Better Driving Etiquette

After asking you what biggest annoyances on the road were in our big motoring poll, we've come up with some road rage antidotes to keep you and others from turning into that road rage monster.

Mirror, signal, manoeuvre
It's never nice to have someone cut you up on the road, but the chances are that you've inadvertently done it to another motorist without realising - something you would have heard a thousand times from your driving instructor, but chances are you've gotten lazy since passing your test. Checking your mirrors regularly is an extremely good habit to get into as cars, motorbikes and cyclists can pull out from anywhere before you know it.

Keep your distance
If a car in front of you suddenly slammed on the brakes and you were travelling at 40mph, would you be able to react quickly enough to stop in time? The majority of drivers don't know their minimum braking distances. In this case, the answer is 120ft but a simple guideline is to ensure that you are able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear and you should be able to stop comfortably. The Highway Code stipulates that you should allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying fast traffic. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads

Know your road signs
A staggering amount of accidents are caused by drivers not knowing their road signs. Driving the wrong way down a one-way street, turning left at a no left turn sign or stopping in a no stopping zone is embarrassing at best, fatal at worst. Brush up on your Highway Code for perhaps the first time since your driving test!

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