Defensive driving is an essential component of staying safe on the road. You may be a great driver, but there are plenty of bad drivers on the roadway that you should be wary of.
To ensure your safety, try incorporating these five defensive driving tips!
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Be Proactive and Plan Ahead
Before you even get in the car, you can begin defensive driving techniques. Try developing a habit of checking the weather before you drive.
Knowing the potential weather conditions dictates how fast or slow you should drive. If it’s about to storm heavily, maybe you can wait until it clears.
Leave your house with plenty of time, so you don’t feel any pressure while on the road. Check your tires and mirrors before you leave to ensure that you won’t experience any sudden vehicle issues.
Keep a Buffer Between Yourself and Other Drivers
Maintaining a safe space between yourself and other motorists is one of the best ways to limit a highway accident. The more distance between you and a vehicle, the more time you have to react.
Tailgating is a huge contributor to rear-end collisions, so always be sure you’re keeping the proper space.
Always Stay on the Defensive
Many motorists tend to drive aggressively. Don’t let these tactics affect your driving. Going on the offensive aggravates other drivers and is more likely to lead to road rage incidents.
Keep your cool, and don’t attempt to “get back” at other drivers if they do something to bother you.
Plus, driving aggressively exasperates your mood, making you almost ten times more likely to crash.
Get Rid of All Distractions
Put the phone down and focus on the road. Distracted driving is incredibly dangerous as it claimed the lives of 2,841 people just in 2018.
It is an enemy of defensive driving because distractions leave you reactive to the road. Defensive driving focuses on being proactive and predicting possible driving events to come.
If you’re distracted by your phone or busy eating food, you’re not going to notice possible hazards on the road. When you’re distracted, you let your guard down and make yourself susceptible to accidents.
Expect Drivers to Make Mistakes
Though it may sound silly, you will drive better if you assume that the other drivers on the roadway are bad. This assumption puts you on the defense. You won’t let your guard down because you’ll be busy trying to predict their mistakes and protecting yourself.
An example is assuming that a driver who is driving with their blinker on is about to turn. You shouldn’t make any driving moves based on this assumption. Wait until you see the car turn, in case the driver forgot to turn off their blinker.
Now You Know How to Practice Defensive Driving
Incorporating these tips into your driving practices can substantially decrease the chances that you’ll be in an accident. The most important thing is to stay alert and be an active driver. Thinking ahead and predicting possible hazards can give you more time to react and can save your life.
So, don’t wait any longer; start practicing these tips for defensive driving today!
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