Defensive Driving Safety Tips
4 tips to Prevent Accidents
It’s a startling fact that someone dies every 15 minutes due to the result of a car accident. After alcohol, reckless driving and negligence are the main reasons why people have accidents. However, being an attentive, defensive driver can reduce your risk of getting into a crash. These tips will help you with your defensive driving techniques.
Here’s how in four basic steps:
- See the hazard – When driving, think about what is going to happen or what might happen ahead of a potentially dangerous situation.
- Understand the defense – Specific situations require specific ways of handling them. Become familiar with unusual conditions that you may face on the road and learn how to protect yourself against them.
- Act in time – Once you’ve noted a hazard and understand the defense against it, act as soon as possible. Never take a “wait and see what happens” approach behind the wheel.
- Put down the cellphone – While they are useful devices, cellphones can be incredibly distracting while driving. Make sure your phone is out of your peripheral vision so you can focus on driving safely.
What About Slippery Roadways?
How to prevent skids and slips
- Slow down at the first sign that the road is slippery.
- Reduce your speed before approaching turns and curves. When at a curve, accelerate slightly and steer without abrupt changes or braking.
- Change lanes with minimal steering.
- Increase following distances when roads are slick, especially when approaching intersections, overpasses and shady areas.
- Know the roadway you’re on–some roads are more slippery than others when wet.
- Take extra caution on bridges and overpasses. They can hide icy spots.
- SUVs or four-wheel drive vehicles don’t necessarily handle better on slippery roadways. Take the necessary precautions, no matter the type of vehicle you are operating.
- If you are skidding, steer in the direction you are sliding until you recover traction. Then, straighten your wheels and proceed.
Did You Know?
- The National Safety Council estimates that 1 in 4 car crashes involves cell phone use.
- In an experiment performed by Car and Driver Magazine, drivers who sent a text or read an email had their reaction times slowed as much as—and in some cases, more than—drivers who were intoxicated.
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