Defensive driving is the practice of maintaining an awareness of road and weather conditions, other vehicles, road users and potentially hazardous situations and then taking steps to prevent becoming the cause of or becoming involved in a road crash.
The description of defensive driving also refers to the following:
Reducing the risk of collision by anticipating dangerous situations, adverse conditions or the mistakes of others.
Implementing driving techniques that enable drivers to address identified hazards in a predictable manner.
Driving with an increased awareness of everything happening around you while driving.
Here are some defensive driving techniques you should adopt:
Expect the unexpected – always assume that something can and will go wrong when you’re driving. As such, never be too relaxed, and always be on the lookout for a “curve ball” that could be thrown your way
Keep a steady speed – Driving within the speed limit will give you more time to react and avoid a collision
Be aware of other drivers’ actions – A key aspect of defensive driving is being aware of the actions of other drivers. By planning ahead according to what they might do, you will have the foresight as to how to avoid an accident
Respect other drivers – try not to be impatient with other drivers and avoid road rage at all costs – if you’re too aggressive, an accident could be waiting around the corner
Avoid distractions and be alert – it goes without saying that a good defensive driver is also on top of their own driving skills. As such, make sure you’re not distracted on the road by your cell phone or the radio
Drive slowly in bad weather conditions – when conditions on the road are compromised due to bad weather, it is essential that you take the care to drive more cautiously than usual. Slow down considerably in rainy or very windy weather and be on the lookout for mishaps from other drivers.
Don’t make assumptions about the intentions of other drivers – often, accidents will be caused when assumptions re made about what other drivers are going to do. Never assume they are going to do something, and rather react to what they do while driving
Ultimately, while certain circumstances are out of your control, you do have the means at your disposal to avoid accidents. Stay safe on the road and happy travels
