Defensive Driving
- Anna Hayford
- Jul 1, 2019
- 2 min read
Stay Safe on the Roads - Driving Safety Tips
Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of workplace injury in the U.S. So many of us are on the road for work and our personal life so we are at risk daily. There are precautions that we can take to ensure our safety and the safety of others on the road.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving is the art of driving to prevent and avoid traffic crashes, regardless of the unsafe conditions and actions created by other drivers, adverse road and or weather conditions.
A defensive driver will practice the following techniques:
Look ahead!
Look 2 or 3 vehicles ahead to observe driving conditions in front of you. This allows you to consider a condition before you reach it.
Get the “big picture."
Check out the entire roadway. Sweep the scene, sides and back. Avoid “tunnel vision”. Keep your eyes moving; Position vehicle slightly offset to traffic to increase your field of vision.
Always have an out.
Leave space by slowing or moving ahead of the vehicles near you.
Be visible.
Keep your vehicle visible and signal your intentions early.
Anticipate hazards.
Anticipate hazards such as weather, debris, potholes, loose gravel, or sand.
Distracted Driving
Distraction occurs any time you take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off your primary task: driving safely. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.
Texting is the most alarming distraction because it involves manual, visual, and cognitive distraction simultaneously. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded. It's extraordinarily dangerous.
