The SAS Survival Driver’s Handbook. John Wiseman

Almost 50 per cent of accidental deaths occur on the roads. Dangerous driving and unhealthy attitudes to other road users are the main causes of these accidents, but since we can’t change the way others drive — and of course it’s always the other driver who’s at fault — the next best thing is to choose a car that will keep us safe in the event of an accident.

So what makes a car safe? Advertisements for new cars make much of features like airbags, side impact bars, roll cages and seatbelt pre-tensioners, designed to minimize the risk of injury. But more mundane items like mirrors, wipers, demisters and lights are every bit as important to safety, because when used properly they can help you to avoid accidents in the first place.

Accident Prevention

Safety regulations ensure that all cars come equipped with a range of features designed to allow the motorist to see hazards and avoid them. Mirrors, headlights, wipers and demisters give the driver a clear view of the road. Lights and reflectors make the vehicle visible to other road users even in poor conditions. Indicators, brake lights, the horn and headlights allow the driver to give others advance warning of his or her manoeuvres, while the brakes and tyres enable the car to be brought to a swift halt.

It’s easy to take such features for granted when choosing a car — after all, they come as standard, the car wouldn’t be allowed on the road if it didn’t have mirrors, lights, brakes, etc. But test drive a few different makes and models and you will soon become aware that leg-room can vary dramatically from car to car, some feel cramped while others are impossible for anyone of below average height to drive safely. Some cars provide a clearer all-round view of the road by doing away with wide front and rear pillars. New innovations include dashboard warning lights to tell you when there’s ice on the road, and some high-performance cars are equipped with traction control to give better grip in slippery conditions.

Even colour can make a difference to your safety. A light- or bright-coloured car stands out more than a dark one. Statistics show that dark blue cars are top of the league table where accidents are concerned, because blue blends into the background more easily than any other colour. Of course, if you live in a snowy wasteland, white would be the colour to avoid. Bright red, yellow and silver show up well in most conditions.

MIRRORS

You cannot drive safely unless your vehicle is fitted with at least two clean, correctly adjusted rear-view mirrors, at least one of which must be mounted on the outside of the vehicle. The police have the authority to bring prosecutions against drivers who do not meet these requirements, and in some countries they can impose on-the-spot fines for a dirty or cracked mirror.

LIGHTS

It is vital that all lights and reflectors on your vehicle are kept clean and in good working order so that you can see and be seen, and signal your intentions to other road users.

Make sure that the beam of your dipped headlights is correctly adjusted so as not to dazzle other road users, while at the same time offering you a clear view of the road ahead. When the vehicle is loaded, or towing a heavy trailer, the headlights usually require adjusting; on some cars this can be done from the driver’s seat. If in doubt, ask your garage to reset the headlights.

Always check when you start the car that the rear fog lights have not been left on by mistake. These can temporarily blind other motorists with their glare, causing accidents. They are for use in very poor visibility only.

Brake lights provide a useful signal to following drivers, so use the brakes rather than changing down the gears to lose speed.

Headlights can be flashed to warn others of your presence. Many drivers flash their lights to signal a pedestrian to cross the road, or another driver to emerge from a side road, but this can lead to accidents. It’s all too easy to misinterpret what is intended by the signal, and in any case it is up to other road users to use their own judgement as to when it is safe for them to proceed — there may be hazards you cannot see which would place them in jeopardy.

Most countries have laws requiring all vehicles to be fitted with two headlights to the front of white (or yellow — see Travelling Abroad in Long Journeys), which must be permanently dipped or fitted with a dipping device. Headlights must be switched off when the vehicle is stationary, except at traffic lights or other temporary stops. Always use your headlights when driving after lighting-up time (unless street lights are less than 200 metres apart) and in poor daytime visibility. In addition, vehicles must have two side lamps at the front, showing white through frosted glass. It is illegal to have a red light showing at the front.

At the rear you must have two red tail lights, two red reflectors (which on some cars are combined with the tail lights). Cars registered after 1971 must have brake or stop lights which display a non-flashing red light when the foot brake is applied. The only white lights permitted at the back of the car are the number plate lamp and the reversing lights.

Amber direction indicators which flash between 60 and 120 times a minute are required on vehicles registered after 1965. Rear fog lamps are compulsory on all cars registered after 1980. These must only be used during adverse weather conditions where visibility is less than 100 metres — it is illegal to turn them on at other times.

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