Defensive Driving
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Motor vehicle travel is the primary means
of travel in the United States. With all the benefits that
come along with the mobility, deaths and injuries resulting
from motor vehicle accidents were as high as 41,821 people
killed and 3,189,000 people injured in 2000 according to U.S.
Department of Transportation. Below are defensive driving
tips to help reduce deaths, injuries and economic loss due
to vehicle accidents. As a defensive driver, you can avoid
accidents and prevent increases in your car insurance premium. |
Seat BeltsIn most states, the law requires the use
of safety belts while occupying a vehicle. Because your vehicle
is equipped with an air bag does not excuse you from wearing
a seat belt. The air bag was meant as a supplement tool to
safe lives, not as a replacement for the seat belt. A properly
adjusted seat belt is tightly positioned directly over the
hips, not the stomach. If the safety belt has a shoulder strap,
the strap should be positioned on the shoulder, not under
the armpit or behind the occupant. A lap or should belt, properly
used, can help reduce the severity of injuries in a crash.
Safest place for a child is in the backseat with the safety
belt properly used. In most states, the law requires that
children under the age of three are required to be in a
child safety seat. Please check with your state for more
information.
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Vehicle MaintenanceDefensive driving starts and
ends with vehicle maintenance. Ideally a vehicle should be
checked for deficiencies before and after the vehicle has
been used. This is very unrealistic for the average driver.
Therefore below is a list that should be checked at least
once a week:
- Brakes and brake fluid
- Belts
- Fan
- Alternator
- A/C
- Tires and tire pressure
- Engine fluid
- Motor oil
- Transmission fluid
- Coolant
- Lights
- Wiper blades
- Windshield and wiper fluid
The inside should be well maintained too. Make
sure all objects are well secured, so they do not turn into
projectiles during a sudden maneuver.
More Information:
 Get
detailed vehicle preventative
maintenance tips.
Learn
how to properly use your Anti-Lock
Brakes.
Get
multiple quotes for car insurance.
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Plan Your RouteBefore leaving on a trip, plan your route according to
time and weather. Leave yourself adequate time to arrive
at the desired location and plan for any type of climate
conditions. It is a good idea to tune into your respected
local weather channel for the daily forecast. Keep an updated
map in the glove compartment of the car. If it is necessary
to look at the map, pull off to the side of the road like
a rest stop or gas station. DO NOT TRY TO READ A MAP AND
DRIVE. If you do get lost, do not hesitate to ask questions
and try to relax.
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Cell PhonesCar phones are becoming very popular and many
people own one. Car phones can also be a safety hazard if
not properly used correctly. Some research reveals that the
use of a cell phone decreases a driver’s reaction and
awareness time by three to four times. If you need to talk
and drive, invest in a good earpiece for the cell phone to
free up both hands; however, the ideal situation is to stop
to the side of the road to talk on the cell phone, remember
the driving is your main priority. |
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Driver ConditionsA tired driver can turn a harmless vehicle into a weapon
of massed proportions. It if very important when planning
trips to plan a sleep plan. Make sure that the primary driver
is allowed at least six hours of sleep the night before
the trip. If there is more than one occupant in the vehicle,
consider a driving rotation. Below are set to two separate
lists to detect a drowsy driver and help keep him or her
awake.
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Danger Signs
- Your eyes close and focus out on their own.
- Having trouble keeper your head up.
- Constant yawning.
- Wandering disconnected thoughts.
- Not remember driving for a few minuets.
- Missed the exit.
- Consistently driving through or over the line.
- Speed becomes variable.
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Tips for Staying Awake
- Get rest and do not start a trip late in the day.
- Do not drive alone.
- Avoid driving at night.
- Adjust the vehicles environment to stay awake.
- Watch your posture.
- Snack on some food or drink.
- Take frequent breaks and exercise.
- Break the monotony.
- Pull over on to a safe area and sleep.
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Safe Driving DistanceOne way to practice defensive driving, is to
keep a good consistent driving distance from the leading vehicle.
A good tool to use is the two-second following rule.
The two-second following rule is performed like so:
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Fix your attention on the lead vehicle,
when it passes a recognizable object like a line in the
road or sign. Start counting, one Mississippi, two Mississippi,
until you reach that object. If you reach the object before
two, you are driving to close to the leading vehicle.
Back off a bit and redo the procedure to get a proper
driving distance between the leading vehicle and yourself.
In poor driving conditions, add one or more seconds between
you and the lead vehicle.
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Approaching IntersectionsMost accidents occur at an intersection, three
to four seconds after light changes. If you are aware and cautious
when driving through an intersection, you can greatly reduce
the likely hood of an accident. Below is a list of tips that
can help you when driving up to an intersection.
- As you approach and intersection, never assume that the
vehicle will stop. Always look carefully before proceeding.
It is good practice to wait two or three seconds before
proceeding through the intersection.
- If you are approaching an intersection where the light
has been green for a while, cover the break with the right
foot incase it changes suddenly.
- A good indication on whether a light is about to change
is to pay attention to the crosswalk signal. If it has the
walk icon up, then the light will not change; however, if
it has the blinking do not cross icon, then be prepared
to stop.
- Always be aware of pedestrians at intersections. Remember,
pedestrians have the right away.
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Braking DistanceA vehicle cannot stop on a dime. That is why
the two-second following rule is so important. If you can
maintain a proper distance with the lead vehicle, you can
properly stop safely before hitting it. In an ideal situation,
perception of a stopping situation is about one second and
reaction to that situation is an additional three-fourths
of a second. Again this is for an ideal situation, the variable
for this situation is weather, speed, road conditions, fatigue,
alcohol or drug use. The faster the speed, the harder is to
stop. |
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Control FactorEveryday you get behind the wheel; there are
some factors that you can controll to have a safe trip.
Factors you have NO control over
- Weather
- The other drivers
- Traffic
- Force of impact
- Energy of motion
Factors you CAN control
- Emotions – good or bad
- Vehicle Condition
- Vehicle Speed
- Position in traffic and space around vehicle
- Concentration on a given task
Be aware of the factors you cannot control, and concentrate
on the ones you can control.
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SummaryDefensive driving is all about being prepared
before, during and after the trip. Read and study the about
content and think about them on the road for practice. An
aware driver is a safe driver. |
