As I have aged, I have become a much more cautious driver. Figuring that my reaction time is slower than when I was younger, I keep a safe distance from vehicles in front of me, obey speed limits plus 6 mph, which, I am told, is acceptable as far as police are concerned, and try not to do anything reckless or stupid while driving.

I wish I could say the same for others. On a recent trip to my hometown of Summit Hill, between Slatington and the Route 873-248 intersection where the speed limit is 45 mph, I encountered some jerk who, despite my abiding by the speed limit plus six, felt I wasn’t abiding by his, so I was getting incessant honking and flashing of lights, and he was tailgating me in a dangerous way.

I debated: Should I just pull over and let the impatient idiot pass, but figured why should I; I am doing nothing wrong. Should I slow down to a crawl and really tick him off, but concluded that this could be dangerous to my health; in today’s day and age, maybe he would make an unsafe pass and fire a gun at me in the process.

Instead, I stayed the course. As soon as the light at the intersection turned to green, we both made a left turn toward Palmerton and Lehighton, and he zoomed into the passing lane, slowed briefly to give me the finger, then sped off. I also saw his contorted face and mouth moving. I suspected he was not hoping I would have a nice day.

I am encountering this type of impatience among drivers more and more. Although motor vehicles are becoming safer, those behind the wheel are not keeping up, so it is concerning to us safe drivers that others with a weapon weighing around 3,000-4,000 pounds are not.

Many car and insurance companies issue safe-driving tips, especially at this time of year around the holidays when excessive drinking becomes a real problem, not only for the offending drivers but to those of us who become their unwitting and unfortunate victims.

Today is the start of winter, and we had a nasty preview last week when some parts of the area had up to eight inches of snow, while others, more southerly areas had a slushy mess of snow, sleet and freezing rain making driving tricky.

The Hartford, the most popular insurance company for older citizens, lists these tips as among the most important for all drivers:

• Watch for drivers who appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When you see another vehicle weave in and out of traffic, alarm bells should go off. Keep as much distance from these drivers as you can.

• Don’t drive while you are impaired. Even if you don’t drink alcohol or use narcotics, you might still be an impaired driver, the Hartford said. Those who are tired or not fully concentrating on the drive are guilty of cognitive impaired driving.

• Give yourself room to escape. Don’t tailgate. The four-second rule is a good one. Watch the car in front of you, look at a fixed object, then count to four. If you pass the object in less than four seconds, you’re too close to the vehicle in front of you.

• Prepare for changing weather conditions. At this time of year, conditions can change quickly. Snow squalls, black ice, unplowed roads - all present their own special hazards. Check the weather forecast before you leave and make sure you have packed appropriate gear. In addition to a snow and ice brush, snow shovel and sand or kitty litter to improve traction, you should also carry a blanket, bottled water and snacks, an extra cellphone charger and a jack you can operate.

• Make sure your vehicle is equipped with proper tires that are properly inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Know how to react when you can’t control a car on wet pavement or black ice.

• Don’t become impatient and make improper or illegal passes of other vehicles, especially tractor-trailers, which need considerably more time to stop than smaller vehicles or cars.

• As the driver, insist that everyone buckles up. No exceptions.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com