Tips For Defensive Driving
A good defensive driver is defined as a driver who can drive to save lives, time, and money, regardless of the conditions around him or her and the actions of others. Drivers are generally required to take driver’s training before being allowed to drive a vehicle. But most drivers haven’t taken any kind of defensive driving training.
Defensive driving Texas is crucial as it teaches drivers how they can avoid accidents by identifying and reacting to challenges on the road. If you want to become a better defensive driver, you need to take a defensive driving course. On top of that, some tips can also help you become a better defensive driver. Keep on reading the article to explore them.
- Plan ahead
Being a defensive driver starts before you even leave your home. You need to check the weather conditions of the areas you intend to drive in. If you know that it is going to be icy or wet, you need to leave enough time to allow you to drive slowly and carefully without the need to rush during your commute.
- Stay focused
Driving is basically a thinking task, and you have plenty of things to think about when driving, such as the condition of the road, your speed, observing traffic laws, signals, signs, being aware of the cars around you, etc. Staying focused on driving is crucial to safe driving.
Avoid any kind of distractions, such as talking on the phone, eating, talking to your kids in the back seat, etc. That’s because they can make you less focused on the road to see potential problems and properly react to them.
- Stay alert
Being alert allows you to react quickly to any potential problem, such as when the driver in the car in front of you slams on the brakes at the last minute. Avoid sleeping when driving or driving under the influence. They can affect your alertness.
In addition to that, alcohol or drugs [over-the-counter drugs or prescription] can also affect a driver’s reaction time and judgment. That’s why it is not advisable to drive if you are on medication. If you must drive, then you need to rest up before your road trip.
- Utilize safety devices
Invest in a car with a high safety rating and a large number of airbags. In addition to that, get child restraints and seatbelt adjusters for your family. It is not just a matter of investing in them, but you should also ensure that you use them. According to research, putting children in the right size car seat and booster seats can reduce severe injuries by more than half.
- Brake early
Defensive training also involves leaving a little more space between you and the cars ahead and the need to brake early. It is always a good idea to slow down a little sooner, particularly in slippery conditions. That’s because it can take two to three times longer to complete stop after deciding to apply the brakes. Of course, this will give you more room to stop if the driver ahead of you decides to brake suddenly.