A friend sent me this link to an excellent article by Patty Wagstaff.
It's about airplanes but the same principles apply to soaring safety.
It's worth a careful reading.

http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/prof...anagement.html

Let me try to put it in soaring terms. Feel free to add or change
them.

1. Be trained for flying and remain within the limits of your
training. (Over train, under fly.)

2. Maintain a continuous monitoring safe altitudes and airspeed
operating limits.

3. Keep at least two known-safe landing areas within one-half your
gliding range to guarantee a safe landing.

4. Remain within the safest possible operating limits for your type of
glider and equipment.

5. Make sure to leave yourself an out.