How to Be a Better Driver with These Cornering Tips
When the weather is warm and the sun shining, there is no better feeling than going for a pleasant drive in the countryside. The fresh air and scenery certainly beat the normal daily commute and if you are keen driver you can enjoy the performance of your car within the legal limits on relatively uncongested roads.
Unfortunately there is a threat when driving in the countryside, which is a significant cause of many accidents and it is called the tightening radius bend. Normally when you travel around a corner its radius stays relatively the same so once you have turned into the corner you very rarely have to increase the steering lock further. Tightening radius bends are different and require more steering lock the further into them you go.
A good illustration of this is when a car crashes because the driver did not properly reduce their speed or consider that the curve may change as the bend continues. Often times a corner will change in the bend, tightening and thus requiring a lower speed.
In an attempt to stay on course the driver applies more steering lock but the speed is too high and the car starts to understeer. To fight this the driver applies the brake sharply which worsens the understeer and the car ploughs on either into an oncoming car or off the road and into a ditch.
Tightening radius bends are particularly hazardous in the countryside because the view through the bend can be obscured especially in the summer by hedges, trees or bushes. It is difficult to see all the way through the corner and an unsuspecting driver can easily be caught out.
If you want to avoid being a statistic you will want to use visual cues. Before entering a curve make sure you are going the proper speed by braking or if need be changing the gears.
If you cannot see through the corner, look ahead for telegraph poles or lamp posts which are normally at the edge of the road and give advanced warning of the shape of the bend. If you are driving at night use the light from an on coming car’s headlight bulbs as a guide. Only enter a bend at a speed that allows you to stop safely on your side of the road within the distance you can see and avoid unbalancing a car mid corner by braking or changing gear.
As soon as the bend ends you are able to speed up your vehicle until the next curve. When driving in the country you need to remember there are other dangers for drivers, such as slow moving tractors, livestock, or slippery mud. Always think “what if” to determine the correct speed for a curve.
You can maximise the chances of being seen by other road users by switching on your headlight bulbs, even if you are driving during the day. You can now also upgrade them to brighter xenon bulbs like the bulbs at this link, as studies have show daytime running car light can significantly reduce the chances of a road traffic collision.



