Every time you get into a car, you’re taking a risk. While the number of accidents on British roads has been steadily falling for decades, there remains a small chance that you’ll be involved in one. But by making small changes to your vehicle, and the way you drive it, you’ll be able to reduce the likelihood of your being involved in a collision.

So, what can you do to get the best from your car, safety-wise?

Vehicle Maintenance

If your vehicle is kept in good condition, it’ll respond better to the controls of a human driver. This might mean investing in a vehicle with special safety features like lane assist and automatic braking. Your annual MOT check should identify problems with the airbags and brakes. But what you should pay close attention to are your tyres.

You’ll experience a marked increase in stopping distance as your tyres approach the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm. As such, it’s worth shopping for replacement tyres before you hit this barrier. This will also help you to save money in the long run, as it’ll mean greater fuel efficiency. You can find cheap Bridgestone tyres from online vendors, so there’s no need to compromise on quality.

Stay off your phone

Driving while distracted is a major contributor to driving accidents. To maximise road safety you should avoid using your mobile phone for any reason while you’re at the wheel. While hands-free functionality may allow you to take calls without taking your eyes off the road, you’ll find that your attention is divided. There’s some data that suggest driving a hands-free makes an accident four times as likely. The person on the other end of the line can’t tell when you need to concentrate on a busy junction or a slip-road – therefore it’s worth keeping conversations short and snappy.

Stick to speed limits

Your braking distance will increase exponentially when you’re past the speed limit. What’s more, the potential damage you’ll inflict on yourself, and others will grow, too. Pay attention to the limit and stick beneath it. Across an entire driving career, rare events are almost guaranteed to happen to you at least once – if you’ve limited your speed, you’ll minimise the danger of them having life-changing consequences for you.

Plan your route in advance

Knowing where you’re going to be driving will allow you to focus on the road. This will help maximise road safety rather than mentally trying to orient yourself or (worse) consulting a map. Ideally, you’ll plan your route with the aid of a navigation app, which can be plugged into your dashboard. Just make sure that you pull over whenever you feel the need to make adjustments on your phone.