Your car has rearview mirrors for a very good reason. These mirrors greatly increase your visibility when driving and maneuvering your car, and without them, you could not really drive your car to any safe extent. Strangely enough, this still does not seem to deter some drivers from largely ignoring them, but as every driving instructor will tell you, using your mirror should become second nature. Here are four simple tips from our team at DCH Toyota of Oxnard to ensure that you use your rearview mirrors safely and effectively.

Keep them clean. It may seem obvious, but your rearview mirrors are only useful if you keep them clean. The side-view mirrors are likely to get very dirty, especially during wet, wintry weather. Ensure that you give your mirrors a good wipe before you set out, and you might want to try keeping a packet of wipes in the driver’s door to help you remember. Even though it is inside, your rearview mirror can get grubby too, so give that a good wipe from time to time as well.

Use them all the time – even when driving straight. When you are driving in a straight line, it is easy to become complacent and to become less alert about the road. It is vital that you continue to use all your mirrors to keep a full perspective of what is going on around you. Check for vehicles approaching you from behind, so that you can see if somebody is about to overtake you, or so that you can spot any other unexpected hazards.

Keep using mirrors when passing. Some drivers will simply check their mirror once before passing, assuming that a quick glance will ensure that it is safe to maneuver. In fact, you should check your mirrors, signal that you intend to move out, check your mirrors again and only then finally pull out. Keep checking your mirrors while you are passing and then check the appropriate side-view mirror to check that it is safe to pull back in.

Use all your mirrors at roundabouts. When approaching a roundabout, many drivers focus entirely in one direction, and that is simply to check for a gap to join the roundabout. It is, however, really important to use all your mirrors. Check for vehicles in the lane beside you, particularly as the cars will be further back. If the car next to you decides to pull out, you need to be aware that it is there. Check for vehicles approaching you from behind on the roundabout and ensure that your exit really is clear before your maneuver by checking your mirrors once again.

Bus drivers take their lives into their hands every day on city streets and interstate highways. Despite challenging traffic conditions and the responsibility of a large vehicle and numerous passengers, bus drivers find ways to stay safe while keeping up with demanding routes and schedules. These unsung heroes of the road universally command respect, but they also offer important lessons to ordinary drivers who share busy roads with buses every day. Our team at DCH Toyota of Oxnard has the details.

Distracted Driving

Modern technology has caused an addiction for many bus drivers as they struggle to communicate while safely driving a bus. An Italian bus driver was caught on video simultaneously using two cell phones while steering his bus with his elbows. This talent showed the world that cell phone use behind the wheel might not present the extreme danger most people expect. Seriously, bus drivers can provide some good examples of how not to drive. Although many states have laws in place restricting the use of electronic devices while driving, many states do not. All drivers should avoid risking their lives and the lives of passengers by reserving cell phone use to emergencies while driving.

Road Rage

A New York City school bus driver named Juan DelValle side-swiped a car on a crowded city street and was subsequently attacked by the offended driver. DelValle was within days of his long-awaited retirement and died from severe injuries to his brain. This one example shows how a minor traffic incident can quickly escalate into a life-changing event for unprepared drivers. Drivers should exercise extreme caution every time they have an incident with another driver. After an accident, drivers who feel threatened can call police and wait in their cars until help arrives.

Rest

Bus drivers illustrate why no one should sit behind the wheel of a vehicle when fatigued. Investigators determined that a tour bus crash in New York that killed 15 passengers was caused by a sleepy driver. The bus driver, Ophadell Williams, was charged with criminally negligent homicide. His life might never return to its previous state. Drivers who spend time getting the sleep they need might arrive late at their destination, but they also arrive with a clear conscience, an alert mind, and living passengers.

Defensive Driving

A Transit bus in Los Osos, California rolled down an embankment after colliding with a car on a dark and wet stretch of road. Bus drivers know they cannot count on the driving skills of other motorists for safety, so they drive defensively. In the Los Osos case, the bus driver managed to stay alive after the Mercedes crossed the center line. Although the driver of the automobile died in the wreck, all the bus passengers lived. Every driver should periodically take time to review defensive-driving tactics or to attend a defensive driving class to improve their ability to respond to unexpected circumstances on the highway.

Carpools aren’t just for kids anymore–more and more, adult students and professionals are organizing carpools to share resources, save money on gas and parking, and reduce the environmental burden of multiple-car journeys. With more and more drivers on the roads and congestion at an all-time high, the daily commute can be extremely stressful, particularly at peak times, and carpooling can be a great way to alleviate this stress.

In order to get the most benefit from a carpool, careful organization is critical. There are a number of different areas that will contribute to the success or failure of your carpool, so take time to plan carefully. Follow these tips from our team at DCH Toyota of Oxnard to create the best carpool possible.

1. You should set out to define the target group of people that you wish to include in your carpool. It may be based around your workplace, your child’s school, or simply based on a particular route that many drivers use. How you set about attracting people to your carpool will depend entirely on these considerations. In the workplace or for your child’s school, you will have a fixed location in which you can advertise and manage membership. In other cases, you may need to manage the pool online and via email. Online tools exist that can help you find and make contact with interested drivers.

2. Establish criteria for the membership of your carpool. It is important that all members are treated equally within the scheme and that, conversely, everyone contributes to the same extent. You will need to set ground rules around the expected frequency with which people will drive, for example, and whether you will accept non-drivers into the group. You must define any financial commitments that members must make. Non-drivers, for example, may need to contribute towards gas costs. There may be a need for different insurances. You may even wish to ask members to contribute towards coffees and treats en route. There will also need to be penalties for non-attendance or failing to meet commitments.

3. Construct a plan around the initial membership. Clearly identify the days and times members are available and then establish a schedule for driving and non-driving. You may wish to make this more or less flexible according to the needs of your members. Always include a contingency plan, so that there is cover in the event of sickness or holidays. Ensure that a schedule of maintenance is included for all the cars in the pool, such that vehicles are regularly maintained and can support the group commitments. You may be able to secure a discount with your local dealerships if you can guarantee business from a number of different vehicles. Make sure your plan is shared with everyone in the group and can be easily accessed at all times.

4. Agree on carpooling etiquette. If you have a mixture of smokers and non-smokers, then you need to establish ground rules that meet everybody’s needs. You will also want to consider things like eating and drinking in the car. Who is responsible for collecting and disposing of litter? Music tastes vary wildly, so you need to establish some form of etiquette that caters to everybody, perhaps agreeing to listen to a commercial radio station instead. It may be a good idea to designate a carpool manager to whom suggestions and comments can be raised.

5. Make sure that there is a mechanism for reviewing and changing the plan. This might include short-term needs such as disruption to a route through road works. Other longer-term changes will include somebody leaving the group, or changing their patterns of movement. You may also want to consider how you track the benefits of your carpool, through mileage and gas saved. This can be a great way to encourage people to join or to maintain their commitment.

Driving is stressful and expensive, and pooling resources can be of enormous benefit. Use these tips to organize a carpool and help reduce the costs and the impact on the environment of your daily commute.