Let’s face it – driving in rush hour is not a very fun part of being behind the wheel but unfortunately, many of us will need to grin and bear it on a daily basis. Whether it’s going to or coming home from school, college, or work – you’re going to get caught up in it at some point. We’ve pulled together some top tips to help you when preparing to drive at the busiest time of the day, sometimes twice a day.
Time goes slow
We know you’re in a rush to get where you need to go, everyone is – but don’t let this rush impact your driving skills. Tailgating other cars, speeding, cutting other drivers up… it’s all going to play a part in infuriating other drivers and more importantly, can be very dangerous.
Stay in lane
A big danger of driving in rush hour is that sometimes, drivers can try to beat the traffic by switching from one lane to the other and back again – darting between the traffic. It goes without saying that this is incredibly dangerous. The best way to deal with this traffic is to stay in the left lane and let the traffic move slowly. It may be annoying, but I’m sure you’ll be more annoyed if you end up in an accident due to reckless driving.
Keep your distance
It can be tempting when plodding along to get closer to the car in front than usual. You’re irritated and want to get home as quickly as possible, however, this doesn’t make driving too closely to the car in front any less dangerous. Make sure you still keep a good distance between you and allow yourself plenty of room to stop.
Look ahead
It is important that you keep your wits about what’s happening around you as it’s very easy to drift your concentration away when in very slow traffic. Making the effort to look 2 or 3 cars ahead of you will help you to anticipate changes in traffic speed which should help you in maintaining a speed, instead of speeding up and sharply putting your brakes on when traffic does come to a halt. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the cars behind you, too, although we’re sure you would do that anyway!
Head out of your way
Why not liven up your commute and take a different route home completely? It may add a couple of extra miles on to your trip home, but it may be a bit more exciting than looking at the back of the same car for a 5-mile stretch!
Stop stressing
Here are our top relaxation techniques for when the inevitable rush hour traffic does hit.
1 – Open your windows and get some fresh air.
2 – Try to keep your shoulders, arms and body as relaxed as possible.
3 – Listen to something that will make you laugh or a singalong classic!
It can be very frustrating driving home in rush hour, but keeping your cool is essential in getting you home safe and sound!
