First you need to know what inertia means.

A property of matter (you and your car) by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force. Additional  speed and weight of an object adds to this tendency at an ever-increasing rate.

Before the car moves:

Check to be sure you have proof of insurance for you and others and up to date inspection sticker.

Check lights, brakes and all mirrors.

Make sure that the oil has been changed (unless you have a cool new-tech car)

Check the tires.

Start the car and check all gages

Test turn indicators

Everyone strapped in?

Basic physics:

The more a car weighs and faster it is going, the harder it is to stop or turn. (inertia) 

Your ability to recognize a danger and react takes up to a second even if you are paying attention. Only then will you be able to brake or turn to avoid a problem.

At 60mph you are going 88 feet a second. This means that if you are going 60mph and look at your phone for 3-4 seconds, you have traveled more than a football field without knowing what is happening. Only after that will your brakes slow you down over a more time and distance. 

Of course, these numbers change as you go slower or faster.

Another concern about time to react is the road itself. A slight rise or turn in the road can take away your ability to recognize a danger and avoid it. Be cautious.

Water and ice take away traction therefore your ability to turn or brake. Driving on slick surfaces requires skill and training.

A great driver takes into account these things in deciding how to safely drive.

It takes about 3x more distance to stop your car at highway speeds as opposed to neighborhood speeds. Increased speed causes an even larger increase of stopping distance and impact damage. (see inertia, again)

Strategy:

Keep up with maintenance on your car…especially tires and brakes.

Keep up with car inspections and put sticker on windshield. 

Somewhere around 2-3 drinks of alcohol just before driving could be causing you to be violating criminal law. This could be dangerous for you and others as well as expose you to getting a criminal record. There is some research that suggests any alcohol could have some effect on your driving. The best strategy is to avoid anything that might have some influence on your driving, including many medications, getting enough sleep etc.

Know your route so you won’t be distracted with directions when you should be smart-driving.

Check data re: current traffic conditions and adjust your travel route.

If you are turning into a two-lane road, make a sharp turn into the closest lane so if a car you didn’t see is approaching, it will have an open lane to avoid hitting you. Tight turns like this require that you go slower (see inertia, once again) 

Go into the turn at your slowest speed and accelerate through it. Without blocking other lanes, begin the turn wide; aim close to the corner and go out wide on the other side. This causes the largest angle for the turn which enables your car to overcome the challenge changing the direction of your car’s inertia. If you watch a car race you will see this. Because of race car speed, it is very important.

Drive in the right lane unless you are passing someone or need to turn left

Plan your trip in advance so you are not confused and can concentrate on your driving

Always seek ways to recognize problems so you can smartly avoid emergencies. Be aware of things as far away as possible.

            Are there brake lights going on down the road?

            Is someone driving funny?

            Are you driving far enough behind the car in front of you?

            Do you see signs of traffic slowing down or signs of road construction?

Check your mirrors often so you know what traffic may be close to you. Outside mirrors sometimes fail to show you everything so be careful.

Always signal when turning or changing lanes even if you don’t see anyone else on the road.

There will be times in your life that you just don’t see a danger or someone will drive in an unforeseen way. Your strategy Is to drive in a way that will enable you to handle those times even before knowing of them.