Defensive driving is essential if you want to stay safe on the roads. The act of defensive driving allows you to avoid danger and reduce collisions. However, it’s a skill that isn’t encouraged widely enough. Here are seven defensive driving tips:
Attend a Defensive Driving School
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If you are serious about improving your defensive driving skills, you should attend Alliance Defensive Driving School. They will teach you from scratch how to drive defensively to improve your road safety. Plus, they do driving courses for teens, adults, and seniors.
Put Down Your Phone While Driving
One of the worst things you can do while driving is looking at your phone. The level of distraction is much higher than most people think and it’s one of the biggest causes of collisions. To even begin to think defensively as a driver, you need to reduce all distractions and focus entirely on the road ahead.
Pretend You’re a Motorcyclist
This might sound silly but it will help you get in the right mindset for defensive driving. When you are approaching a junction or pulling up at a stoplight, pretend that you’re a motorcyclist. If you were on two wheels, you wouldn’t go for tight gaps and you wouldn’t take any risks on the road. Get into the mindset of vulnerability and you will naturally drive defensively.
Pay Attention To All Traffic Signs While Driving
When you have passed your driving exam, it’s easy to stop paying attention to traffic signs. However, they are there to help you as a driver. You should read each one and act accordingly. If there is a sign that alerts you of wild animals in the area, take extra caution to look far ahead. If a sign alerts you of a sharp bend ahead, slow your car right down.
Keep Your Distance From The Vehicle In Front Of You
Offensive drivers often get far too close to the vehicle in front. This is a major cause of accidents and can be seriously dangerous. Think about it – if the car in front has to brake suddenly, you need as much time as possible to react. If you are too close, you will go flying into the back of them. Keep plenty of distance, even if they are driving slowly.
Drive To The Weather Conditions
Defensive driving means being prepared for any situation. That means you need to be aware of the weather conditions and how they affect the roads. When the roads are wet, your car control and braking distance are dramatically different from that on dry roads. You should slow down and take extra care. If there is a lot of wind, you should keep both hands on the wheel at all times. If there is snow, you should consider staying at home unless you are in a suitable vehicle.
Always Concede The Right Of Way
If you aren’t sure about the right of way, you should always concede. Allow other cars to pass and don’t feel pressured by cars behind you. Defensive driving takes confidence, and you need to keep in mind that your actions are keeping yourself and others safe.
