Anyone can throw around the phrase “defensive driving” but there’s a big difference between saying something and doing it. If you don’t know what it means to drive defensively, there’s no better time than now to learn. With a change in your approach, you’ll feel more confident in your ability to maintain a high level of safety.
Here are four primary principles of defensive driving:
- Remain alert and focused: There’s no time for distractions when driving. Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel and your attention on the task at hand.
- Beware of your surroundings: Your primary focus is the vehicles on the road around you, but that’s just a start. You should also pay attention to parked vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, road workers and anything else that could cause trouble in your path.
- Always think ahead: Have a clear idea of how you’ll avoid danger before you encounter it. For instance, attempt to leave a clear lane to your left or right so you have somewhere to go in the event of an emergency.
- Make it easy for others to see you: Don’t make the mistake of assuming that other drivers are being as cautious as you. Do your best to be visible, such as by using your turn signals and avoiding blind spots.
When you follow these principles of defensive driving, you’re doing your part in preventing an accident. Should another driver cause you to crash by being overly aggressive or simply negligent, move to safety and call for help. Seek medical treatment even if you don’t think you were hurt since most aches and pains don’t show up right away. If you did suffer a serious injury, had to miss work or suffered other damages, learn how you can obtain compensation for your accident-related losses by contacting the Wells Law Group, P.A.
