Defensive driving: What you need to know

Getting behind the wheel of a car is a huge responsibility, and most of us realize that you just can’t bee too careful. Sadly, even when you’re obeying traffic signs and signals, you’re bound to come across at least a handful of drivers who are making bad choices on the road. You can’t always prevent someone else’s dangerous habits, but there are a few things you can do to reduce your odds of coming into harm’s way.

• Focus on the job at hand. Turn off your cell phone, and eliminate other distractions. Excessively loud music, food, and even noisy children in the backseat can cause you to take your attention off the road. (We realize, of course, that you can’t always have perfectly behaved children … but  if a squabble gets out of hand, pull over for a minute to address the situation.)
• Slow down. Don’t race the clock. Even if you’re way off schedule, remind yourself that it’s better to arrive late than not arrive at all.
• Chill out. Did someone just cut you off? It’s easy to get annoyed when this happens, but if you let yourself get too worked up, you could compromise your own driving skills. Take a deep breath, and keep on moving.