AARP Hearing Center
The New Rules of Safe Driving
Vehicles and traffic laws are always changing. Here’s the latest to keep you at ease behind the wheel
Remie Geoffroi
People who have driven for decades don’t always realize that some of their habits may have become outdated. And that can put their safety at risk. Here are some updated tips.
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Go right to go left
Remie Geoffroi
Turning left across oncoming traffic can be stressful. There’s no shame in avoiding it. Remember, three right turns can equal a left. At an intersection with a traffic light, drive a block farther, take a right, then two more, and you should be facing your desired direction. Safely cross the intersection on a green light.
Watch the line
Remie Geoffroi
Oncoming headlights too bright? To keep from getting blinded, look to the right of the road and follow the edge line there. In general, driving in the right lane on multilane roads can reduce exposure to the brightest oncoming headlights.
About that roundabout
Remie Geoffroi
Traffic circles have become more commonplace because they reduce intersection crashes, says Wen Hu of the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But they can be confusing to those accustomed to four-way intersections. At a roundabout, yield to circulating traffic. Turn right to enter, then go around counterclockwise. If you miss your exit, just circle again.
Adjust your belt
Remie Geoffroi
Your seat belt’s shoulder strap should land across the center of your chest and not dig into your neck. This can sometimes be difficult for shorter drivers to achieve. Adjust the height of the strap by finding the base of the pulley — near your left ear on the driver’s side — and moving it up or down.
Share the road
Remie Geoffroi
You may notice bike lanes, often colored green, on the right side of the road. They create space between bikes and cars. If you see a green box at a traffic light, stop behind it, not inside it. The box is an extension of the bike lane and gives cyclists protection to continue down the road with less risk.
Times are changing
Remie Geoffroi
You may still use the 10 and 2 o’clock hand positions on the steering wheel. But holding it at 9 and 3 gives you better leverage and a quicker steering response, according to AARP’s Smart Driver course. That position also reduces the risk of hand, arm or face injuries if airbags deploy in a collision.
Mind the ‘move over’
Remie Geoffroi
When you’re driving in the right lane and see a construction crew or an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder ahead, try to move to the next lane over. All states and Washington, D.C., now have Move Over laws under which fines can be imposed for drivers who do not comply.
Best foot forward
Remie Geoffroi
Drivers use their right foot for both the gas and brake pedals. But did you know there’s a recommended spot for your left foot, even if you did away with your clutch decades ago? Keep it on the “dead pedal,” which isn’t a pedal but rather the raised spot on the left side of the floor, says William Van Tassel, manager of driver training programs at AAA. “It helps you brace and add a little bit more control in your body,” he explains.
Tilt the wheel
Remie Geoffroi
Position the steering wheel so that it’s in line with the middle of your chest. AAA recommends leaving 10 to 12 inches between your chest and the center of the wheel. A simple way to gauge this: Hold up a sheet of standard 8½-by-11 printer paper, lengthwise, between yourself and the wheel. If the steering wheel is poorly positioned, you risk injury from the airbag inside it.
Learn the diamond
Remie Geoffroi
There’s a relatively new type of highway interchange that may seem confusing at first. It’s called a “diverging diamond,” and it’s designed to reduce collisions and improve traffic flow where a busy local road crosses an interstate. Right turns at these interchanges are simple: Stay in the right lane and follow the curve of the road. “The challenges come when you want to go straight through or turn left,” Van Tassel says. In those cases, your whole lane will move to the left and then move back to the right, crossing traffic at intersections with stoplights. To make a left from the interchange, you follow the curve to the left — and because you’ll be on the left side of the road already, you won’t need to face oncoming traffic.
AARP resources
CarFit, a program developed with the American Occupational Therapy Association, can help ensure your seat, steering wheel, seat belt and mirrors are adjusted for safe, comfortable driving. Visit car-fit.org to learn more.
AARP Smart Driver is a defensive-driving course designed for motorists 50 and older. Visit aarp.org/findacourse to search for classes near you or to sign up for an online version. In many cases, people who complete the course may qualify for an insurance discount.
The AARP SafeTrip smartphone app will monitor your driving behavior and then provide feedback on what you do well on the road and which areas you could improve. Go to aarp.org/safetrip to learn more about this free app.
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