No matter how good of a driver you may be, you could be involved in a crash or a close call because of the improper actions of another driver. Obviously, innocent drivers are often involved in multi-vehicle crashes and other road hazards can suddenly appear. This shows how important it is for drivers to drive defensively.
Defensive driving is mostly looking out for the other guy or the unexpected hazard. In this and subsequent articles, defensive driving techniques will be discussed. The first rule, however, is for a driver to follow all traffic laws and to be on the lookout constantly for what others are doing or for potential hazards. The best way to watch for others or potential hazards is for a driver to keep his or her eyes on the road and on the rear-view mirrors. The objective is to anticipate what action can be taken if needed for any circumstance. Unfortunately, this means you should not entirely trust that other drivers will do what is within the law or what is safe.
Watching the road involves looking ahead and anticipating problems which may affect a driver. This means looking at more than one or two vehicles ahead; it may mean looking five or six cars or more ahead. Drivers should look further ahead for slowdowns or potential hazards. Additionally, when approaching an intersection, it is important to reduce your speed, and to look for and to anticipate other drivers or pedestrians who may be crossing your path.
Defensive driving also means watching behind you and avoiding distractions. Many drivers do not constantly watch the rear-view mirrors and many are distracted by many things inside and outside the vehicle. One of the increasingly common hazards today is the use of a cell phone while driving. Often times, drivers using cell phones seem to lock up their necks and fail to look constantly in all directions. The constant scanning of all available views (front, side and rear) is important in order to know what hazards are around and what escape routes are possible.
Another defensive driving technique involves giving room for yourself and other drivers. This means that tailgating should be avoided, as well as the blind spots of other drivers. The rules about tailgating were discussed in a previous article. Essentially, though, if you are following the vehicle ahead of you too closely, either back off or move over, even if someone cut in front of you. If someone is tailgating you and you are doing the speed limit, move over to a lane on the right if possible. Avoiding blind spots of other drivers will also keep you out of harm’s way in case the other driver makes a sudden move. Knowing that you have blind spots means you should turn your head or lean forward to see more in your outside mirrors before making a lane change.
As a last item for this article, it should go without saying that drivers need to avoid violating other laws such as driving under the influence, speeding, tailgating and driving recklessly, as examples. It’s difficult to stay out of danger if laws aren’t being obeyed.