Did you know that automobile accidents are common enough to be one of the most common causes of death throughout the United States? That doesn’t mean you should simply hide out in your house or walk everywhere you go. It simply means that it’s worth taking some time to focus on how your driving might be creating an unsafe situation for you or others, and finding ways to improve your safe driving. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple ways to make sure that you’re more likely to avoid a collision.
Some people who hear the phrase ‘defensive driving’ might think that it carries a negative connotation, like when a person acts ‘defensive.’ But in fact, defensive driving is simply the name for alert, careful driving that takes into account the actions of other drivers. It’s how you ensure that you’re always prepared to ‘defend’ yourself from events that might take place on the road.
While you might have heard some of these defensive driving tips before, it’s always good to have a reminder about the best practices for driving safely. Meanwhile, you might discover some new ways to stay safe whenever you’re out and about driving on roads with other drivers. You’ll find that many of our tips aren’t directly focused on your driving skills at all—they’re more centered on how you prepare for and respond to the actions taken by other drivers. These responses can often be the difference between a serious car accident and arriving home safely.
With that in mind, here’s our list of 20 of the best defensive driving tips to remember when you want to stay safe on the road.
Stay Focused
One of the most common causes of accidents in the world is distracted driving. As technology becomes more portable, it means that there are countless growing ways to bring that technology into the car and have it become a distraction. The most obvious culprit of this is cell phones, which should never be in your hands while driving under any circumstances. While most states have enacted hands-free driving laws, you should always avoid having a phone in your hands even in states where it’s legal. Even making hands-free calls can be a distraction, so use these features only when necessary.
Another major cause of distraction in vehicles is other passengers. Whether that’s a friend chatting in the passenger seat or a child crying in the back, you should always remember that your number one priority as driver of the vehicle is to keep the passengers safe. Everything else will have to wait. If you have a child that’s having an emergency or simply a tantrum, safely pull over if you must to take care of it rather than trying to handle the situation while you drive.
Assume Drivers Will Make Mistakes
One common mistake that drivers make is that they assume no other drivers will make mistakes. Unfortunately, drivers make serious mistakes all the time—and many of them lead to serious injuries, or worse. One of our top defensive driving tips is to always assume that everyone on the road is doing some distracted driving in some way.
For example, when you’ve stopped at a 4-way stop and it’s now your turn to proceed, watch for other cars approaching the intersection from either side. Wait for them to at least start to brake as they approach the intersection, showing you that they see the stop sign and are preparing to stop. Don’t assume that a car moving full speed in your direction is going to slow down—wait until it shows you.
This also goes for cars merging from highway entrances and other situations. Don’t assume they’re going to act appropriately for the situation. If you can, put yourself in a position where even a mistake on their part won’t run you off the road.
Mind Your Speed
This tip shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who’s received a speeding ticket, but the risks of speeding might be even worse than you could have guessed. Every year, around 30,000 people die as a direct result of speeding. Not only does faster driving result in more force in the event of an impact, but faster cars take longer to come to a stop. That makes accidents more likely overall.
This doesn’t mean that you should drive several miles below the speed limit or below the speed of other cars—this carries its own risks. Simply follow the flow of traffic around you, assuming it doesn’t move more quickly than the speed limit.
Use Car Safety Equipment
Vehicles and accessories designed for safety have made remarkable progress over the last few decades when it comes to their ability to protect you and your passengers. From advanced airbags and vehicle designs to modern car seat designs and restraints for children, there are plenty of ways that you can ensure you and your passengers are safer on the road. However, there is a catch—you have to actually use this safety equipment for it to have an impact. Always keep children in age-appropriate restraints, car seats, or seat belt adjusters. Not only could it save your child’s life—it’s also the law.
And if you’re wondering whether all these child safety laws make a difference—studies have shown that children who aren’t seated in age-appropriate equipment during a crash are twice as likely to receive serious or fatal injuries.
Listen to Your Mother — Buckle Your Seat Belt
We can’t leave out the most famous safety feature of all—the seat belt. Wearing a seat belt while driving cuts your chances of being injured in half. On average, seat belts save the lives of nearly 20,000 people every single year.
And yet, millions of people drive their vehicles at highway speeds, surrounded by other cars, without wearing a seat belt. The most common culprits? Teenagers, people driving in rural areas, people who are intoxicated, and commercial truck drivers on long-haul trips.
Please—buckle your seat belt. It's one of our top defensive driving tips, it takes a matter of seconds and is proven to be able to save your life.
When You Aren’t Sure What to Do, Yield
It might have been your turn when someone jumped the line and t-boned your car at an intersection, but that won’t be much comfort when you’re in the hospital recovering from a broken collarbone.
Research has shown that many people have a difficult time yielding to other drivers, especially when they feel the other driver isn’t following the rules or is acting out of turn. But pride or justice aren’t worth the risk of car damage, injury, or worse. Even if you feel certain that you’re in the right, don’t push it. Let other drivers proceed while you yield the way, no matter how wrong or smug they might be.
This is particularly relevant for male drivers, who studies show are 50% more likely to receive failure to yield violations than women. That said, it’s equally applicable to everyone. So here's our defensive driving tip—when in doubt, yield the way.
Red Means Stop, Green Means Go
Everyone knows what stoplights mean, but not everyone pays attention to them like they should. Many accidents result from drivers who don’t notice a red light, fail to see it due to glare from the sun or distractions, or try to beat a yellow and realize they’re too late only once they’re in the middle of the intersection.
One of our defensive driving tips is to slow down a little bit before you approach any intersection. This will allow you to have more time to assess the light, make sure you know its status, and decide how to proceed. Avoiding a 1-2 minute wait at a light isn’t worth risking a serious injury or worse.
Tell Other Drivers Where You’re Going
We’ve all experienced the frustration of a driver who doesn’t use their indicators before making a turn or lane change. But many of us are guilty of the same offense ourselves, whether you're aware of your surroundings or not. Failing to alert other drivers about what you’re going to do is one of the most common causes of accidents.
But it’s not enough to simply use your blinkers. You need to leave enough time between turning on the blinker and when you actually make the lane change or turn, so that other drivers have enough time to notice it and adjust accordingly. Signaling as you make a turn doesn’t do anyone much good, and failure to signal properly causes 2 million accidents every single year.
Ease Off the Road Rage
Everyone gets frustrated on the road. We’ve all been cut off, tailgated, offended, or had someone do something dangerous. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little upset and irritated at another driver. However, when that frustration causes you to make poor decisions that could put your safety or the safety of others at risk, that’s when it becomes unacceptable road rage.
The truth is that no one has ever ‘won’ an argument over driving. Everyone ends up angrier at best, and at worst there could be an altercation or physical violence. You also never know the mental state of other drivers, which puts you at even greater risk. If you see someone behave in a truly risky way, stay away and call the police.
Give Other Drivers Room
One out of every three car accidents is the direct result of someone following to closely behind another car. Tailgating is incredibly risky, not to mention an inconsiderate way to behave. For our next defensive driving tip, try to assume the best about the people driving around you—maybe they’re just learning to drive, or they feel more comfortable at lower speeds. Tailgating someone rarely, if ever, causes them to speed up—and it puts you both at risk.
If someone is driving dangerously below the speed limit, consider a short honk to let them know. Don’t ride directly behind their bumper—it’s not just rude, it’s illegal and unsafe.
Don’t Be Blind to Blind Spots
Everyone has heard the common advice to always check their blind spots. But one thing that many drivers fail to think about is whether they’re driving in the blind spots of other cars.
The nature of driving means that cars are constantly passing in and out of each other’s visual blind spots all the time. However, it becomes unsafe when you consistently stay in the blind spot of another vehicle. Because they don’t see a car nearby for quite some time, they could simply move over into your lane without ever knowing you’re there. If you find yourself matching the pace of another car and staying in their blind spot, either slow down or speed up slightly (and safely) in order to remedy the situation.
Drive Sober. Period.
This is one of our simplest defensive driving tips . Never, ever drive impaired in any way. If you have to ask yourself whether you’re too impaired to drive safely, then the answer is no. Putting yourself, other drivers, and any passengers you might have at risk is absolutely not worth the price of a taxi ride home.
Prepare for the Weather
Wet roads mean a longer time for your car to come to a stop safely. You shouldn’t drive the same way on wet roads as you do in normal weather conditions. We recommend avoiding the use of cruise control when bad weather arrives, and adding some extra gap between you and other vehicles on the road. You should also consider slowing down—the speed limit is a maximum limit, not a required speed.
Meanwhile, you should know what to do in the event that your car hydroplanes, or slides on the surface of water. That’s beyond the scope of this article, but there are plenty of resources online about what to do in the event of hydroplaning.
Know Your Snow
When it snows, one of our defensive driving tips is that you should use chains on your tires. However, chains are not appropriate for use on ice. If your region commonly experiences ice and snow storms, the safest thing you can do is put winter-specific tires on your car. And, just like when it rains, avoid using cruise control. Put yourself in constant control of your speed and acceleration.
Take Care of Your Tires So They Take Care of You
Speaking of tires, it’s important for your safety that you never neglect them. Caring for tires essentially comes down to two main factors—keeping them inflated at the right pressure rating, and replacing them when they become damaged or too worn. Tire life is generally measured in years, not miles, and recommendations generally hover around 5 years per replacement. That said, you should replace tires that become overly worn before that time. Use your best judgement, because it might just save your life. Worn tires take longer to stop, are more likely to slide, and can’t grip the road effectively—especially in wet conditions.
Light Your Way
The next defensive driving tip on our list—use your headlights! Whenever it’s dark, rainy, foggy, or otherwise more difficult than normal to see, your headlights will increase your visibility. If you’re driving somewhere remote that is particularly dark, feel free to use your high beams—that’s what they’re for. Just be sure to turn them off if other drivers approach. You don’t want to impair their ability to see safely, which could lead to an accident.
Give Your Vehicle Some Attention
Keeping your vehicle properly maintained and cared for is also essential for safety. That includes safety lights, brakes, tires, and anything else that requires regular maintenance and attention. If you do experience a breakdown while you’re on the road, get your car to safety if possible. If not, exit your car when it is safe to do so and remove yourself from the road. Then call for a tow truck or whatever help you might need.
Handle Tailgating the Right Way
If someone is tailgating you, don’t respond by slamming on your brakes suddenly to ‘teach them a lesson.’ Simply move out of the lane. If this isn’t an option, the recommended response is to reduce distance between your car and the next. This is because if a tailgater strikes you from behind, you’ll be less likely to slam into the car ahead.
Steady As She Goes
One of the most common causes of traffic accidents is sudden change in speed or acceleration. You should always try to be as smooth as possible whenever you adjust your speed while on the road. Give the drivers around you time to react to your new speed. Don’t slam on your brakes unless necessary for safety, and don’t blast to a higher speed just to show off your car’s acceleration. The best advice for defensive driving is to “Be Predictable.” The more predictable you are, the better other drivers will be able to safely respond to you.
Look Ahead, Plan Ahead
When driving, you should continually look far down the road to watch out for any incoming situations. Avoid surprises by looking ahead for stopped traffic, intersections, unsafe items on the highway, or accidents.
We hope these tips will help you become a better defensive driver. You can also find great defensive driving course options online. But no matter how careful you are, sometimes incidents are bound to happen. That's why Freedom National offers cheap car insurance quotes online.
