Driving is something most of us need to do every day, but we often forget how dangerous it can actually be. These defensive driving tips can help keep you safe on the road, protect other drivers, and even save you some money.
What is defensive driving?
Defensive driving is an approach to driving that involves anticipating danger, following safety procedures, and having a proactive attitude toward safety. Thereβs a lot to consider and watch out for when practicing defensive driving, but an easy-to-remember summary is The Four Aβs established by Smart Drive USA:
- Alcohol
- Awareness
- Aggression
- Accidents
These four elements donβt cover every aspect of defensive driving, but they each touch on an important aspect of road safety. Weβll address each over the course of this guide.
The importance of defensive driving
Defensive driving is important for drivers of all agesβfrom the most seasoned professional to the newest learners. And while thereβs no magic solution to prevent all accidents, defensive driving can help you avoid unnecessary accidents and reinforce safe driving habits.
Seven tips to be a defensive driver
While defensive driving includes more than just these seven tips, theyβre a good place to start. Theyβll help you set good habits you can practice every time you get behind the wheel.
Avoid distractions
Many drivers have been on the road since their teen years, and while experience is important, we can actually get too comfortable and let our guard down. Familiarity with the road can trick people into thinking itβs safe to split their attention between driving and distractions like cell phones, passengers, makeup, and food.
In reality, distracted driving is more than just risky. It can be deadly. Distracted driving leads to more than 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Think about itβthatβs 3,000 loved ones that could have been saved with defensive driving.
Avoiding distractions starts with mental focus, but there are practical steps you can take as well, such as:
- Setting your GPS route ahead of time
- Putting your phone in driving mode
- Choosing your music while youβre parked
Donβt drink and drive
βIf I drink caffeine, itβll sober me up.β
βIβm a better driver after a few drinks.βΒ
βIf I drive extra slow, itβll be like I didnβt drink at all.β
Have you ever heard any of these myths about drinking and driving? The truth is that driving after drinking any amount of alcohol is dangerous. Even small amounts of alcohol can slow your reflexes, cloud your judgment, and dim your visionβeven when your blood alcohol content is under the legal limit.
Rather than playing chicken with the legal blood alcohol content, itβs always better to drive defensively. Sometimes, defensive driving means knowing when you shouldnβt drive at all.
If youβre planning on drinking, find a designated driver ahead of time. If that doesnβt work out, use one of several popular rideshare apps to find a ride. No matter what, the solution is never getting behind the wheel with alcohol in your system.
Donβt drive while impaired
Alcohol isnβt the only thing that can affect your driving. Drugs like marijuana and cocaine can also impair your ability to operate a vehicle. In a best-case scenario, driving under the influence of these drugs might get you arrested, get points taken off your license, or cost you your license altogether. In the worst-case scenario, driving while impaired can cause injury or deathβnot only to yourself but to other drivers and passengers.
While alcohol and recreational drugs are the substances people most often associate with driving under the influence, some legal medications can impair your driving, too. Medications like pain relievers, anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills, and motion sickness relievers can all impair your ability to drive.Β
Always consult your physician when you begin a new prescription, and know how medications affect your body before attempting to drive.
Scan your surroundings
A big part of defensive driving is following the rules of the road. While driving safely is important, you arenβt the only driver on the road, so you should also be aware of your surroundingsβboth your environment and other drivers.
Keep an eye out for hazards like patches of ice or water, debris, and accidents, and also be aware of the other drivers you share the road with. You canβt predict what another driver will do next, but being aware of what’s going on around your car can increase your reaction speed and help you avoid surprises.
Watch the weather
While severe weather like blizzards and hurricanes are obvious hazards, many drivers donβt realize how dangerous mild weather like light rain can be. The way you drive should change depending on the weather.
Hereβs how you should respond to changing weather conditions:
- Avoid driving in the rainΒ when possible.
- Use headlights when windshield wipers are necessary.
- Give yourself extra room to brake whenever the road could be slippery.
- Be wary of black ice. Even if you donβt see ice on the road, slow down if you feel yourself losing traction.
- Watch out for fog and condensation, which can be doubly dangerous when it freezes on cold surfaces like the road and your windshield.
- Look your vehicle over regularly, including tire tread and wiper blades.
Follow the speed limit
Higher speeds lead to more injuries or fatalities. Always follow the speed limit, no matter how much of a hurry youβre in.
While itβs tempting to exceed the speed limitβespecially when there arenβt many drivers around, or when youβre βjust keeping up with trafficββexceeding the speed limit drastically increases your risk for serious injury or death while only slightly improving your travel time. In fact, driving 10 miles over the speed limit for 30 miles would only save you about five minutes on average.
Maintain a safe following distance
Avoid road rage
Aggressive driving is one of the biggest dangers on the road. Not only are reports of road rage-induced gun violence on the rise, but the kind of risky, aggressive behavior road rage creates is extremely dangerous for everyone on the road.
Donβt let road rageΒ get the best of you. Remember that youβll get to your destination in good time, and assume the best in other drivers. Even if other drivers are aggressive, staying calm can help keep you and other drivers safe.
Can defensive driving save you money?
Safety should be your number one priority when youβre behind the wheel. As a bonus, defensive driving can also help put money back into your pocket. Hereβs how:
Reduce your accident risk
Accidents arenβt just dangerous, theyβre also expensive. Between injuriesΒ and vehicle damage, the cost of a single accident can quickly go from pricey to catastrophic. While car insuranceΒ is a great way to help reduce the risk of financial loss, the best way to save your money is to practice defensive driving to avoid accidents to begin with.
Avoid speeding tickets
A single speeding ticket can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars, and it can also increase your car insurance premiums.
One great way to keep your hard-earned money is to avoid ticketsΒ in the first place. Practice defensive driving, stay off your phone, and follow speed limits to stay on the right side of the law.
Earn car insurance discounts
Defensive driving helps save you money by avoiding accidents and tickets, but what if somebody paid you to practice defensive driving? Thatβs essentially what safe driving discounts do! Many insurance providers offer discountsΒ for drivers who complete defensive driving courses.
Take a defensive driving course
Look for safe driving courses in your area. A variety of organizations ranging from the National Safety Council and local governments to community colleges, driving academies, and nonprofits offer safe driving courses. Find a course near you to put these tips into practice.
Article originally posted on www.dairylandinsurance.com(opens in new tab)
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