What Is A Space Cushion

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Every bit our roads become increasingly crowded, threats to commuter prophylactic increase, besides. An e'er-growing population and more cars on our roads have been cited as the cause of almost-record numbers of fatal crashes in some areas. The more congested our roads become, the more important it is for drivers to learn the secrets of creating and maintaining a space cushion.

Space cushion driving is one of the critical elements of The Smith5Keys®, and it'southward a proven way to increase your safety. Creating space around your vehicle might audio like an impossible job when the roads around you are filled with vehicles, but there are techniques yous can learn that will help you implement infinite cushion driving every time you become behind-the-wheel.

Once you know what you need to practice, yous tin can utilise The Smith5Keys to create more than space and make the roads safer for yourself, your passengers and for other drivers on the road.

The Growing Problem of Tailgating

If you spend much time on decorated roads, it'southward likely that yous oasis't seen many drivers implementing the space cushion approach.

In fact, information technology seems that the busier the road, the less likely drivers are to leave space around their vehicles. That'southward more than dangerous than you might realize; it can atomic number 82 to greater frustration, more aggressive driving behavior and fifty-fifty route rage.

Purposely tailgating other drivers is i of the most common forms of ambitious driving, and it's unsafe for a number of reasons. When you're tailgating another vehicle, even the smallest changes in their speed can affect you.

Without a infinite cushion, you don't have adequate time to react to a slowdown and will take to slam on your brakes to avert a crash.

When that happens, the commuter backside you also has to hit his brakes, as does the driver behind him, and then on. It creates what MIT researchers refer to every bit a "phantom traffic jam" — traffic flow slows down for no apparent reason, and everyone on the route is delayed as each of the cars must now go support to speed.

But that'southward doing more than wasting time and annoying the drivers around you; it's also making the roads unsafe. In fact, tailgating is cited as a factor in more than than i-third of all crashes.

Of form, information technology's not only the vehicles in front end of yous that you need to pay attention to; those beside you and backside you affect your ability to maneuver besides.

Information technology's probable that, at some point or another, you'll notice yourself being tailgated, or you'll notice that drivers in the lane about you are driving aggressively or erratically.

In those instances, y'all demand to know how to create a space cushion to ensure your safety.

What Does Space Cushion Driving Look Like?

Space absorber driving is exactly what it sounds like: Information technology means keeping enough altitude betwixt your vehicle and those around you to allow you lot the time to meet, think and react to the changing driving conditions.

How- Space Cushion Driving Promotes Driver Safety

For pocket-sized vehicles in good weather weather condition, that means leaving a minimum of iv seconds of following distance between you lot and the vehicle in front of you. If conditions are less than perfect, say in the example of pelting or snow, and then increase your space cushion.

If you're in heavy traffic and another vehicle decides that your space cushion provides the perfect opportunity for him to cutting in front, yous may demand to momentary adjust your speed. However, this is not the time to use the horn.

Ease off the accelerator and wearisome down to go along a safe altitude betwixt that vehicle and the one you're driving. About drivers are non lane jumpers. More commonly, drivers get into their lane out of addiction and stay at that place, merely changing when they demand to exit or make a turn.

Determining if you're leaving enough space tin be a challenge, so cull a stock-still marker (such as a sign or post) that'southward ahead of you.

When the dorsum bumper of the vehicle directly in front of you lot passes that marker, count off the number of seconds until you achieve the same spot. That will tell you whether or not yous're leaving a proper space cushion.

Information technology's important for you to recognize what's in your space cushion — not but in front end, only as well backside and abreast you. Watch for drivers who are following you too closely, are driving too closely abreast y'all and for distracted drivers who aren't paying attention to the road.

If you lot're in a position where yous're being tailgated or the drivers beside yous aren't driving well, you desire to modify your position so you're not locked into an dangerous spot.

If the drivers beside you are behaving erratically, or if they're simply not paying attention, slow downwardly and let them get past you, and then safely change lanes then yous won't exist beside them whatever longer.

In situations where yous're the one existence tailgated, you tin deadening gradually and encourage the driver to laissez passer or look for an opening to your correct, put on your turn signal and change lanes whenever information technology's condom.

Driving during elevation traffic times can nowadays greater challenges when it comes to creating a space cushion, every bit the roads will be more congested. Information technology may seem more difficult to create infinite around you, but y'all can attain this goal.

You have a pick. You can sit on the bumper of the vehicle in forepart of y'all at their speed, or you can back off the accelerator and get the aforementioned speed with the proper following distance.

In heavy traffic, try to maintain a infinite cushion in front of your vehicle and on at to the lowest degree one side. A couple of seconds on the accelerator, off the accelerator or an occasional lane alter is typically all that is required to maintain your infinite cushion.

What The Smith5Keys Say About Space Absorber Driving

When the Smith5Keys are practical, space absorber driving becomes easier to adopt. Knowing The Smith5Keys volition help in all traffic situations, but here's how they work when information technology comes to creating space cushions effectually your vehicle.

No. 1: Aim Loftier In Steering®.

Learning to look farther down the road to run into what's ahead gives you the advantage of planning your next move rather than merely reacting to situations around you lot.

No. two: Get The Big Picture®.

Staying alert to relevant information, such as what the vehicles effectually you are doing, gives you lot the ability to make prophylactic, well-informed decisions.

No. iii: Keep Your Optics Moving®.

Not only is an agile mind less probable to become fatigued, but it is ameliorate able to process information. As yous apply your mirrors to monitor what's going on around you, you'll run across changes as they happen and exist able to accommodate your driving program accordingly.

No. four: Get out Yourself An Out®.

Past surrounding your vehicle with the virtually space possible, yous're leaving yourself an out to alter lanes and alter your driving position and the traffic around you shifts. The safest position in traffic is the one with the fewest vehicles around you.

No. 5: Make Sure They See You®.

Brand eye contact with other drivers. Make sure they know you're at that place, and watch what they do then you can avoid sudden, unplanned movements that could turn into a crash.

Many drivers today are distracted, drowsy or frustrated by being in traffic. Your ability to keep an eye on how they're reacting to conditions, and to make sure they know you're there, can help go on everyone safer.

Learn more than about the Smith5Keys® with our E-Learning courses that can be accessed correct from your desktop, tablet or mobile device! Save lives, reduce motor vehicle crashes and lower company costs past clicking below.

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Virtually Driving Space

Driving Space illustrates the importance of why maintaining a proper space cushion is an essential chemical element to standoff abstention. Learners recognize how proper post-obit distance lowers stress backside the wheel without adding additional time to their daily drive.

Driving Space is available in USB & DVD format for $295.00. The Driving Space E-Learning form volition be included in the Eastward-Learning and/or Driving Series Bundle. To receive a complementary demo or a book pricing quote please contact us at (800) 777-7648 or info@drivedifferent.com.