Driving Safety London
Surveys suggest over 50s are the most responsible when it comes to not using technology such as mobile phones while driving. That said, there are many new devices which are permissible to use and which can greatly enhance driving safety and enjoyment. Many of these are now very reasonably priced and easy to use and can make a great difference to maintaining driving performance.
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Driving Safety
As we get older it becomes increasingly important to drive safely, have confident navigation skills, and to be able to access help if needed in the event of an accident or breakdown.
The first essential piece of equipment is therefore a mobile phone - with the reminder that it is illegal to use this while driving unless it is hands free. If you don’t normally use a mobile, get a cheap pay-as-you go handset for use in the car. Keep it charged up, and programme in emergency contact numbers. Many mobile phones also incorportate a camera which can be useful if you are involved in an accident and need to record the incident.
Satellite navigation devices - Satnavs - have now come down in price significantly from when they were first introduced and are well worth having for driving holidays and visits to unfamiliar places. They not only save arguments with your navigator but are especially valuable if you are travelling alone and trying to read signs. If you take a wrong turning, the satnav will adjust and redirect you. Using it is easy but apply commonsense; make sure know the vague direction you should be heading in before you set out, and always take a map.
Built in speed-limiters and cruise control features are available in some cars and help make driving much less stressful, particularly the former which can prevent you avoid falling foul of the dreaded speed cameras. But make sure know how to override such mechanisms instantly if you do use them. Automated parking assistance is also available on some vehicles which can take some getting used to but is well-recommended by those who do.
If you are travelling around, MP3 players and personal mobile smartphones such as Blackberries or iphones can be a great way of keeping in touch with friends, family, or your job. You can use them, or a laptop, to access the internet and find out local information at your destination, such as places to visit, restaurants and activities. IPods and other music devices can be a welcome alternative to radio or CDs while driving in the car but like phones, must not distract you from driving..
If you do have items of mobile technology in the car, always make sure they are safely locked away and out of the sight of potential thieves, particularly Sat Nav devices. Make sure they are insured and that any important information on your computer is backed up elsewhere.
Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.
The first essential piece of equipment is therefore a mobile phone - with the reminder that it is illegal to use this while driving unless it is hands free. If you don’t normally use a mobile, get a cheap pay-as-you go handset for use in the car. Keep it charged up, and programme in emergency contact numbers. Many mobile phones also incorportate a camera which can be useful if you are involved in an accident and need to record the incident.
Satellite navigation devices - Satnavs - have now come down in price significantly from when they were first introduced and are well worth having for driving holidays and visits to unfamiliar places. They not only save arguments with your navigator but are especially valuable if you are travelling alone and trying to read signs. If you take a wrong turning, the satnav will adjust and redirect you. Using it is easy but apply commonsense; make sure know the vague direction you should be heading in before you set out, and always take a map.
Built in speed-limiters and cruise control features are available in some cars and help make driving much less stressful, particularly the former which can prevent you avoid falling foul of the dreaded speed cameras. But make sure know how to override such mechanisms instantly if you do use them. Automated parking assistance is also available on some vehicles which can take some getting used to but is well-recommended by those who do.
If you are travelling around, MP3 players and personal mobile smartphones such as Blackberries or iphones can be a great way of keeping in touch with friends, family, or your job. You can use them, or a laptop, to access the internet and find out local information at your destination, such as places to visit, restaurants and activities. IPods and other music devices can be a welcome alternative to radio or CDs while driving in the car but like phones, must not distract you from driving..
If you do have items of mobile technology in the car, always make sure they are safely locked away and out of the sight of potential thieves, particularly Sat Nav devices. Make sure they are insured and that any important information on your computer is backed up elsewhere.
Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.