Driving Resources
Driving Tips/Topics
Adjusting Mirrors
Many drivers fail to optimise rear vision because their external mirrors are adjusted so narrowly that they can see little more than the sides of their vehicle.
A driver does not need to have constant vision of the side of their own
vehicle.
For correct setting, drivers should adjust the right mirror outwards so
that when they tilt their head towards the driver’s side window they
can just see the edge of the rear quarter panel. Similarly the left side
mirror should be adjusted so that when the driver tilts his or her head
towards the transmission lever only a very small portion of the car’s
rear quarter panel is visible through the mirror.
These mirror settings allows the driver a wider field of vision to the rear and sides and the blind spots are minimised.
To check the setting, vehicles approaching from the rear should only be
visible in the interior rearview mirror. As a vehicle overtakes it should
disappear from the internal rear view mirror as it becomes visible in the
appropriate external side view mirror.
It is important that the driver understands that even with this system
a small blind spot still exists next to the car.
Drivers still need to use a final head check to confirm that that
no vehicle is in the blind spot before merging or changing lanes.
Using these mirror settings takes time before the skills are automatic
and at first it may feel uncomfortable. The benefits of this system
only become apparent after continued use.
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Understanding Tyre Grip
It's easy to look at a tyre tread pattern and determine fairly
accurately how much grip you will have on a wet road.
The main reason for the grooves is wet weather, as well as better grip
on loose surfaces and gravel roads.
The wider, straighter and more direct the grooves, the better. A tyre
with a complicated tread pattern, might provide extra kilometres and
less road noise, but it might not grip as well on a wet surface.
Avoid tyre flex by increasing tyre pressures above the comfort-biased
level suggested by the manufacturers.
Firmer is safer in almost every respect, it will usually increase tyre
life and improve fuel economy, so try 252 kPa (36psi) for normal use and
280kPa (40psi) for long trips.
Always keep in mind on a wet day that half-worn tyres have lost half of
their drainage capability.
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Hot Tips for Kids in Cars
Travelling with children over summer has become a hot issue in the road safety area.
Car crashes are the number one cause of child accidental death in Australia and Kidsafe, which is a Child Accident Prevention Foundation program is keen to promote awareness of the problem.
http://www.kidsafevic.com.au
Top of the list is the fitting and wearing of child restraint systems. Around 70 per cent of in-vehicle child restraints are incorrectly fitted or used and that accounts for a high percentage of serious injury.
Parents should be aware of the following while travelling with children over the summer period:
- Double check that the harness fits the child (Contact Kidsafe on 9427 1008 for a brochure).
- Do not use a hood to protect the baby from the sun when using rear facing restraints. It will decrease airflow around the baby's head. Instead, use a visor or sun shade.
- Provide plenty of cool fluids and offer them regularly.
- Dress children in light colours and light weight fabrics to promote air flow around the body.
- Stop at least every two hours for exercise. Baby also needs stretch and exercise time so let it roll on a rug on the ground.
- Never leave children alone in a car (buckled up or not) while you run a quick errand.
- Avoid travelling in the hottest parts of the day when planning your trip.
- Research by Kidsafe shows that airflow decreases inside a car when temperature and humidity begin to rise. The younger the child, the faster the onset of heatstroke and dehydration.
On a typical Australian summer day, the temperature inside a parked car can be as much as 30 to 40 degrees hotter than the outside temperature. For example, on a 30 degree day, the inside car temperature could be as high as 70 degrees.
And larger cars heat up just as quickly as smaller cars. Winding windows down by five centimetres causes only a slight temperature drop.
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ABS
An important safety innovations for motor vehicles is the antilock braking system - usually referred to as ABS.
With ABS you can brake as hard as you like and the car will never skid. The pedal might shudder, but that's just the computer doing its work.
The second big advantage is that the steering continues to work perfectly, unlike heavy braking in a car without ABS but here is a warning: the ABS system won't necessarily stop the car shorter, so the driver has no excuse to sit closer.
ABS, like other safety inventions such as the seat belt, can change the way a driver thinks about safety. Some drivers may be lulled into a false sense of security through their optimism that safety innovations will save them from their driving errors.
Any emergency braking situation probably indicates the driver is not reading the road ahead and not leaving a gap of at least two seconds. This problem is made worse in special conditions such as towing, driving on gravel or dusty roads or wet conditions or when the driver is drowsy or fatigued.
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Driver Distraction
Driver distraction is a major cause of motor vehicle crashes. It is at least as serious as drink driving and excessive speeding.
Any activity that distracts drivers or competes for their attention while driving, has the potential to degrade driving performance and has serious consequences for road safety.
Visual distractions - when drivers take their eyes off the road situation they create a serious risk. Whether it is changing the climate or sound system controls, reading a street directory, checking mobile messages or being distracted by activities outside the car such as a road accident, all take your attention away from your driving.
Remember if you are leaving a three second gap and your vision is distracted for one second, you no longer have enough crash avoidance space. When you glance back to the road you will only have enough time to see what you are going to hit!
Physical distractions - how often do you take your hands off the steering wheel while driving? When we squeeze in a quick bite to eat on our way to an appointment, use a hand-held mobile phone or change the radio station we significantly reduce our ability to respond to changes in driving conditions.
Safe driving requires that you have two hands on the wheel at all times.
Cognitive distractions - is your mind on the job when you are driving? When we allow ourselves to become involved in heated discussions with our passengers, speak on the phone or become engrossed in a radio program, we reduce our ability to focus adequately on the complex demands of driving.
Even on an open stretch of quiet country road we may be required to act quickly when an animal runs across our path or we blow a tyre. If we are focused, our reaction times are likely to be better and the risk of crashing is reduced.
Mobile phones - mobile phone use imposes physical, visual and cognitive (mental) demands on the driver. Studies have found that using a hands-free phone while driving is no safer than using a hand-held phone.
Mobile phone use while driving can increase the risk of being involved in a collision by up to four times. Research suggests that both the physical and cognitive distraction caused by using mobile phones while driving can significantly impair a driver's visual search patterns, reaction times, decision-making processes and their ability to maintain speed, throttle control and lateral position on the road.
If you must take a call, the safest option is to pull over. If you are unable to do this try to keep your conversations brief. Alternatively, let the call go to voice mail and respond once you arrive at your destination.
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