DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Defensive driving describes the practice of drivers who consciously reduce the
dangers associated with driving. Defensive driving techniques reduce the
likelihood of a collision or incident and can even save costs related to vehicle
maintenance and fuel consumption, by driving smoothly and steadily.
What are some examples of defensive driving?
Following these defensive driving tips can help reduce your risk behind the
wheel:
 Think safety first. ...
 Be aware of your surroundings — pay attention. ...
 Do not depend on other drivers. ...
 Follow the 3- to 4-second rule. ...
 Keep your speed down. ...
 Have an escape route. ...
 Separate risks. ...
 Cut out distractions.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Remember you and the other road users around you are only human; and humans
make mistakes. A defensive driver does not just concentrate on his or her own
actions, but anticipates the likely actions of other road users.

Defensive driving describes the practice of drivers who consciously reduce the
dangers associated with driving. Defensive driving techniques reduce the likelihood
of a collision or incident and can even save costs related to vehicle maintenance and
fuel consumption, by driving smoothly and steadily.

Awareness is key to defensive driving, ensuring you are aware of potential hazards
and other road users’ actions around you, enabling you to take pro-active action to
avoid an incident. To enable you to anticipate hazards, look 15 seconds ahead,
giving yourself time to react. Aim to always scan your mirrors and look beyond the
vehicle in front as this will help you to be aware of possible hazards before it is too
late.

Don’t trust those around you to make good decisions. Give yourself and drivers
around you plenty of time and space. This means keeping a three second gap when
following another vehicle. Don’t tailgate other vehicles, as this will remove the
opportunity for ample time and space to react to any sudden changes, making it
more likely to endanger yourself and those around you.

Many collisions can be avoided. For example, imagine the situation where another
vehicle has run into the rear of your car; it is likely this could have been avoided had
you left more space between you and the vehicle in front. This type of defensive
driving technique may have given you the option to move forward or pull out of the
way entirely, avoiding the speeding car.

It is also important to help drivers be aware of your intentions, by signalling early and
clearly and minimise lane changes if it is safe to do so.

There are various defensive driving courses available, however, for many drivers,
the key habits of this driving style can be learnt just by acting more pro-actively and
maintaining focus at all times, keeping yourself aware and able to pre-empt any
hazards.

As well as being mindful of the other drivers and road users around you, be aware of
your surroundings, generally where there are more signs, more painted road
markings or more street lights, it means there is more danger for you and those
around you.

Safe driving tips

 Keep up-to-date with the law and rules of the road;

 Do not drive if you are feeling tired or emotional, whether angry or upset;
 Maintain a three second gap when following other vehicles;
 Ensure other road users are aware of your intentions – signal early and
clearly;
 Eliminate distractions such as mobile phones, food and drink;
 Minimise unnecessary lane changes;
 Ensure you have plenty of time to make your journey; and
 Adapt your driving to road and weather conditions.

The Keys to Defensive Driving

As a defensive driver, you can avoid crashes and help lower your risk behind the wheel.

If you've been out on the roads, you know that not everyone drives well — but most
people think they do. Some drivers speed aggressively. Others wander into another lane
because they aren't paying attention. Drivers may follow too closely, make sudden turns
without signaling, or weave in and out of traffic.

Aggressive drivers are known road hazards, causing one third of all traffic crashes. But
inattentive or distracted driving is becoming more of a problem as people "multitask" by
talking on the phone, texting or checking messages, eating, or even watching TV as they
drive.

You can't control the actions of other drivers. But updating your defensive driving skills
can help you avoid the dangers caused by other people's bad driving.

Skills That Put You in Control

 Before you get behind the wheel of that two-ton frame of glass and steel, here are some
tips to help you stay in control:

Stay focused. Driving is primarily a thinking task, and you have a lot of things to think
about when you're behind the wheel: road conditions, your speed and position,
observing traffic laws, signs, signals, road markings, following directions, being aware of
the cars around you, checking your mirrors — the list goes on. Staying focused on
driving — and only driving — is critical to safe driving.

Distractions, like talking on the phone or eating, make a driver less able to see potential
problems and properly react to them. It's not just teen drivers who are at fault: People
who have been driving for a while can get overconfident in their driving abilities and let
their driving skills get sloppy. All drivers need to remind themselves to stay focused.

Stay alert. Being alert (not sleepy or under the influence) allows you to react quickly to
potential problems — like when the driver in the car ahead slams on the brakes at the
last minute. Obviously, alcohol or drugs (including prescription and over-the-counter
drugs) affect a driver's reaction time and judgment. Driving while drowsy has the same
effect and is one of the leading causes of crashes. So rest up before your road trip.

Watch out for the other guy. Part of staying in control is being aware of other drivers
and roadway users around you (and what they may suddenly do) so you're less likely to
be caught off guard. For example, if a car speeds past you on the highway but there's
not much space between the car and a slow-moving truck in the same lane, it's a pretty
sure bet the driver will try to pull into your lane directly in front of you. Anticipating what
another driver might do and making the appropriate adjustment helps reduce your risk.

Eight Secrets of Super Driving

When you drive defensively, you're aware and ready for whatever happens. You are
cautious, yet ready to take action and not put your fate in the hands of other drivers.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 90% of all crashes are attributed to
driver error.

Following these defensive driving tips can help reduce your risk behind the wheel:

1. Think safety first. Avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies yourself will
put you in a stronger position to deal with other people's bad driving. Leave plenty of
space between you and the car in front. Always lock your doors and wear your seatbelt
to protect you from being thrown from the car in a crash.
2. Be aware of your surroundings — pay attention. Check your mirrors frequently and
scan conditions 20 to 30 seconds ahead of you. Keep your eyes moving. If a vehicle is
showing signs of aggressive driving, slow down or pull over to avoid it. If the driver is
driving so dangerously that you're worried, try to get off the roadway by turning right or
taking the next exit if it's safe to do so. Also, keep an eye on pedestrians, bicyclists, and
pets along the road.
3. Do not depend on other drivers. Be considerate of others but look out for yourself. Do
not assume another driver is going to move out of the way or allow you to merge.
 Assume that drivers will run through red lights or stop signs and be prepared to react.
Plan your movements anticipating the worst-case scenario.
4. Follow the 3- to 4-second rule. Since the greatest chance of a collision is in front of
you, using the 3- to 4-second rule will help you establish and maintain a safe following
distance and provide adequate time for you to brake to a stop if necessary. But this rule
only works in normal traffic under good weather conditions. In bad weather, increase
your following distance an additional second for each condition such as rain, fog,
nighttime driving, or following a large truck or motorcycle.
5. Keep your speed down. Posted speed limits apply to ideal conditions. It's your
responsibility to ensure that your speed matches conditions. In addition, higher speeds
make controlling your vehicle that much more difficult if things go wrong. To maintain
control of your vehicle, you must control your speed.
6. Have an escape route. In all driving situations, the best way to avoid potential dangers
is to position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing and being seen.
Having an alternate path of travel also is essential, so always leave yourself an out — a
place to move your vehicle if your immediate path of travel is suddenly blocked.
7. Separate risks. When faced with multiple risks, it's best to manage them one at a time.
Your goal is to avoid having to deal with too many risks at the same time.
8. Cut out distractions. A distraction is any activity that diverts your attention from the
task of driving. Driving deserves your full attention — so stay focused on the driving task.

If you're interested in taking a defensive driving course to help sharpen your driving
knowledge and skills, contact your local AAA or your state's Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV). Many states keep a list of approved defensive driving course providers,
and lots of these offer online programs. In some states, you may be eligible
for insurance premium discounts, "positive" safe driving points, or other benefits. These
courses do cost money, but it's worth the investment to be a smarter, safer driver.

Safe driving!

Why Defensive driving is important?

One important piece of safety on the road is defensive driving. ... Reducing risk
through the avoidance of dangerous situations helps maintain driving safety on the
road. Most people are taught techniques for reducing risks on the road during their
initial driver training.

What are the 5 rules of defensive driving?

Top 5 Rules Of Defensive Driving

 Look up ahead. It sounds obvious to
make sure you're looking ahead rather
than what's directly in front of you. ...
 Be aware of blind spots. ...
 Slow down at all intersections. ...
 Maintain a safe following distance. ...
 Minimize all distractions.
In terms of the physical makeup of cars, there's probably never been a safer time to
be on the road. From blind spot warning systems to brake assist, advanced features
such as these are all designed to help you steer clear of danger and avoid an
oncoming crash.

But one thing that even the best technology in the world can't change is behavior, as
the choices drivers make behind the wheel are the leading reason for why accidents
happen as frequently as they do.

Every year, more than 32,700 people die in traffic crashes, according to the most
recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While that's
down close to 25% from a decade ago, even one life lost on the road is one too
many. Based on estimates from the National Safety Council, the average person has
a 1 in 113 chance of dying in a motor vehicle crash.

The best way to stay safe from harm on the roads is by being a defensive driver,
implementing the kind of behaviors that enable you to anticipate when an accident
might happen. Here are five key defensive driving rules:

1. Look up ahead
It sounds obvious to make sure you're looking ahead rather than what's directly in
front of you. But you may be surprised by how many accidents could have been
avoided had motorists seen what they were approaching. When driving, make sure
you look well ahead of you to better anticipate what your next move should be.

2. Be aware of blind spots

The rearview, passenger and driver's side mirrors are all key tools to see what's to
your side and behind you. But when you're traveling on the highway and a car
passes you in the other lane, there's a point at which when they pass, you can't see
them at all. This blind spot is something that every car has. Make sure you use your
peripheral vision so you can see other motorists and determine when it's appropriate
for you to change lanes.

3. Slow down at all intersections

Intersections are arguably the most dangerous area on the road because they're at a
point at which several vehicles in multiple directions converge. Traffic lights dictate
whose turn it is to go, but red-light runners are responsible for thousands of car
accidents each year, many of them resulting in auto insurance claims. When
approaching an intersection, slow your rate of speed so you can more easily come to
a stop when the light turns red.

4. Maintain a safe following distance

You never know when you may need to bring your car to a screeching halt, and if
you're following a vehicle too closely, the brakes won't be able to prevent your car
from rear-ending said vehicle. On the highway or on back roads, make sure that you
leave yourself plenty of space so you can come to a stop gently rather than all at
once, which increases the risk of a whiplash-related injury, among other potential
sources of physical trauma.

5. Minimize all distractions

From food and drink to music and multimedia, there's no shortage of distractions that
can divert you from your top task: focusing on driving safely. No distraction is more
responsible for accidents than using mobile devices. According to a study done by
the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, your odds of a crash increase 23 times
while texting from behind the wheel. Minimize these and other distractions to help
avoid getting into one.

What is defensive driving?

It is a set of driving skills that allows you to defend yourself against possible
collisions caused by bad drivers, drunk drivers, and poor weather. If you
look ahead and keep your eyes moving, you will spot potential hazards
more easily. Once you have identified a potential hazard and decided what
to do, act immediately.

Defensive drivers are able to avoid dangers on the road by using their safe
driving practices.

Tips for defensive driving:

 Plan ahead for the unexpected.

 Be able to control the speed
 Be prepared to react to other drivers
 Do not expect the other driver to do what you think he or she should do
 Respect other users of the roadway.
 Be aware of driving in special road and weather conditions
 Be alert and avoid distractions, e.g., cell phone use, eating

Driving Defensively
Don't make assumptions about another drivers intentions. If you expect
drivers in parked vehicles to remain parked at all times, always yield at
intersections, or remain in one lane at all times, etc., you risk being caught
off guard when drivers do not do what's expected.

Expect other drivers to make mistakes and be prepared to react. If a

mistake is made, you will be ready to defend yourself.

Never assume that other drivers are sober, alert, and follow the rules of the
road at all times.

Defensive Driving Essay

Operating a motor vehicle is a serious matter and requires a lot of responsibility.

According to statistics, over 40,000 people are killed each year due to automobile
accidents that could have been prevented. By taking a defensive approach to driving,
you could ultimately save someone's life or help prevent an accident. Defensive
driving skills can also help you avoid the dangers caused by other people's bad
driving. Before you get behind the wheel, it is important to learn skills that will help you
stay in control.
First of all, make sure your vehicle is in good working condition. Your vehicle should
be inspected at least once a year. Always make sure that your headlights, brake lights,
and signal lights are properly working and are…show more content…
Next, it is very important to stay focused. There are many distractions while driving.
Some of the most common driving distractions are eating, drinking, applying make-up,
loud passengers and talking on the phone. You have enough to worry about while
driving and should refrain from multi-tasking, as it will be more likely for you to get into
an accident. Driving is a full time activity and all attention should remain on the road.
You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Concentrate not only on what
is happening in front of you, but also anticipate what may occur further on. You should
always assume the worst; therefore constantly think of an escape route. Leave
yourself an outlet. Surround your vehicle with space in front and at least on one side to
escape any possible conflict. Also, think of possible situations which may arise. Such
as, what if the car in front of you suddenly slams his brakes, what would or could you
do? Being aware and anticipating possible occurrences will prepare you in making a
split second decision.
Staying calm is very important. Aggressive drivers tend to make rude gestures and yell
obscenities, but do not let this bother you. Paying attention to them will only divert your
attention away from the road. Also, do not become frantic if something unexpected
happens. Remaining calm will help you think more clearly and…