Highway Driving Safety Tips
If you’re a learner driver or have your P plates in NSW or Victoria, you may be wondering how you can share the road safely when you’re driving on the highway.
Good driving habits will dramatically reduce your risk of being in a serious or fatal accident, and keep you safe wherever you travel using Australia’s vast highway system.
So in this guide, LTrent Driving School will discuss a few safe driving tips you should be using whenever you’re driving on the highway.
1. Always Keep Your Eyes On The Road And Avoid Distractions
Distracted driving is extremely dangerous, particularly at highway speeds. If you take your eyes off of the road for even 5 seconds – to do something like check a text message, for example, or fiddle with the radio – you will drive the distance of a football field.
A lot can happen in that distance – and if another driver brakes unexpectedly or switches lanes, you may end up in an accident that could have been avoided. Never drive distracted. It’s against the law – and for your own safety, you need to focus on the road.
2. Keep Enough Distance Between Yourself & Other Drivers
For about every 15 km/h you’re driving, you should give yourself 1 car length between yourself and the car in front of you. So if you’re doing 90 km/h on the highway, you should have about 5 to 6 car lengths between you and the car in front of you.
This ensures that you can react to the other driver’s actions in case something unexpected happens, and keeps everyone on the road safer.
3. Always Check Blind Spots & Use Your Turn Signal Before Switching Lanes
Make sure to do a head check, look at your rear and side mirrors, and turn on your turn signal before you switch lanes. This ensures that you can change your lane safely and predictably, and that other road users will be aware of your manoeuvre before it happens.
4. Stay In The Left Lane If You’re Not Passing
As a rule, you should only be driving in the rightmost lane of a highway in Australia if you’re passing other trucks or cars. When driving normally, stay in the far-left lane. This ensures that the flow of traffic will be unobstructed.
5. Beware Of Predicted & Current Weather Conditions
Make sure you know what the weather will be like before your drive. Rain, fog, and other such issues may affect your safety when driving, so keep this in mind.
6. Follow The Speed Limit
Always follow the speed limit in NSW or VIC. Speeding is dangerous, against the law, and makes it harder to respond to on-road situations.
Remember that learner drivers in NSW must stay below 90 km/h, even if the posted speed limit on the highway is higher. This does not apply in Victoria, however.
7. Always Wear Your Seat Belt
Last, but certainly not least, wear your seat belt. It’s the law – and when driving at higher speeds, such as on the highway, the risk of dying due to not being restrained by a seat belt while in a motor vehicle is much higher.
Need More Help? Contact LTrent Driving School Today!
At LTrent Driving School, our professional instructors can help you drive more safely on the NSW or VIC roads and highways. Contact us online to book a lesson package now, and drive with confidence. If you’re a learner driver in NSW, you can also complete the Safer Drivers Course which accounts for 20 of your logbook hours.