1. Slow down.  According to the Engineering Research Support Organization (ERSO), every mile per hour you drive, the likelihood of your being in an accident increases by four to five percent http://www.erso.berkeley.edu/.
2. Wear your seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts are the single most effective traffic safety device for preventing death and injury, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50 percent http://www.nhtsa.gov/.
3. Always look both ways before pulling out of a parking lot or driveway – even on a one-way street.  Bicyclists and automobile drivers do not always follow the rules of the road.
4. On the highway, use the 3-second rule for following the car in front of you. Select a fixed object on the road ahead such as a sign, tree or overpass. When the vehicle ahead of you passes the object, slowly count "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand." If you reach the object before completing the count, you're following too closely.
5. In parking lots, you cannot be too paranoid about parked cars suddenly backing up.  Be ready to honk your horn in a split second.
6. If you see a child or a dog in your peripheral vision, take your foot off the gas and hold it over the brake.
7. Realize that multitasking is a myth.  What you are really doing when “multitasking” is switching between tasks http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201103/technology-myth-multitasking. When driving, drive 100% of the time.
8. Maintain your vehicle.  Vehicle maintenance isn't just an important way to extent your car's life -- it's a major safety issue.
9. When you are planning to make a left-hand turn at an intersection and the traffic light is red, make sure your wheels are pointed straight ahead, not turned to the left.  If you are struck from behind, you will be propelled into the intersection, not into the vehicles waiting for the red light to change on the other side of the street.
10. Contact the National Safety Council Web site: http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/DefensiveDriving/Pages/defensive_driving.aspx to sign up for their Defensive Driving course.

Lawyer Jay L. Ciulla in Phoenix, Arizona helps people with accident, personal injury and wrongful death cases.  Call 602 495 0053 for a free consultation.