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Here are some basic defensive driving tips that will help you avoid accidents while on the road.
Start by quickly scanning your car – you have to do this before getting into the front seat. A quick scan of your car may reveal possible problems such as an external mirror that is knocked out of alignment or a deflated tire. These issues may seem minor but they can compromise your ability to use the defensive driving techniques once you are on the road. Once you are inside the car, you will have to check the external mirrors again and adjust each of them if necessary. If another person has driven your car before you, you will have to re-adjust even the rear view mirror in order to suit you.
Being aware of any blind spots that aren't covered by your mirrors or your direct vision is paramount.
The internal and external cleanliness of the rear and side windows and windscreen are other things you have to attend to. When the ignition is turned on, you will have to note what the warning signals indicate. For instance, you shouldn't drive your car worrying about having enough fuel or not.
When driving, you will have to pay attention to the environment around you and the traffic conditions in order to apply the proper defensive driving techniques. These techniques are to be applied as soon as you identify a possible hazard.
Look ahead and keep your eyes up in order to anticipate every possible problem on the road. For instance, you should look about 20 seconds ahead of your car because this will give you the necessary time to recognize and avoid the potential hazards before they become real problems. You must actively scan the environmental and traffic conditions and you have to do this all the time. Keep your vision moving in order not to narrow down your peripheral vision. This way, you will be able to detect any movement to your sides. Defensive driving is done with the help of your mirrors – the rear view and external mirrors are serving this purpose. Therefore, it is important to check the mirrors every 6 to 9 seconds while you are driving.
You will also have to know the blind spots on your car. These blind spots can be large enough to hide other cars from your vision. The mirror will reveal a car that is trying to change the lane behind you – so, keep in mind to turn your head when planning to make a lane change and have a quick look in order to note whether it is safe for you to make the change or not. Early recognition will allow you the necessary time to take action and avoid a possible road problem. Therefore, it is vitally important for you to become immediately aware of everything you see while driving. Connect your mind to the eyes when you are driving – use the eyes in order to see and the mind in order to analyze everything you see for potential dangers.
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