Defensive Driving

Turn on your headlights—not just the parking lights—whenever visibility is low: from at least 30 minutes before sunset until and a half hour after sunrise, when it's raining (even if it's just drizzling) or it's foggy. This is so you will BE SEEN during the most dangerous driving times. Switch on your headlights whenever you're on a two-lane highway, even in bright daylight. Burn your headlights when others have theirs on: The other guys are trying to tell you that they're having trouble seeing you! (You aren't saving electricity, gasoline or your headlights by not using them.)


Keep your windshield and side windows clean, inside and out. Use an anti-fog compound on the inside and a water-repellant on the outside. If the interior fogs up, turn on your air conditioner and turn the selector to outside air, not recirculation.


Rubber wears out, so replace windshield wipers every nine months or so. Keep your windshield washer fluid full.


Set your mirrors to avoid blind spots. If you can see the side of your car in the exterior mirrors, they are set INCORRECTLY and are largely useless. For the correct setting, imagine your mirrors as three photographs pasted together to make a panorama of the road behind you: The images on the outside edges of the interior mirror should overlap those on the inside edges of the exterior mirrors.

Give Yourself the Best Chance
Modern technology is amazing. Take full advantage of it.