| We've all been told to drive defensively and | | | | to come to a stop. |
| watch out for the "other guy" on the road, | | | | |
| but what exactly should we be doing? What | | | | Don't be fooled by having ABS brakes. ABS |
| should we be watching out for? Here are some | | | | will help prevent your car from spinning out |
| good driving tips to help you better | | | | and locking up during a panic stop. They |
| understand defensive driving and how to avoid | | | | don't make you come to a stop any quicker. |
| having an accident. | | | | |
| | | | One thousand one. |
| What If? | | | | |
| | | | A very good driving tip is the two-second |
| While driving on the highway, or in the city, | | | | rule when following someone in front of you. |
| always be aware of your surroundings. Scan | | | | When someone in front of you passes a fixed |
| the road ahead of you and check your | | | | object, like a mile marker or road sign, |
| rear-view mirror behind you. Look for | | | | count off how long it takes before you pass |
| possible road hazards. A good way to do this | | | | the same object. If it is sooner than two |
| is to play a game of "what if". What if the | | | | seconds then you are following too closely. |
| driver in front of me slams on their brakes? | | | | Slow down and back off a little. |
| What if the driver on my right runs this stop | | | | |
| sign? What if this guy doesn't look and backs | | | | In bad weather conditions you need to |
| out of his parking spot while I'm going down | | | | increase the time to three seconds. This |
| the aisle? By thinking ahead and anticipating | | | | includes driving in: |
| what the other guy might do, you can be | | | | |
| better prepared in these situations. | | | | - Fog |
| | | | |
| Keep your own vehicle well maintained. | | | | - Rain |
| Defensive driving really begins at home. Be | | | | |
| sure you keep your own vehicle maintained by | | | | - Snow |
| having it serviced on a consistent basis. Pay | | | | |
| special attention to the tires, brakes, | | | | - Smoke |
| windshield wipers and lights. Keep your | | | | |
| windows and mirrors cleaned off, especially | | | | - Driving behind a motorcycle |
| in snow and ice. | | | | |
| | | | - Driving behind a big truck |
| Intersections | | | | |
| | | | - Driving at night |
| Be sure you know the driving rules for | | | | |
| intersections. Always use your turn signal | | | | Big Trucks |
| when approaching an intersection. Don't make | | | | |
| the other guy guess what you might do next. | | | | Stay well behind big trucks on the highway. |
| When you approach any intersection, be sure | | | | Remember, if you can't see the driver in |
| you have your foot over the brake just in | | | | their side mirror, then they can't see you. |
| case something unexpected happens. Be | | | | Stay out of the blind spots. |
| prepared for it. Only start through the | | | | |
| intersection when it is clear. Never assume | | | | Be careful when you see a big truck |
| it is just because you have the green light. | | | | attempting to make a wide right turn. Never |
| | | | try to pass them in the right lane. |
| Stopping | | | | |
| | | | These driving tips can help everyone avoid |
| Your vehicle's weight determines how long it | | | | potentially dangerous situations and possible |
| takes you to come to a stop. The heavier your | | | | accidents. Put them into use and constantly |
| car weighs, the longer it will take you to | | | | be aware of the "other guy". It will help |
| stop. A good rule of thumb is that at 65 MPH | | | | keep you safe while out on the roads and |
| it will take the length of a football field | | | | highways. |