Sure, if a vehicle turned suddenly toward you, you could easily pop a wheelie, ride the rail of a bridge, take a flying leap off a ramp, and land safely in some bushes. No one’s debating your driving prowess. However, wouldn’t it be easier if you could avoid all that?

Be alert at all times, and get in the habit of looking well down the road (about one block when driving in the city or a quarter mile when driving on a highway) so that you can better anticipate whatever may be thrown your way. Also, frequently check your rear view and side mirrors and try to keep a safe distance away from other vehicles as much as possible. Aside from the fact that this will give you more leeway for reaction time should something unexpected occur, those other cars smell kinda bad. We didn’t want to say anything, but it’s true. Best to keep your distance.

You will greatly reduce your chances of being involved in an accident if you are continually scanning and remaining aware of your surroundings. Watch for approaching signs (okay, so you’re the one doing most of the approaching), and keep an eye on side streets or other areas where people or vehicles may suddenly dart out and ruin your day. As long as you leave yourself enough room, when some idiot does come out of nowhere to threaten your safety, you will have plenty of time both to avoid a collision and to lay on your horn so that he knows exactly what you think of his maneuver.

Be extra-careful when traveling down a freeway, as you will have to deal with vehicles at on- and off-ramps, and very often they will be making sudden decisions to which you will need to react. You must also be prepared to slow or stop suddenly if traffic ahead of you halts for whatever reason.

Use the three-second rule when determining how far away you should be from the car in front of you. Watch for it to pass an object on the side of the road, and keep your own vehicle far enough behind that it passes that same object three seconds later. You should also use the three-second rule before beginning to place your order at the Burger King drive-thru. You don’t want to seem too eager.

You should allow an extra second or two of distance in the following situations:

1. You are being followed by a tailgater. As much as your first instinct will be to slow down to a snail’s pace in order to teach that bozo who’s boss, be the bigger (and safer) person. Change lanes when feasible, and allow the guy behind you to pass so that he may quickly get to the hospital, or the fire, or wherever it is that’s such a gosh dang emergency.
2. You are on a slippery road. That’s what you get for taking a left onto Exxon Avenue.
3. There is a motorcyclist ahead of you, and road conditions are poor. If he takes a tumble, you don’t want to run over the poor guy. Plus, you really don’t want to make enemies with the Lords of Hell.
4. Someone is trying to pass into your lane ahead of you. Letting them in will cost you roughly 0.2 seconds of travel time, so you can afford to be nice and let them in. It won’t make you miss your nail appointment.
5. You’re towing or carrying something big and heavy. The more weight you’re adding to your vehicle, the more time you’ll need to bring it to a stop. That’s why the Klumps get in so many fender-benders.
6. You are driving behind an oversized vehicle that limits your range of vision. Yelling, “Move over, fatty!” is the less effective option.
7. You are driving behind a bus or a vehicle carrying a disabled person and are coming up on a railroad crossing. Buses and placarded vehicles must stop here, so anticipate this and create some space between the two of you. If you accidentally hit and push a disabled person or a bus full of schoolchildren onto a track just as a train is coming, your buddies will never let you hear the end of it. Your cellmate might not ever let you hear the end of it, either.
8. You are merging onto a freeway. You’re still getting up to speed, so give those who are already moving with the flow of traffic some room as you are joining the party.