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Driving is dangerous no matter how well you drive, and no matter where you live, work
or play. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make it safer. Defensive driving includes strategies that go beyond the basics to help drivers be more proactive when they are behind the wheel. Follow these defensive driving tips to stay safer out on the road.
Check the Road Ahead
Defensive driving includes checking the road several cars ahead of you and not just the ones immediately around you. Quite often, accidents occur up to four and five cars ahead, and if you’re not looking, you can end up being a part of it. Keep a lookout several cars ahead to see how they are driving, and watch for avoidable hazards. Defensive drivers will keep their eyes moving at all times and continuously scan for possible problems.
Identify Possible Problems
As you look around, try to identify potential problems before they happen, and always be ready to act. For example, when you approach an intersection where the light is already green, keep in mind that it could change at any moment. Slow down before you get to the light, and prepare to stop. This will prevent you from having to make a split-second decision when you are the light and it suddenly turns yellow.
Always Have a Way Out
As you drive, always look for potential escape routes. Even if you are an excellent driver, there are others out on the road who are not. Many factors can change the driving situation in just a split-second, so you always need a way to avoid hazards. You can do this by making sure you never drive directly next to another car and always leave a buffer zone with room to stop.
Keep Distractions to A Minimum
You cannot drive defensively if your focus is not on the road. Put your phone down, eat and drink before you head out on the road, and make sure your passengers are calm and quiet. There are many distractions in vehicles these days with all the technology available that it is hard to focus just on driving. Make the effort to reduce and minimize the distractions in your car.
Leave Plenty of Space
Your focus should continuously shift from the car directly ahead of you to the car four or five cars ahead, and always make sure you leave plenty of room for stopping. The Three Second rule is a good rule of thumb when the conditions are dry. To check how far behind you’re traveling from the car in front of you, count how long it takes you to reach a stationary object after the car in front of you has passed it. It should take at least three seconds.
Follow these tips for defensive driving to help stay safer out on the road. You can’t control the way others drive, but you can control what’s happening in your car.
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