Defensive driving at its core means driving in a way that uses safe driving strategies to enable drivers to confront identified risks by anticipating them.
These strategies go beyond basic traffic instructions, laws and procedures.
Through defensive driving, a driver can improve his driving skills and reduce driving risks by anticipating situations and making safe and clear decisions. These decisions are made based on current road and environmental conditions when completing safe driving maneuvers.
Benefits of defensive driving
The most prominent benefits of defensive driving are improving safe driving conditions and protecting the driver, other cars, and even pedestrians from traffic accidents at a high rate.
Defensive driving increases the driver’s level of attention and concentration, and is the driver’s first line of psychological and mental defense.
You may be surprised when we tell you that defensive driving can significantly reduce driving errors, especially as it helps the driver monitor any error made by others driving and thus anticipate them in order to avoid accidents.
How do you practice this type of leadership?
- Obey traffic lights and traffic control lights on the roads.
- Observe your lane’s driving range and separation lines.
- Beware of driving without wearing a seat belt at all times.
- Check your lights and signals from all sides before getting into the car. If you decide to go out at night, it is necessary for others to see you.
It is also necessary for you to be able to see the road more clearly during the darkness of the night
Be sure to use the side signals before you turn or move to a side of the road.
- The distance between cars is very important for safe driving. Leave a relatively wide space between you and the cars walking in front of you so that if you stop, you have enough room to brake without any collision occurring.
- Avoid speeding and avoid keeping up with other cars traveling at high speed, as well as rapid maneuvers between them, because this is considered one of the most prominent causes of accidents.
Also, avoid driving very slowly, because slow driving is no less dangerous than fast driving, especially since it obstructs traffic behind you and opens up a greater scope for a collision from behind. If the following car is traveling at higher speeds, you will be surprised by your slow speed, which in many cases leads to a collision. You only have to adhere to the applicable speed limits and nothing more. No less.
- Avoid driving if you are tired and have poor concentration.
- Your eyes are your window to knowing and appreciating the world around you, and they are your first source of information on the road while driving, so use them regularly and move them constantly between all the mirrors of the car. Explore all sides of the road with your eyes, especially the front, to detect any danger early. This is done by looking away from the car and do not focus your gaze in front of the car.
- Avoid everything that might distract your focus while driving, such as using the phone, eating food, and other things that distract your mind and prevent you from concentrating.
- Always keep in mind that everyone on the street and in traffic can make mistakes and put you and themselves in an embarrassing or dangerous situation.