As young drivers are trained on the rules of the road, they are constantly told to be defensive behind the wheel, as opposed to offensive. However, few people explain what defensive driving actually means. In short, driving defensively simply means acting in such a way that a person has safe responses to any potential hazards that may arise, whether they be people, objects, or something else. Learning defensive driving tips is an absolute must for new and older drivers alike, so use the following guide to enhance your skills today.
How Many Car Accidents Happen Yearly?
A major part of explaining why learning defensive driving skills is so important is due to the fact that car accidents are extremely common. To put it into perspective, around 13 car accidents happen every minute in the United States, on average, which equals around 6.8 million accidents every single year alone. While it’s true that less than 1% of car accidents end in fatalities, many of the people involved in those millions of accidents find themselves injured.
What Are the Primary Causes of Car Accidents?
Even if the risk of dying in a car accident is relatively low when you are involved in a crash, the chances are never zero. This is why identifying the common causes of car accidents is so important. By understanding what causes a car accident, a person can learn how to avoid one that may be about to happen:
Distracted Driving
Driving while distracted on the road can quickly lead to an accident for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s checking your phone to see a text, playing a game on your phone, fiddling with music, eating food, or even just talking to somebody in the car, taking your attention off the road is dangerous. Always make an effort to keep your eyes on the road and have someone else in the car take care of business.
Drunk Driving
One of the first rules a person is told when pursuing their license is to never drink and drive, but unfortunately some people choose to do this. Even if a person has only had one sip of alcohol, it is still best to call a rideshare to avoid driving while intoxicated to any degree. Serious intoxication can lead to impaired judgement, poor driving skills, and bad decision making. To avoid this, never drink alcohol, or ingest drugs, before getting behind the wheel.
Reckless Driving
Violating traffic laws, such as running a stop sign or red light, can be extremely dangerous and can quickly lead to an accident. Going further than this, one of the leading causes of accidents on roadways today is speeding. Avoid going above the speed limit, especially by an egregious amount, as this can quickly turn a standard car accident into a fatal car accident.
Driving in Poor Weather
An often-overlooked cause of car accidents in the United States and around the world is driving in poor weather. Whether it’s torrential rain, heavy winds, scorching heat, or blankets of snow, being in poor weather can lead to wrong decisions on the road. As a driver, you should try to practice in poor weather conditions as much as possible in controlled environments so that you can get used to different conditions.
Defensive Driving 101: Key Tips to Remember
With all of the above common causes for car accidents outlined, it’s important to look at the key tips all drivers should use to be defensive on the road. The following five tips are some of the most important to keep at the top of mind:
1. The 3-to-4 Second Rule
One useful tip all drivers should follow to be defensive is the 3 to 4 second rule. This rule involves leaving at least three to four seconds of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. This will give you adequate time to react on the road if something appears in front of you or if the driver in front of you suddenly slams on their breaks.
2. The 12 Second Rule
Similar to the 3 to 4 second rule, the 12 second rule involves scanning the road far enough ahead of you to spot any potential road hazards. To gauge this distance, wait until you pass a landmark on the road and then start counting to determine how far twelve seconds away is.
3. Watch the Movements of Other Drivers
When you are on the road, it’s important to be cognizant of what other drivers are doing. Should you see a driver edge into your lane, it’s up to you to give a light honk and to ensure they don’t hit you. Keep watching on all sides of your vehicle to see if there are any erratic movements from people on the road.
4. Cut Out Potential Distractions
As mentioned, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents on the road. To avoid this, remove all distractions from your vehicle such as cellphones or food. When there are passengers in your vehicle, allow them to handle everything instead of doing so yourself.
5. When in Doubt, Yield
Part of being a defensive driver means understanding that you don’t need to be aggressive on the road. If someone cuts you off, don’t attempt to overtake them. Instead, yield the right of way and allow them in front of you. Always yield when you are in doubt.
Stay safe on roadways
With the increased number of car accidents occurring on a yearly basis, it has never been more important to learn how to drive defensively. All of the above tips can be the make or break difference between a car accident on the road and successfully avoiding a crash. Above all, remember that no matter how many tips a person uses, sometimes car accidents are unavoidable. Should you be involved in a wreck, inspect yourself and others for injury, get affected vehicles out of the road, and exchange information with the other driver. In severe situations, contact a personal injury attorney if you believe a lawsuit is in order after what occurred.
