One of the most important aspects of defensive driving is being aware of your surroundings and how they can affect your safety on the road. Driving defensively means paying attention to what's happening in front, behind, and even beside you so that you can avoid potential accidents or bad situations before they happen. Here we will tell you more about what it means to drive defensively and help prepare for any circumstances that might arise.
1 - What it means to be defensive behind the wheel
While being a defensive driver is a good thing, you need to know what exactly this entails. Driving defensively means being aware of your surroundings and the different ways they could affect what you do when you're behind the wheel.
You should always try to anticipate what will happen next while you're driving, so that if something goes wrong, then you can respond accordingly. In order to pass the permit test, you will need to illustrate that you can drive defensively. Driving defensively is a skill that you should keep with you at all times.
This means that even when you're not driving, you should always be aware of your surroundings and keep in mind what could happen at any moment. This is a great attitude to have, because it will help you avoid potential dangers and keep you safe wherever you are.
2 - Speed is another aspect of being defensive.
You can't control the speed of traffic around you, but you are in control of how fast you are going. If it's late at night and there aren't many cars on the road, then driving faster than the standard speed limit might not seem like a big deal. However, if it's a busy street, you need to keep your speed in check so that you can respond properly to any dangerous situations. As mentioned before, heavy rain or fog may require you to drive more slowly until the weather clears up.
3 - Defensive driving at night
Driving in the dark means that you may not be able to see what's on the road until it's too late. You need to be extra vigilant when on the road at night, because if an animal runs in front of you or someone is walking alongside, then you'll have no way of responding in time if your attention was elsewhere. When you drive at night, you need to slow down and focus on the road so that you can avoid any potential accidents.
4 - Defensive driving is a factor in every form of road rage
If you're going to drive defensively, then you need to watch out for all types of bad driver behavior that might impede your safety. If someone is tailgating you or if they cut into your lane without warning, then it's best to pull over and let them pass before continuing on your way. This is just one example of the types of dangerous behavior that you should avoid yourself.
5 - Driving defensively is a mindset
In order to be a safe driver, you need to develop the right mindset. Always remember that you might meet some reckless drivers on the road who don't care about your safety. While this may be hard to believe, it is true that some people aren't paying attention when they drive, so you need to be on the lookout. Defensive driving means being prepared for anything that might happen in a split second.
6 - Driving defensively for weather and traffic
Your surroundings can affect your safety behind the wheel. Let's say that you're driving on a busy highway in heavy rain and suddenly there's an accident up ahead. Responding to this dangerous set of circumstances requires defensive driving skills because cars might be slamming on their brakes for any number of reasons.
You need to be aware that you might not be able to see the accident but others around you will and slow down accordingly. Another example of a dangerous set of circumstances is heavy fog on the highway. In this case, your visibility will be greatly reduced because of your surroundings, so you should drive more slowly until the weather clears up.
Defensive driving is a very important skill to have when on the road. By following the tips we've provided, you can better understand what it means to be defensive and how to apply this mindset while driving. Defensive driving isn't just about avoiding accidents, it's also about being prepared for any situation that might arise. Remember to stay vigilant while behind the wheel and always drive safely.