Because most people drive on a regular basis, it’s easy to forget just how dangerous it can be to be behind the wheel of a car. Even when you’re wide awake and aware of your surroundings, accidents can still happen. But when you’re not as alert as you should be, you increase the odds of something dangerous taking place.

So to help ensure that you’re always in the right state of mind when you’re driving, here are three tips for being more alert behind the wheel.

Watch For Warning Signs

It’s not always immediately obvious that you’re not paying as much attention to the road or aren’t as alert as you should be. So to help you better recognize when this is happening, it’s wise to know what warning signs you should be on the lookout for.

According to Danielle Pacheco, a contributor to SleepFoundation.org, if you find that you’re yawning or blinking a lot, can’t remember exactly how you got to where you are, are following too closely to the cars around you, or have started to drift in your lane, you should acknowledge the fact that you likely aren’t as alert as you should be. To regain your alertness, consider taking a break from driving until you’re able to concentrate and focus on the road completely. This might mean having to take a nap or do something else to wake yourself up a bit.

Keep Things Cool

While it’s good to be comfortable when you’re behind the wheel, you don’t want to be so comfortable that you forget the gravity of what you’re doing as you drive. The last thing you want to have happen when you’re behind the wheel is to get in an accident with a cyclist, pedestrian, or other vehicle simply because you weren’t taking your driving seriously.

One thing you can do to ensure that you don’t get too comfortable while driving, according to Vikas Agrawal, a contributor to LifeHack.org, is to keep the temperature in your car cool. If you have air conditioning, you can turn this on to help keep your attention both mentally and physically. Or, if you’d rather, you can roll down your windows so you’re getting fresh air along with a cool breeze.

Don’t Multitask

Even if you think you’re great at multitasking, if you’re driving, you should only be focused on driving. According to the Cleveland Clinic, even something like eating, which you may think will give you energy, can actually make you more sleepy behind the wheel as well as distracting you from the task at hand. So although you might think you could do something else while driving, it’s best to avoid anything but driving when you’re behind the wheel.

If you’ve noticed that you have a problem with staying alert when you’re driving, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you address this issue.

In your young age, you have to worry less about how well you can operate your vehicle. After all, your eyes are in good shape, your hearing should still be in working order, and you’re less at risk in general of challenges while driving. 

However, as we get older, we may be confronted with more challenges behind the wheel. Because of our physical changes, we need to be more careful than ever. Take a look at some of the best driving tips for older drivers. 

Stay Active 

Ideally, you should move your body as much as possible to get the maximum performance from it. Staying physically active means that you’ll be able to do simple maneuvers like check your blind spot or make the correct movements when parking. Rather than doing spurts of physical activity every now and then, you should incorporate movement into your daily life.  You can’t expect to be a good driver if your body won’t respond when you tell it to move in certain ways. 

Don’t Eat While Driving 

We get it; everyone gets hungry from time to time when they’re on the road. However, as tempting as it might be to start snacking while on the way to your destination, it is not recommended. 

Eating is a distraction and can not only put yourself in danger but also those with whom you’re sharing the road. If you must eat, pull over and have a few bites. Make sure that you’ve eaten everything you need before you get back on the road again. 

Don’t Drink and Drive 

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t drink and drive. However, it’s especially important to avoid drinking and driving when you are older.  Your body is likely not as good as it once was at metabolizing alcohol. 

Even though you may be sure that an innocent glass of wine won’t do anything to you, it’s not worth the risk. Even one small drink can alter your state of mind and cause you to lose control of your vehicle. If you have anything to drink, arrange a ride with someone else, or call a cab. 

Mute Your Phone 

Any time that you’re driving your vehicle, it’s important that you ignore your phone altogether. However, this is often easier said than done. If you can hear your phone making a noise, you may be tempted to check it while at a stop sign or red light. 

The best way to eliminate the risk of falling into temptation is to mute your phone altogether. By eliminating the distraction altogether, you won’t have to worry about looking at your phone well behind the wheel.  Believe it or not, any text or phone call can wait. 

If you drive a car, you’re inevitably going to find yourself driving in adverse weather conditions at some point since you never know when bad weather can strike. Whether you’re going on a hunting trip or headed to the store to buy milk, extreme weather can hit when you least suspect.

Since you can’t always avoid the bad weather, it’s best to know how to handle it if it arrives. Here are some of the best tips for driving in adverse weather conditions.

Avoid Driving If Possible

If you have any sort of indication that bad weather is going to hit, you should postpone your drive until a later time. You may wind up wasting time if you try getting to your destination when there is bad weather.

Between traffic and having to drive slowly to avoid losing control of your vehicle, you should put off driving until the weather has cleared up. If not, you should at least try an alternative route that is as safe as possible.

Leave Plenty Of Room Between You And Other Cars

When driving in bad weather, it’s important that you create enough space around your vehicle to avoid hitting anyone else.  Since braking time can take double the amount from slick roads; it’s important that you anticipate as much room as possible. Slamming onto your brakes at the last minute can lead to slipping and sliding resulting in an injury.

Use Your Headlights

If you thought that your headlights were only for nighttime, you’re incorrect. It’s important that you use your lights in adverse weather conditions to improve your visibility. Make sure that you’re not using your high beams so that you avoid blinding other drivers.

Other cars will be able to see you and stay aware of your presence. One of the biggest causes of accidents during bad weather Is lack of visibility. Your headlights will help you see clearly ahead of you.  Additionally, you’ll help other drivers see you.

Pull Over If Needed

When you’re in conditions like snow, and it shows no signs of slowing down, sometimes the best plan is to pull over. If you have any sort of inclination that you’re going to lose control of your vehicle, you should pull over and abandon your vehicle.

For this reason, you should always carry flares with you as well as a phone. You never know when bad weather could leave you stranded and in need of help.

Turn On Radio

Listening to a radio station that offers up-to-date weather information is prudent when the weather is particularly bad. The station may inform you of routes that have been closed off or safer roads to take to avoid accidents. Just make sure it’s played at a reasonable volume so that you don’t lose focus on the road.

Unfavorable driving conditions can be downright dangerous. Unfortunately, they are a common part of daily life, and due to our jobs and need to get around, it’s not realistic to avoid driving whenever the weather goes sour.

It’s important, therefore, to practice safe driving methods so that you know how to safely get around in extreme weather. From tornadoes to snowstorms, here are some of the best tips for driving in lousy weather.

Plan In Advance

Driving in bad weather usually means your route taking double or triple as long as it would otherwise. It’s usually much more stressful and challenging. Therefore, it’s essential to plan ahead and anticipate the extra time it will take to arrive at your destination.  Otherwise, you’ll not only find yourself late, but you may also get into an accident.

Check the weather before you leave your house to see if it will clear up or is determined to get worse along the way. If the weather report shows signs of clearing up soon, you may want to wait until that’s happened before getting your car if possible.

Keep The Right Following Distances

It’s important that you leave enough distance between you and the car in front of you.  Driving experts emphasize the importance of doubling your space even more than usual when the weather is unpredictable. You never know when you’ll have to brake suddenly, which could result in ramming into the car in front of you. Brake time should be much slower when the roads are slick.

In addition to keeping plenty of distance between you and your fellow drivers, you should slow down your speed. Skids and crashes are ten times more likely to occur when you’re going too fast.

Use Your Headlights

It’s crucial that other cars see you when conditions may limit visibility. Always use your headlights so that people see you coming, particularly in fog. Remember to use your low beams, not high beams. The last thing you want to do is blind your fellow drivers.

Turn On The Radio

In some cases, you should listen to the radio, so you stay up to date with current traffic conditions as a result of the weather. They may offer relevant information or alternate routes in the event that certain roads are closed.

Even though you may be tempted to simply use your phone, and think your radio is ancient technology, it’s important to stay focused. Use your radio and keep your eyes on the road!

These are just a few of the ways that you can reduce your chances of getting into an accident while driving around in bad weather. When in doubt, use your best judgment and, if possible, try to stay home when things are particularly bad.