Aggressive driving produces unsafe road conditions for everyone. Speeding and other types of aggressive driving may be infectious, and responding to risky actions can exacerbate the issue. You may set a good driving example by being calm and adhering to traffic regulations. Adopt these nine defensive driving strategies to increase your driving safety and pleasure.

1. Know Your Route

Before you begin driving, plan your itinerary or configure your GPS to lead you. This will help you to reduce lane changes, unexpected stops, and last-minute turns, resulting in reduced irritation and safer driving conditions for you and other drivers on the road.

2. Anticipate Conditions on Your Route

Before leaving, evaluate all of the elements that may affect your trip. Dense traffic might reduce speeds, so depart early and avoid peak travel hours. Inclement weather may also make travel more perilous and slower. Use this as a reminder to increase the following distance while decreasing your pace.

3. Brake Early

There is no need to ride your brakes—give yourself plenty of time to come to a complete stop. This will also give the person behind you time to see your brake lights and do the same.

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4. Follow at a Safe Distance

Maintain a safe following distance from the car ahead of you. To avoid quick stops, drivers should allow at least three or four seconds of stopping time. In bad road conditions or when speed restrictions are greater, you will need to increase your following distance since the distance necessary to stop will be longer. Never tailgate a slow driver—this is aggressive driving and might result in a collision.

5. Pass at a Safe Distance

If you pass other vehicles, leave plenty of space when you move in front. That way they won’t feel crowded and suddenly apply their brakes. Once you’ve passed a vehicle, move out of the left lane to allow other vehicles the chance to pass, especially if you are moving slower than most of the traffic.

6. Expect the Unexpected

You can prevent crashes by expecting the unexpected. For example, when your light turns green, wait to ensure no cars are running the red light. When something unexpected does happen, stay calm. Even the most attentive drivers can make mistakes.

7. Avoid Distractions

Keep your eyes open and be The Focused Driver. You put other drivers and yourself in risk when you use a distraction while driving. It takes five seconds to send or receive a text message, so take your eyes off the road. That's equivalent to driving the length of a football field while closing your eyes at 55 mph. While it may seem innocent, staring at your phone at a stoplight might cause you to overlook possible risks and changes in the signal. Remember that there are other possible distractions in your car than your smartphone. Anything that diverts your attention from the road, your hands from the steering wheel, or your thoughts from driving is risky. Eating, drinking, and changing the radio are all included in this. Even other car occupants may be annoying.

8. Always Leave Early

Always leave at least 10-15 minutes earlier than you think you need to, so you won’t feel pressure to speed. Make this a habit no matter the traffic or weather conditions. Aggressive driving behaviors tend to come out when we’re running late or feeling stressed about getting to our destination.

9. Stay Calm and Be Respectful

Everybody has experienced being stopped in traffic at some time, feeling uncomfortable and frustrated and just wanting to go to their destination. The best course of action is to take it easy, maintain your composure, and drive defensively by abiding with the law. The likelihood of a collision is only increased by speeding and aggressive driving. To guarantee that everyone arrives at their destinations safely, heed these advice and share it with others.

Read also: A Guide to Being a Defensive Driver: 9 Key Points