Being Aware of Surroundings

Rear view mirrors are a critical aid in
staying aware of surroundings while driving.

As I mentioned earlier, I used to be a driver for FedEx for a few years and I have accumulated several excellent driving habits in the process that I practiced daily during my job and many of them I still use to this day in my own vehicle. I'd like to share those with anyone willing to improve their driving skills.

I'll start with the very basic habit of checking your mirrors regularly. When I was training as a driver for FedEx, the instructor made us check our mirrors every four seconds. During the final test at the end of our training, if we did not follow that rule, we could be failed out of the course. At the time, I thought the rule was a bit harsh, but after the training and I was put into the real job day in and day out, I realized very quickly the importance of this rule and is now second nature for me. Other drivers on the road will make the most daring, and sometimes downright stupid and most dangerous moves as they quickly speed up from behind you with intentions that are unfortunately unknown to you. Always know where other drivers are all around you, especially behind you. I've found that this is one of the best defensive driving practices you can do as a driver to protect yourself from an accident.

Another good rule to follow that we were also taught in training is to always leave yourself an out. If you are totally 'boxed in' around other vehicles and something goes wrong or another driver makes a risky and dangerous move, you have nowhere to go and therefore your chances of getting in an accident increase greatly. This is especially true on multi-lane roads such as on the Interstate or highways. If you always leave an exit or out, you can use that to your advantage in a sudden and hazardous situation. Always be aware of your exit as these exits move and change according to how the traffic surrounding you moves and changes. Always be looking for a new exit and possibly even multiple exits in the case that something goes wrong.

Also, an extremely important rule in my FedEx job was always be aware when you're reversing your vehicle, especially in a parking lot, as they can be exceptionally hazardous. Constantly scan your mirrors and back out slowly. Be sure that other drivers around you are aware of you and what you're doing. In fact, as a FedEx driver, they teach us to completely avoid backing unless it's absolutely necessary, which of course it is obviously inevitable sometimes.

Hopefully, with these and other tips that you will learn as you gain more and more experience as you drive you will greatly improve your driving skill and in turn, greatly decrease your chances of getting in an accident.