If there is one road/driving menace I can boldly say will never come to an end, it is heavy traffic jams. In fact, the daily increase in population without a proportionate increase in the landmass area for the extra people to expand to is a major indicator of attestment to the claim made above. Now, driving in traffic has its way of getting to people, especially when they have to do it everyday. A lot of times, the stress and exhaustion people face while in traffic is the reason they drive with so recklessly and end up crashing into something or someone. From screaming to wasting fuel to sitting on a spot for hours, the list of annoying traffic experiences is endless.
But it does not have to be that bad. Really it does not. Following some of these dos and don’ts in a heavy traffic will definitely change your traffic experiences. Leggo!
First, you need to ensure that the traffic does not get to you mentally or emotionally. That is the foundation for driving calmly in the first place.
- AVOID DISTRACTIONS: At this stage, everyone is in a hurry to get out of that fix in every way that they can. People will maneuver recklessly into and out of lanes without thinking. Your being distracted at that time would not let you see or prepare for what is coming. Dp all you can to have you eyes fixed on the road.
- DRIVE DEFENSIVELY: Majorly because every other person is driving offensively. Defensive driving covers a wide range of skills you should employ to prevent dangerous situations on the road before they occur. You should plan for ways you can react in an emergency situation, like if another vehicle were to try and merge into you.
- PLAN YOUR DRIVE: Rush hour traffic is a phrase I’m sure a lot of people are used to. Especially those residing in Lagos. If you can leave your location earlier than 5pm, do all you can to because even a fifteen minute window can determine how many minutes or hours as it were that you spend driving through traffic.
- MAINTAIN A SIZEABLE DISTANCE: Do not stay too close to the car directly ahead of you. First, it prevent a damage to your car should the driver decide to jerk backward suddenly. Also, there could really be a need for that driver to reverse a bit so that a situation in front can be addressed.
- OBEY ALL TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS This is not the time to neglect traffic rules as a result of your impatience. First, you could collide with someone else who is genuinely obeying the rule and then cause an avoidable accident. Also, this is that time when traffic officials are waiting to pounce on people who disobey traffic rules so as to milk them dry. Do fall a victim!