Good, safe driving is based on a few principles:
Knowledge: Mastering the technical information essential for driving safely and within established regulations. For example, understanding traffic laws and familiarity with the vehicle in use.
Attention: Focusing on everything you’re doing and what’s happening around you to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Skill: Knowing how to react effectively if something unexpected happens.
Foresight: Being able to identify unusual situations that pose a risk. To achieve this, you must always be alert.
Decision-making: Being prepared to analyze each situation and remain calm to make the most appropriate decisions at the time.
How to put defensive driving into practice?
To be a safe driver, the first step is to be aware that dangers are everywhere and unforeseen events can happen at any time. Many drivers, especially more experienced ones, forget this. Overconfidence is also harmful because it affects risk perception.
And it may sound cliché, but small actions make all the difference. We’ve put together some tips that will show you how simple it is to practice safe driving. Take a look:
Correct your posture:
Good posture not only keeps you more alert but also prevents back pain—essential for those who drive for long hours.
But What is the ideal driving posture? Take a look:
- Always rest your head against the seatback;
- Arms slightly bent, so as not to be too close to the steering wheel;
- Back straight, resting against the seat at a 90-degree angle;
- Both hands resting on the steering wheel;
Feet flat on the floor of the car. Don’t rest your feet on the pedals or under the seat.
By following these steps, you’ll ensure better visibility and greater agility during safety maneuvers.
Reduce Blind Spots:
Blind spots are those areas around the car that the rearview mirrors can’t see, and therefore, the driver can’t see. They are a major hazard in traffic, especially when turning and passing.
There’s no way to completely eliminate blind spots, but they can be reduced with a few adjustments to the rearview mirrors. It’s quite simple!
Left rearview mirror: Sitting in the appropriate position, tilt your head, almost touching the left window. Then, adjust the mirror until you can only see the rear end of your car.
In short, the goal is for you to see more of the road and less of your own car.
Minimize distractions:
As you’ve probably noticed, good preventive driving requires a lot of attention. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the three most common types of distraction on the road:
Mental: when you keep looking ahead, but your thoughts are elsewhere.
Visual: whenever you take your eyes off the road for some reason.
Manual: when you take one or both hands off the wheel to do something else.
This doesn’t mean you have to stop listening to music while driving or talking to your passenger. Just be careful not to compromise your focus. Turn the radio volume down so you can hear important traffic sounds, like horns. Use your cell phone only for quick, necessary things when the car is stopped. And when chatting, stick to more trivial topics that don’t require much concentration.
Observe other Cars:
Keep an eye on at least three cars in front of you and to the sides. This helps you anticipate risks and plan safety maneuvers more calmly. In traffic, every second counts!
Always maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. In an emergency, you have more space and time to slow down, brake, and swerve, avoiding collisions. Click here for Defensive Driving
It’s also a good idea to try to notice which drivers are exhibiting risky behavior so you can maintain an even greater distance from them.
Check the road conditions:
Sometimes your GPS takes you to strange places, right? But you need to know how to assess the road conditions, because they directly influence how you and other drivers drive.
In general, there are four types of road surfaces you can find: asphalt, concrete, dirt, and cobblestone. On all of them, you can encounter obstacles such as potholes, bumps, uneven surfaces, ditches, etc. Obviously, these obstacles require drivers to travel at a slower speed.
However, this doesn’t mean you can drive carefree on well-paved and maintained roads. In fact, they can be even riskier, as other drivers feel more comfortable speeding away.
Another example: if the road is full of curves, you already know you should drive at a lower speed. Or if you see slopes, you need to test your brakes and keep the gear engaged. Don’t forget to pay attention to the symbols and lines drawn on the asphalt, which indicate certain road rules, such as prohibiting overtaking. These precautions will help you reduce the risk of accidents and, in turn, prevent you from committing infractions and receiving fines.
Check the weather Forecast:
Many people only remember to check the condition of their tires or windshield wiper blades when they’re already in the middle of a storm. Therefore, we recommend checking the weather forecast before leaving home. This way, you can prepare for safer driving in adverse conditions.
Know how to deal with the Weather:
Rain, fog, wind, smoke… Natural phenomena also affect driving. And a good, cautious driver knows how to handle them all. Adverse weather conditions demand extra attention, especially because of impaired visibility.
The best way to react is to keep your low beams on, reduce gears, and drive slowly. Never turn on your high beams or drive on the shoulder. If the weather is very bad, pull off the road and find a safe place, such as a gas station.
Another dangerous situation on rainy days is hydroplaning, when a layer of water forms on the asphalt, impairing tire grip. In these cases, keep the gear in gear, reduce acceleration without braking, and move the steering wheel gently left and right until you feel you’ve regained control of the vehicle.