With millions of drivers on the highways this Memorial Day weekend, be careful, leave road rage at home and put your courtesy cap on, and never tailgate, ever.

Never tailgate – one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel. To be safe always observe the 3-second rule to give yourself time to react if the driver ahead of you blows a tire, slams on the brakes, or just generally does the unexpected.

Need a refresher on the 3-second rule? Identify a landmark coming up on the road – then begin counting as the driver in front of you passes it. If you pass that same landmark in fewer than 3 seconds, you are too close. Reduce your speed or pass the driver in front of you. At night, in poor weather or bad road conditions, increase the 3 seconds to perhaps 8 or 10 seconds.

Got someone on your tail? Move to the slow lane on the freeway, or if necessary, engage your blinkers to let the other driver know – he is too close.

Another thing I do when driving is when a bunch of cars are packed together and all of them are jockeying to be first, I slow down and get out of the pack because you never know when someone will do something stupid to cause a wreck.

Have a happy holiday and be safe.

kommonsentsjane