Defensive driving starts with you.
It can be a jungle out there on the road … and time-crunched drivers often produce a hectic environment full of aggressive maneuvers and little to no consideration for other vehicles. That’s when accidents happen, but you can be the one that makes all the difference.
Defensive driving involves much more than on-the-spot responses when you’re in traffic. Here are some things you can do to stay ahead of the curve:
1. Plan Ahead
Surprisingly, defensive driving starts before you even leave home. Get in the habit of checking weather conditions, and if you know it’s going to be a wet or icy commute, make sure you leave yourself enough time to make that trip carefully, instead of feeling rushed during your commute and driving faster than you should in bad conditions. Take extra precaution when it comes to making tight turns like when you merge on and off of highway ramps. You should be mentally ready to make those turns extra slow. If at all possible, stick to a lane with a shoulder next to it, so you have somewhere to move in an emergency.
2. Always Scan Your Surroundings
“That car came out of nowhere!” If you’ve ever heard someone talk about what happened during a motor vehicle accident, those words are uttered all too often. It’s impossible to see everything that’s around you all the time. That’s why it’s important to continuously check your mirrors and thoroughly scan intersections well before you pass through them. Defensive driving means getting in the habit of taking a quick peek down intersecting streets as you approach them so you can avoid being T-boned by a careless driver not paying attention to their red light. The ultimate goal is to always anticipate where vehicles will be a few seconds later so you can respond quickly.
3. Brake Early
Defensive driving means leaving a little more space between you and the cars in front you than you anticipate needing—and brake early. In fact, it’s always a good idea to slow down a little sooner, especially in slippery conditions. Expect that it will take two or three times as long to come to a complete stop after making the decision to apply the brakes. This gives you more room to stop if someone ahead of you brakes suddenly, and gives people behind you even more of a heads up that you are stopping when they see your brake lights.
4. Never Go On The Offensive
Defensive driving is actually the opposite of “road rage.” Don’t let other drivers’ aggressive tendencies rub off on you. Road rage often starts with one person’s hostility and causes a ripple effect on nearby drivers. You’ll be surprised at how often things can get heated on the road simply because someone gets cut off and then goes out of their way to “get back at” the other driver. But there are several ways to avoid road rage. Just play it safe—play it cool.
5. Don’t Get Distracted
Defensive driving isn’t only about being reactive. It’s also about being proactive. One of the best ways you can avoid a collision on the road is by paying full attention at all times. Don’t engage in activities that take your eyes and attention off the road. Using your smartphone is a big one, and this distraction goes well beyond just texting—music, social media, and surfing the web all take your attention away from the road. (Think you’re up to speed on everything there is to know about distracted driving? Take the Distracted Driving Quiz, see how well you score, and give us your thoughts.)
Defensive driving means protecting yourself from more than just other drivers. It’s about thinking ahead and anticipating hazards so you can avoid accidents before they happen.
It’s always good to assume that not everyone is paying attention or driving as carefully as you, but your preparation, perspective, and sense of accountability can make a huge impact on whether you arrive somewhere safely or put yourself at risk of an accident.
GEICO encourages everyone to drive defensively. Check out all the Safe Driving Resources available for teens and drivers of all ages. Then visit geico.com, get a quote, and see if you qualify for safe driver discounts. You might be surprised at how much you could save.
By Steven Scott
Read more: Defensive Driving Tips for Heavy Traffic
John milauskas says,
Good reminders
C Collis says,
What about the crazy drivers. We were driving down a four lane street and the traffic slowed, suddenly the car behind us drove into the oncoming lane and then car behind this car did the same thing. If we hadn’t stopped, leaving room in front of us, these radical drivers certainly would have crashed into our car. I could go on describing bad driving events, but my point is what does one do when drivers are completely ignoring the driving laws?
John Zahn says,
Most of what was said js common sense. However it is a good reminder. Maybe put something up about how to react to emergency vehicles. Driving one for 20 years, I can tell you most people have no idea. Thanks for the tips
Gaetan Roy says,
Don’t you have a preventive course I can attend and save money on my premium? I already have a policy with you.
noel says,
Thank you Geiko. This is so helpful
Ali zaidi says,
I like this, got to be aware at all times.
Donald Marselle says,
I believe retrofitted loud exhaust systems should not be permitted and that anyone obtaining them should be ticketed.
Golf carts in communities that allow them on streets should be required to adhere to the same EPA rules that apply to cars namely Catalytic converters.
John Dixon says,
The information was great.
Bobbie Charmaine Tilghman says,
I am always a defensive driver. I always scan the area to the road i am traveling.
I would like to see improvement on how the city streets roads are smoother and less
plates and pot holes, this would prevent drivers from trying to dodge holes and pay more attention to other drivers on the road.
Dana says,
These are very good reminders. I appreciate GEICO’s brief articles that educate and remind drivers about important factors in driving.
Thank you
MARY GAIL MCCORNELL says,
I DONT DRIVE WHEN IT RAINS, I WATCH THE WEATHER REPORT FROM XFINITY PEOPLE IN FLORI IS IN THE BACKISDA SOME OF THEM DONT REALIZE ROADS ARE SLIPPERY THEY WANT TO SHOW OFF AND DRIVE FAST, IFI I PRAY I AM COUGHT OUT IN THE RAIN HERE I SLOW DOWN AND WATCH WHO IS IN BACK OF ME, IF
Jerrie Smith says,
One thing happens more than others on the highway and that is vehicles are staying in the left lane too long and not moving forward to allow traffic to maintain the flow of traffic. Many drivers will take 5 minutes to pass another vehicle on the left and this causes a buildup of traffic behind them which makes for a very dangerous situation.
Norma gupton says,
Good tips ???Thank you
Betty Adkins says,
Always look out for cell phone text abusers.
Solie says,
I wish the police would start give no out tickets to all those who do not use their turn signals. The problem live dept. would be generating some serious money for their state.
LeeAnn Kelly says,
I wish the cops would use their signals on their police cars too. The are as bad as the rest of the public. They need to set an example.
LeeAnn Kelly says,
I wish the police would use their directional signals too, some of them are as bad drivers in the police cars as the rest of the public. They need to set a good example for the for everyone
Tammy Ann says,
Me to my pet peeve..