Defensive Driving Tips and Techniques

If you’ve ever wondered whether those high-speed car chases in the movies are all computer generated, well, not, they are not. There are actual stunt drivers who really know how to handle cars in such a way that they appear to defy gravity, and live to tell about it.

While those levels of driving skill are somewhat instinctive, there are advanced driving lessons available for anyone who wants to learn driving techniques he or she will never need in the course of the morning commute. Police, for instance, are required to take advanced driving lessons so that they survive those high-speed car chases which have become regular features on the evening news.

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I would like to share with you some of the daily safety problems that the professional truck driver faces.

In my opinion, cars maneuvered by poor drivers (J. Q. Public) must have a magnet installed in their front bumper that attracts them to trucks. This magnet pulls them within thirty feet of the rear of semi-trailers.The semi driver CAN NOT see anything behind the trailer within that distance.

This magnet theory is the only reasonable explanation for auto drivers following too closely behind semi trailers. Cars not equipped with this magnet are operated by good drivers who keep the 2 to 4 second rule for following distance (about 100′ to 250′) behind a truck. J. Q. Public, with his magnet engaged, pulls out in the passing lane, gets even with the truck, and sets up residency.

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Before starting out on defensive driving technique #4, we should define “unsound”. The definition of “unsound” according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary is “defective, decayed, impaired or damaged.” When used in the context of driving, “unsound” means that an element exists which reduces a driver’s capability of safely controlling their vehicle.

Alcohol & Drugs: The #1 Cause of Driving Impairment.

If ever there was a defensive driving technique which should be automatically adopted by all drivers, it is “don’t drink and drive”. Strangely enough, that’s not the case!

One of the most common causes of driving in an “unsound” state is alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, and begins to reduce a person’s faculties with the very first drink. It is a proven fact that even blood alcohol levels that are way under the “legal limit,” cause impairment of a driver’s physical and mental capabilities.

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When you boil it down, the only REAL defensive driving technique to master is attitude. If you are an experienced driver, you should be pretty familiar with the road rules and know how to drive defensively. To you, driving is such a normal part of life that you don’t consciously think to yourself “driving is very dangerous, I must be careful”.

Of all the defensive driving tips and techniques to embrace, reminding yourself occasionally about the dangers of driving is one of the most important.

If you drive, there is no doubt that you will be involved in traffic conflicts. Whilst you may be unable to totally control them, what you CAN control is how you react to them. The key attribute which makes the difference to remaining safe in today’s chaotic traffic environment, is keeping a detached, calm and positive attitude. “Easier said than done” I hear you say!

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If you ask many drivers what their pet hates are about other drivers, one common reply is “other drivers who neglect to signal lane changes and turns. Likewise, in many courses on defensive driving, lane change techniques are an important part of the curriculum.

If you regularly drive on our roads, how many times do you see drivers signal one way and turn the other? Or even worse, drivers who do not even signal at all. What about those trucks, motorbikes and cars whose signals do not self-cancel? You see them cruising along completely oblivious to the fact that their signals are still blinking despite their turn being made several miles earlier.

Tip! Defensive driving lane change techniques and correct signaling are essential to remaining safe on the road

Some drivers consider driving to be some kind of contest, and deliberately do not use turn signals. Their view is that by forecasting a lane change on the highway with a signal, other drivers will counter their move by closing the “gap” in the lane. Although this does happen, the majority of drivers will display courtesy and will not close your gap. And remember that courtesy is contagious too. Just as many drivers WILL make a space for you if they are aware you want to switch lanes.

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