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Practicing defensive driving in Mississippi

On Behalf of | Mar 17, 2022 | Personal Injury

One method of protecting yourself on the road is by preventing accidents from happening. If you are a Mississippi motorist, here are defensive driving tips you can use.

What is defensive driving?

Defensive driving is a set of skills that allows you to anticipate and respond to potential hazards on the road. It goes beyond following the rules of the road and being a cautious driver; it requires you to be constantly aware of your surroundings and ready to react if necessary.

Strategies for defensive driving

  1. Follow the speed limit: Speeding is both dangerous and illegal in Mississippi. Going too fast increases your stopping distance, heightens the occurrence of rollovers, reduces your potential to lose control, and worsens your crash severity. And if caught, besides earning points on your driver’s license, you could be held at fault during a personal injury claim if an accident occurs.
  2. Keep your eyes on the road: It’s easy to get distracted while driving. It could be from your own thoughts, your phone, the dashboard, other passengers, and items in your car. Driving requires your full attention; anything that takes away your concentration can make you miss critical events, objects, and cues that put your life and others in danger.
  3. Use your lights: In Mississippi, the law requires you to turn your headlights 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset. Furthermore, you must use low headlight beams when approaching or following a vehicle 500 ft. away. This is to ensure you can see the road clearly and be visible to other drivers.
  4. Never drive impaired: It is illegal to drive while impaired in Mississippi. Impairment is not limited to alcohol; some prescription drugs have far worse effects. Therefore, always consult your doctor if it’s safe to drive with your medicines.

You owe yourself and other road users safety when driving. Besides avoiding harsh penalties, defensive driving can help you prevent permanent disabilities or even death.