Defensive driving tips abound on the internet and at driving schools. However, one important technique for avoiding accidents and injury for drivers is often overlooked, and that is……Don’t trust anyone! Only ever trust yourself and what you are about to do.

When driving defensively to stay safe on the roads it is vital to never, ever rely on what the other driver will do. Take a moment to recall the driving mistakes you’ve been guilty of over the years. Then look ahead and imagine the ones you will probably make in the future. Guess what? All the other drivers are just like you! Only trust yourself!


Be Super-Wary Of Other Drivers

Always keep a eagle eye on other drivers and leave yourself plenty of room to move. Try to anticipate mistakes other drivers might make and be prepared. When you are not paying attention to your own driving task, you effectively give control of your vehicle to other drivers. Once you do this, you are at their mercy, and whatever rash moves they make will also seal your own fate. This is without a doubt one of the most important defensive driving tips you can embrace.
Don’t Be Too Trusting

By trusting that other drivers will do the right thing, you are relying on that other driver to keep you safe. Is that driver worthy of your trust? Just think for a moment who some of those drivers could be. Perhaps some of them are driving home from a big wine festival! Maybe they have just suffered the bereavement of a loved one, or lost their job. The other driver could suffer a heart attack and lose control of the car. Anything is possible, you can never know.

Regard all other drivers as unpredictable, dangerous and out to get you. Accidents are almost always caused when the other driver makes an unexpected move, or when we do something they are not expecting.

Defensive Driving Techniques For “Trusting Yourself”

  1. Take care when approaching red lights. A red light is no guarantee that drivers will stop. Many drivers race to beat red lights.
  2. Look out for gaps in lines of traffic. This could be the result of a driver pausing to allow another vehicle in.
  3. Be aware of drivers preparing to pull out from parking beside the road. This is a very common cause of accidents.
  4. Avoid tail-gating others who are driving hesitantly, looking for where they need to make a turn. Often these turns are made suddenly at the last moment. Tail-gating is always dangerous, but in this instance is a sure fire recipe for a back-end crash.
  5. Always signal a lane change or turn. Carefully watch drivers ahead or behind who may not signal, but indicate they are about to change lanes or turn by their body language.

There are dozens of defensive driving tips and techniques to help you stay safe on the road, but surely none more important than “trust no-one but yourself”. Adopting this strategy and mind set when driving could well save your life.