City Driving Tips

Before heading out to the city, you must be aware of your surroundings to know what to expect. City streets are filled with other drivers and pedestrians who may do things that are unexpected. When you go driving in the city, knowing what to expect can help in many different ways. Even if you're not familiar with a certain city, it's a guarantee that there will be plenty of drivers and pedestrians out on the roadways. If you go in with the assumption that you will not encounter other drivers and pedestrians, then you'll be more prone to road rage, or you might start driving more aggressively. 

We know that city traffic bad enough during most hours of the day, but things get even worse during rush hour. If at all possible, try to avoid rush hour traffic. Rush hour tends to vary depending on where you live or where the city is located. However, a general rule is that rush hour tends to be from 7 am to 9 am and again between 4 pm to 6 pm. If your driving into the city for a visit, try to avoid these hours during weekdays. Another reason to avoid rush hour is it will take more time to get somewhere, and you could be prone to more accidents due to all the traffic. 

Pedestrians are all over city streets no matter where you go, which will increase the possibility of getting into an accident. Be sure that you are always looking out for pedestrians just as much as you pay attention to other drivers on the road. When you're approaching a crosswalk, always make sure you are giving pedestrians enough space to walk, and be sure you are always looking at both ends of the crosswalk. If you become aware of someone standing at the other end of the crosswalk, take a minute to make sure they're not trying to cross. Pedestrians will always have the right of way, so be aware of all types of pedestrians. 

In this day in age, we live in a ridesharing world, which gets more prominent when you get into the city. Now, what do these vehicles have to do with you, the driver? These are obstacles that you need to approach with an extreme sense of caution. While cabs have always been difficult things for drivers to deal with. Ridesharers present even more of an obstacle as they always stop to pick up pedestrians, and sometimes that occurs on busy roads. To pick up pedestrians, these vehicles will swerve, stop, drive faster, and drive slower. It's up to you to make sure that you are prepared for all these sudden movements. If you are driving around a rideshare vehicle, be sure to approach with caution. Make sure there is enough space between you and them, and always be prepared to stop. 

When driving in the city for the first time, you are the most dangerous thing on the road. Be sure to let other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, or anything else you encounter on the road does not get to you. Road rage is widespread and is very dangerous and can make you act out of character, so don't let things get to you! Make sure your coming to terms with where you are, what to expect, and let yourself enjoy it even if driving in the city is;t something you like. 

If you are planning on traveling in the city often, you're going to want a vehicle that is great on gas and comes with tons of safety features. Fortunately, we have a ton of perfect city vehicles here at Cerritos Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM! While you're here, you can peruse our entire inventory and test drive any of the vehicles on our lot. If you find something you like, we have a full finance department to help you get an amazing deal. Would you rather shop online? That's great! Check out our entire inventory here on our website.