Daniel L. Jacobs Jr.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Get Unstuck
If your tires have sunk into mud, snow, or sand, driver Cameron Steele, a Baja 1000 winner, says to lower the tire pressure way down—as low as 5 or 6—and dig out space in front of the tires to give yourself a run.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Ford a Stream
Do not drive in water higher than the air intake, which is typically on the front side fender. Pick an area where the flow of water is slow and enter at an angle to cut down on the surface area of the vehicle being pushed against by the stream.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Survive a Rear-End Collision
First, pull your seatbelt taut. Next, release your foot from the brake and put the car in neutral. This will help distribute the force and may prevent you from being rear-ended twice, which can happen if you're applying the brakes after being hit

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Downshift Like a Racer
Try the heel-toe shift, recommends driver Robby Gordon, winner of three Baja 1000s. "Use your foot to apply the accelerator and brake at the same time," he says. "As you apply the brake, keep your right foot on the right side of the pedal

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Deal with a Deer in the Road
Don't take radical evasive action to avoid a collision, which is more likely to cause you bodily harm than making contact with the animal will. Plus, you're facing a wild animal, and there's no way to tell in which direction it will flee.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Look Left, Then Right
Forty percent of car crashes occur at intersections, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as do 22 percent of all fatal crashes.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Don't Jump the Gun
Ramp metering, or the use of traffic signals at freeway on-ramps to regulate flow, forces a small time penalty on drivers at the beginning of their commutes, but it pays off.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Check Your Hands
Your seat is positioned properly when you can hang your wrists over the top of the steering wheel. And remember not to grip the wheel as you would a tennis racket, with your thumbs wrapped around so that they connect in back with your fingers.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Save Your Clutch
Don't ride your clutch in anticipation of shifts. You'll accelerate quicker and your clutch will last longer if you use it like expensive cologne—sparingly.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Assume the Position
Smaller blind spots mean you'll crane your neck less. Try this mirror adjustment method from Tom and Ray Magliozzi, hosts of NPR's Car Talk: Set your rearview mirror as you normally would, then tilt it upward so you sit up straight.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Turn Your Lights On
A Canadian study from 1994 found that people who drive with their headlights on during daylight hours have an 11 percent decreased risk of being in an accident with another automobile.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Lower Your Seat
Drivers who sit higher feel as if they're driving slower. Thus, SUV drivers, who are already piloting the vehicles most prone to roll, drive faster because they feel like they're creeping along. So lower your seat to get the sensation of more speed.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Eliminate Distractions
As driving instructors stress, your hands tend to follow where your eyes are looking. Adjusting the radio dial takes 5.5 seconds—and that's 5.5 seconds when his eyes may not be on the road and both hands may not be on the wheel.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Rainproof Your Windshield
Manufacturers recommend replacing your blades every three months. Keep a spare set in your trunk. A product such as Rain Clear can also help minimize the work of your wipers; spray it onto the glass every few weeks.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Skip the DIY Car Wash
Washing a car at home uses five to 20 times more water than a professional car wash. A recent study at the University of Texas proved that a single DIY wash can leave scratches as deep as a tenth of the paint's total thickness.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

New Car Safety Features: Lane Monitoring. Lane monitoring uses road markings to detect if you're drifting without a turn signal and will alert you with a sound, flashing light or vibration.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

New Car Safety Features. Adaptive Cruise Control. Today's cruise control doesn't just keep you at a certain speed - it also uses radar to detect traffic patterns and slows and speeds up accordingly.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Anticipate Trouble spots. If you are griding out long miles on a road trip, it's not hard to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

New Car Safety Features: Automatic Parking. Auto-park drivers need only pull up to the car in front of the open spot, and their cars use cameras and radar to park themselves.

[Daniel L. Jacobs Jr. @DanielJacobsLaw]

Making the time and effort to take a few precautions with your vehicular home away from home can help ensure that you and all your stuff return home intact.