been there longer than you and its their turn to go. If the car in front of you has just gone, it is most probably NOT your turn to go. In North America, at a stoplight, the vehicle turning right always has the advantage over the vehicle turning left. In a rotary, traffic entering the rotary must yield to traffic already in the rotary.
Recognize that highway on-ramps and off-ramps are there so the flow of traffic will not be interrupted. Therefore you do not have to slow down on the freeway to get off--that's what the off-ramp is for. Conversely, the on-ramp gives you enough space to hopefully reach the typical speed limit of 55 miles per hour so that other drivers on the freeway do not need to slam on their brakes.


Tips
Be sure your vehicle is fit for the road. Not having working brake lights is a bad thing. All turn signals need to light up, otherwise using them does not help.

Adjust your rear view mirrors to minimize any blind spots. You should use the inside mirror to look behind you, the left mirror to look to the left rear and the right mirror to the right rear. TRADITIONAL METHOD: Your side mirrors should be adjusted so that you can almost see the side of your car in the mirror. If a side mirror is adjusted so that you can see directly behind you, most of the mirror will be taken up by the side of your car, and your blind spot is much larger. ALTERNATE METHOD: To set your right mirror, move your head to the middle of the car and adjust the mirror so you can see just the edge of your car. Do the same with the left mirror except put your head against your window. Test it out. You will be able to see a car come from behind you to pass in your rear-view. When it comes out of your rear-view, you will pick it up in your side mirror. When it comes out of your side mirror you can see it in your peripheral. Your blind spots then move out to one lane over, so you should always check over your shoulder when making lane changes in case someone is coming into your target lane from the next lane over.

Make sure you have appropriate visibility from the driver's seat. Keep your windows clean and clear; minimize the fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror and stuffed animals on the rear deck. That way, other drivers will be able to see through your car's windows to see where you're looking, and to see the brake lights of the car in front of you.

Pay attention to road signs and traffic signals.

Be sure to look ahead towards the horizon rather than directly in front of your vehicle. As soon as you see a sign indicating that the lane you are in is ending or there is an obstruction that will require you to change lanes, prepare to get out of your lane. Gently modify your speed to match the drivers in the other lane and choose your entry point. Do not stay in the ending lane at full speed until the last possible moment and expect that the drivers who have planned ahead for this change in lane configuration are going to let you merge easily. On the other hand, don't force your car out of a lane at the first sign of it ending, either - plan, signal, merge when it is safe to do so.

Don't panic. It is important to drive safely, as traffic accidents are the greatest annoyance of all. If you are not comfortable driving at high speeds, drive more slowly and avoid highways. Stay in the right lane and use cruise control, if your vehicle is so equipped, and don't drive outside your home town for the first few months - you'll do better in areas where you're more familiar with traffic patterns.

If you live in a region that receives snow, do not drive as though you've never seen snow before. If it is your first season driving in the snow, practice in an empty parking lot. Drive slowly enough to stay safe, but not so slowly that it causes traffic to line up behind you.

Drive with your headlights on in bad weather. (Rule: wipers on - headlights on.) A car is much more visible to other drivers when the headlights are on. Many folks these days drive with headlights on at all times. (It helps if you have automatic shutoff or a headlight buzzer!) Don't worry about burning out your headlights - they are much cheaper than even a slight accident. Also note that parking lights are for parking, not for bad weather driving. Parking lights have less than 5% of the visibility of headlights. Fog lights are usually not necessary in bad weather either (use only when visibility is seriously reduced, i.e below 300ft), many times they just make things worse for you and blind others even further, the same goes for high beams.

If a tractor-trailer needs to merge in front of you, flash your lights when the way is clear to let the truck driver know it's safe to get back in front of you. After dark, dim your headlights for 1 or 2 seconds when the trailer is past you. This is more courteous than flashing your high beams.

Do not use your cell phone in the car. Turn it off when driving to avoid the temptation to answer it. There is a reason that talking on a cell phone while driving is illegal in some states - it's dangerous! Find a good place to park to check for messages as needed.

Don't use the horn to point out driving errors. It's a tool to alert drivers to a situation that requires immediate attention. It is not a game show buzzer.
If you miss an exit or are about to miss it, don't panic and cross traffic. Just take the next exit and loop back around. Never back up on a highway, it is incredibly dangerous and you will only add another couple minutes to simply turn around at the next exit.

NEVER try to "beat the light." If it turns yellow and you have enough space to stop, then stop. Cyclists, pedestrians, and even other drivers expect you to be completely stopped by the time the light turns red. You endanger yourself and others by running yellow lights--only to save a minute or two--it simply isn't worth it.

Don't block other traffic trying to merge or cross busy intersections. Time your entry into an intersection so that you don't get caught blocking it once the light turns red (i.e. "don't block the box") When lanes merge, traffic should work like a zipper. You let one person in front of you, the person behind you lets one person in front of them.

Auto supply stores sell a small mirror that you attach to the lower part of your outside mirrors so that you can view your blind spots.
If you are turning onto a 2 lane road (one lane in each direction) from a side road, STOP at the stop sign, even if the way is clear. This is more courteous for drivers who are already on the road that may have to slow down until you accelerate to the proper speed. You will also avoid missing somebody on a lower profile vehicle (i.e. motorcycle, scooter, bicycle).

When turning left onto a road with multiple lanes in each direction, turn FROM the left TO the left. This will allow room for drivers turning right. If you are on a road with multiple left turn lanes, stay in your designated lane during the ENTIRE turn. Do not change lanes in the middle of the intersection.
Do not "rubberneck" if there is an accident, a police officer who has somebody stopped, or a car on the side of the road. If you want to look at scenery, pull over at an appropriate spot to look at it. Rubbernecking can cause accidents and slowing down to look at road-side objects will slow traffic down.

Turning lanes and breakdown lanes are not passing lanes. Using them as such is apt to provoke retaliatory action by other drivers who feel wronged. Conversely, if someone else does it just let it slide; think of how much longer it'll take to clean up the mess if you get into an accident.
Learn what the yield sign means. You don't have to stop if there is no traffic coming. That is what stop signs are for.


Warnings
Avoid doing other things while driving. This includes eating, drinking, smoking, talking on cell phones, listening to audio devices (headphones, even when only worn on one ear, are particularly dangerous), listening to the car radio at an excessive volume, watching video players, having animated conversations with passengers or imaginary friends, reading magazines, putting on makeup, playing musical instruments, dressing, undressing and/or shaving. Remember that, as the driver of an automobile, your first responsibility is to drive the car. If you drop something at your feet, get off the road and then pick it up. Even at low speeds, you could easily drift off the road into a ditch or parked car while reaching down to get something.
Never wait until the very last second to leave for work, school or errands. Rushing will likely cause you to drive erratically. Allow extra travel time, in case there is an accident or road work on your route to your destination.
If road conditions are such that you are afraid to drive, don't. Pull off and wait, or stay home.

Being tired or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (including many over-the-counter cold remedies) greatly increases the likelihood that you will hurt yourself or someone else. Stop the car in a safe place and wait until the effects have worn off.

If you are annoyed yourself, you are more likely to annoy other drivers. Relax, take it easy and leave room for other drivers that are more confused about driving than you are.

Do not use the shoulder or breakdown lane as a traffic lane. Do not enter a turn lane before pavement striping allows.

All Wheel Drive does not ensure safety. In poor weather take the appropriate precautions whether you have all wheel drive or not. The same goes for 4 wheel drive.

Semi Trucks are a lot bigger than even the largest SUV, and the drivers often have limited viewing areas to the side and behind them. Give them space. They also have a LOT more weight (sometimes 40 times the weight of an average car) to stop. If you are approaching a stoplight, DO NOT pull in front of a semi-truck. Semi-truck drivers estimate the amount of room they need to stop. If you pull in front of them, it changes their margins and they must brake harder, possibly causing an accident.

If you have to stop your car for some reason not related to a stoplight, stop sign, or traffic in front of you, PULL OVER to the side of the road, or preferably off the road, to avoid being hit. This includes: 1) saying hi to an acquaintance 2) letting someone out of the car 3) picking someone up 4) asking for directions 5) realizing that you just missed your turn 6) wondering where your turn is. 7) realizing you just got on the highway going the wrong way.

In some states it is illegal to flash your headlights at other cars.

Avoid doing other things while driving. This includes eating, drinking, smoking, talking on cell phones, listening to audio devices (headphones, even when only worn on one ear, are particularly dangerous), listening to the car radio at an excessive volume, watching video players, having animated conversations with passengers or imaginary friends, reading magazines, putting on makeup, playing musical instruments, dressing, undressing and/or shaving. Remember that, as the driver of an automobile, your first responsibility is to drive the car. If you drop something at your feet, get off the road and then pick it up. Even at low speeds, you could easily drift off the road into a ditch or parked car while reaching down to get something.