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Suggested length - One hour. But from this lesson on, every time you go out you should spend some time thinking about defensive driving. In fact, you should do that every time you drive your car for the rest of your life! This is called ‘getting experience’ and, as you do this lesson, you’ll see why.
Introduction:
Sounds really dull doesn’t it? I can hear you now “Defensive driving - bet that means driving really slowly and ultra carefully”. Well, we should always drive carefully, but it doesn’t necessarily mean driving slowly - sometimes quite the opposite.
Defensive driving means driving in such a way as to avoid having an accident. Sounds pretty obvious, I know, that we don’t want to have an accident but when you think that almost all road accidents (and there are one hell of a lot of them) involve driver error, you begin to realise that lots of people are not very good on the road.
It’s also very important to remember that even if an accident isn’t your fault, you may have been able to avoid it if you had read the situation well enough. And that’s what defensive driving is all about, understanding and appreciating how situations can develop into potentially dangerous ones and dealing with them in good time. So you don’t necessarily need to be driving slowly to be driving defensively, you just need to realise that the faster you are driving, the further ahead you need to be looking to have time to react to given situations.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- What is defensive driving
- Planning and anticipation
- Hazard perception
The lesson.
Of all the lessons offered on video on this site, I most strongly recommend this one. The reason is that there can be no real structure to this lesson, all you can basically do is go out for a drive and see what crops up. The video gives some good examples of the type of thing you are looking for and how to deal with it. However, I shall give some examples here for you to think about as you are driving. Think how they may refer to similar situations that occur on your drive.
Junctions: When driving on a major road and a car appears at a junction ahead, don’t assume they have seen you and won’t pull out. Have they looked in your direction? Have they actually stopped? Check your mirror and ease off the accelerator a little, be ready for them to do something unexpected.
When you are approaching a junction yourself and you see a car to your right signalling left - don’t assume he is going turn in and that it’s safe to go. Wait until you are sure he is turning - people often inadvertently leave signals on, particularly when they are playing loud music.
When turning into a major road, is there a large vehicle approaching? Could it be hiding a car overtaking. Even if it’s just a car, could it be hiding something smaller, such as a motor bike?
Overtaking: When you are overtaking another vehicle, be aware when you are in their blind spot - particularly on dual carriageways and motorways (when you have passed your test). If you are not sure about blind spots, click here. Whilst you are in their blind spot they may move into your path if they haven’t seen you overtaking, particularly if they are following slower traffic.
Never accelerate when someone is overtaking you. Be prepared to slow down and allow space for them to move in front of you. Remember, if you deliberately accelerate to make it difficult for someone overtaking and cause and accident, you could well find yourself arrested for dangerous driving.
Following distances: Isn’t it incredibly annoying when someone is driving too close behind you? The temptation is to do a little ‘brake testing’ on them to shock them into dropping back a little. Trouble is, they may hit you and, no matter who was right or wrong, you will finish up with a damaged car and, maybe, even a damaged body.
The proper response is to slow down a little, allow extra time for braking and greater distance between yourself and vehicles in front. That way, if you need to slow down for some reason, they are less likely to hit you.
Look for clues: Always look well ahead and look for clues of developing hazards. For example:
Reflections. When you are pulling out of a busy junction with parked cars blocking your view, are there any shops around where you can use the window reflections to help you see?
Children playing. Kids don’t think when they are playing, be prepared for one of them to run out - it OFTEN happens.
Buses. If you come up behind a bus at a bus stop, can you see under the bus? If so, you might be able to see the feet of somebody who’s about to walk out from behind it. Have you seen someone get off? Where are they now? And is anyone running to catch the bus? Look in the bus, if the last person has paid and the doors have closed the bus might be about to pull out. Of course, you may not be able to see all or any of these things, but you often can.
Schools. What time is it? If school is about to start or finish keep a special eye out for children.
Following vehicles: Apart from problems of vehicles driving too close, does the driver behind appear not to be paying attention? Perhaps he’s talking on the phone or fiddling around with his radio. If so, when you can see you may need to slow down, press the brake pedal very lightly, this will put on your brake lights and, hopefully, draw his attention to what is about to occur.
Flashing headlights: Why has that driver flashed? Was it to me? Perhaps it was accidental. If someone flashes their lights for you to do something, remember to make your own decision. Do not assume your route is safe and clear. Flashing headlamps is supposed to only mean ‘I am here’ - the same as using the horn. But people use headlamps for many reasons, make sure you understand the situation before acting - if in doubt, don’t act on them.
Pedestrian crossings: Always keep an eye open for crossings. If you are not sure how to recognise a crossing, click here. Is a pedestrian approaching the crossing? Remember pedestrians cannot see your brake lights so may not be sure you are slowing down. Do not wave pedestrians across.
Roundabouts: When you enter a roundabout, always keep an eye on the vehicle in front. Never assume that, as you look to the right, it is going to pull away. Make sure it has moved before you do. A huge number of rear end accidents happen this way - I should know, I live in Milton Keynes!
Hostility: This is mainly aimed at the men. Don’t get angry with other drivers. It’s not worth it, trust me. Have you ever known anyone actually ‘win’ a road rage argument? Drivers who are angry are much more likely to have an accident. If someone upsets you with their driving, just ignore it and carry on. That makes you a much bigger person than some idiot who wants to fight it out.
All the above situations just touch the surface of what defensive driving is all about. There are so many examples, it is impossible to teach teach them all to a pupil in time for the driving test. It is what getting driving experience is all about - the longer you have been driving, the more situations you will become familiar with and, therefore, prepared for in good time.
