Defensive driving is meant to save
time, lives and money, irrespective of the driving conditions and the
actions of others.
The Essential Defensive
Driving Tips
According to the National Safety
Council, defensive driving is meant to save time, lives and money,
regardless of the driving conditions around you and the actions of
others on the road. Defensive
driving can be achieved by
Adhering to various rules
pertaining to driving
Practicing specific driving
techniques
Defensive driving aims at reducing the
risk associated with driving.
Skills Used in Defensive Driving
Some of the skills and techniques that
can help you in defensive driving are:
Staying
focused: While driving, you need to focus on several
things, including the road conditions, traffic signals, your speed,
road directions, the traffic around you, checking your rear and
forward mirrors, while observing traffic laws. Distractions, such as
talking to your co-passengers, eating or talking on the phone, can
greatly reduce your focus on the driving and traffic situations. As
a result, you may not be able to react to sudden problems on the
road.
Staying
alert: Keeping alert at all times allows you to
react quickly to unexpected problems. These problems could range
from the last-minute application of brakes by the driver of a car in
front of you to a child or an elderly person suddenly coming in
front of your car.
Assume the worst possible
scenario: In defensive driving, you should think about the worst
case scenario in every situation. For example, drivers following
defensive driving techniques will expect a vehicle ahead of them to
do the opposite of what he is indicating. They will also be cautious
enough to assume that any red signals or stop signs will be ignored.
Watch
out for other drivers: Part of staying in control of
your driving is to be aware of the traffic and drivers around you.
This way there is a lower probability of you getting caught
off-guard by an unexpected act of another driver. For example, a car
speeding past you on the highway may have to suddenly change track
to a lane in front of you if it encounters a slow-moving truck in
the same lane. Anticipating the act of another driver may help you
react in time.
These are some of the technique and
skills taught in defensive
driving courses. Due to huge public demand, several
non-profit and government organizations offer this course offline and
online. One of the leaders in the field is www.myimprovnewyork.com/,
which provides award-winning defensive
driving courses in the form of edutainment.
Learn about defensive driving courses from the best defensive driving school! Approved by New York DMV for online defensive driving in NY. Complete your NY Defensive Driving course today and get 10% insurance reduction on your NY Insurance.
