DEFENSIVE DRIVING & OTHER PRECAUTIONS

“Defensive Driving” means being constantly aware of the driving conditions, planning ahead, anticipating dangers and taking the right action so as not to come in contact with any obstacle or other vehicle. Courtesy and consideration toward others are the most important driving attitudes you can develop. They are the key to safe driving.

As a driver you will be constantly making decisions every mile you drive. There is a right way to make these decisions. It is known as defensive driving. Tennessee Driver Handbook 90 Defensive Driving & Other Precautions 1. SPACE AHEAD: Rear-end crashes are very common. Rear-end crashes are caused by drivers following too closely (tailgating) to be able to stop before hitting your vehicle ahead when it suddenly slows or stops. The best way to maintain this safety cushion is to follow the basic 2-Second Rule. Also leave extra space when approaching railroad crossings or when stopped behind another vehicle on a hill or competition. 2. SPACE BEHIND: It is not invariably easy to manage the space behind your truck. However, you can help keep a driver behind you at a safe distance by keeping a reliable speed and using turn signals in advance when you have to slow down or turn. Every now and then you may find yourself being followed too closely or being “tailgated” by another driver. If there is a right lane, move over to the right. If there is no right lane, wait before the road ahead is clear and passing is legal, then slowly get rid of your speed. This will encourage the tailgater to drive around you. Never slow down quickly to discourage a tailgater. All that does is increase your risk of being hit from behind.dot compliance help 3. SPACE TO BOTH SIDES: You need space on both sides of your vehicle to have room to turn or change lanes. Avoid driving in oblivious spots of other vehicles. When meeting oncoming vehicles on a two-lane road stay slightly to the right of your lane so as not to “crowd” the centerline. Be well-mannered and move to the left lane on multi-lane roads when other vehicles making the effort to merge into traffic. Keep extra space between your vehicle and parked cars, pedestrians and bicyclists (especially children) on the roadside. Two key rules about space to the side includes: • “Split the difference” - between two hazards. For example, steer a middle course between oncoming traffic and parked vehicles. However, if one is more dangerous than the other, leave a little more space on the most dangerous side. If the oncoming vehicle is a semi-truck, leave a more room on the side that the truck will pass on instead of the medial side with the parked cars. • “Take potential hazards one-by-one. ” For example, if you are overtaking a bicyclist and an oncoming vehicle is approaching, slow down, let the vehicle pass first so that you can then safely move to the left to give room to the bicycle.dot compliance workshop MERGING DEFENSIVELY: A minimum four-second gap is needed whenever you change lanes, enter a roadway or when your lane merges with another traffic side of the road. If you need to cross several lanes, take them one-by-one. NEVER cut across multiple lanes, it can tie up traffic and even cause you to have a collision or create a crash between other vehicles trying to avoid your sudden and unsafe maneuver. HANDLING INTERSECTIONS DEFENSIVELY: When you cross traffic, you need a large enough gap to get all the way across the road. DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTIONS or get caught with a portion of your truck left in a traffic lane with approaching vehicles. Make sure you can safely complete the cross or entering maneuver before you begin. PASSING DEFENSIVELY: Whenever signs or road markings permit you to pass, you will have to judge whether you have enough room to safely pass. Do not count on having some time to pass several vehicles at once. Be safe. As a general rule pass only one vehicle at a time. Remember passing does not entitle you to exceed the speed limit. At 52 M. P. H. you will need about ten (10) seconds to complete the pass of a single vehicle. That means you require a ten-second gap in oncoming traffic and sight distance to pass. You must judge whether you will have enough space to safely pass. • Safely Finishing the Pass: Do NOT pass until you have enough space to go back to the driving lane. Do NOT count on other drivers to make room for you. You will need enough room between your vehicle and the other vehicle (“space behind”) to safely revisit the driving side of the road. It’s safest not to return to the driving lane and soon you can see both headlights of the vehicle you just passed in the rearview mirror. ALLOW SPACE FOR DANGEROUS SITUATIONS OR PROBLEM DRIVERS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER • People who cannot see you: Anyone who cannot see you may enter your way without knowing you are there. Such as: º Drivers at intersections or driveways where their view is blocked by buildings, trees or other vehicles. º Pedestrians with umbrellas in front of their faces or with their hats pulled down º Oblivious pedestrians with white cane or guide dogs. • People who may be distracted: Even when others can see you, allow extra room if you think they may be distracted such as: º Delivery persons º Drivers who are not paying attention to their driving (talking on cell phones, looking at maps, arguing with passengers or trying to take care of children in the car). • People who may be confused: People who are confused may cause an unsafe situation such as: º Tourists or persons driving cars with out-of-state driver's license plates (especially at complicated intersections). º Drivers looking for street signs or house numbers.. • Drivers in trouble: If another driver makes a blunder (a driver who passes you when they just don't have enough room, for example), do not make it worse. Slow down and let them safely revisit the driving side of the road. Other situations include: º If another driver needs to suddenly change lanes, slow down and let them merge. º A driver who is about to be forced into your side of the road by another blending vehicle, lane closed due to construction, bicyclists, pedestrians or children on the roadside, etc.dot compliance help These gestures will keep traffic moving effortlessly and safely. Scanning the road and Traffic for Defensive Reactions Most of what you do as a defensive driver is in response to what you SEE while driving. When driving, we gather 90% of the information about the road and our surroundings Tennessee Driver Handbook 87 Defensive Driving & Other Precautions through our eyes. Scanning means looking at the entire scene for anything that might come into your way. As you scan the road, avoid a fixed stare. Keep your eyes moving and learn to read the road. Look ahead, to the sides and behind you. Scan Ahead - looking ahead will help you see things early and will allow you more time to react. Defensive drivers try to focus their eyes 10 to 15 seconds (about the distance of 1 city block) ahead. Scan to the Sides - Scan from side to side, checking for directional signs, cars or people that might be in the road by the time you reach them. Watch for Clues - Look for exhaust smoke, brake or back-up lights and turned wheels on vehicles. Clues like these indicate that the vehicles may pull into your way. Be Careful in Rural Areas - Watch for hidden intersections and driveways, curves, hills and different road conditions (pavement changing to gravel or dirt road, narrowing road, etc. ). Check Left to Right before Entering an Intersection - At any intersection, look to the left first, since cars coming from the left will be closer to you. Then look to the right and take one more quick look to the left before you drive through. Look Behind - Use your rearview mirror to check the traffic behind you frequently, about every 10 seconds. This will alert you if someone is moving up too quickly or tailgating you. Be sure to check the traffic behind you when changing lanes, backing up, slowing down quickly or driving down a long steep hill. But don’t keep you eyes off the road ahead for more than a brief look behind. Communicating with other Drivers Communicating means clearly showing other drivers and pedestrians what you plan to do early enough to avoid a collision. Whenever you plan to change directions, use your turn signals - whether you are changing lanes, turning at an intersection, entering an interstate, pulling away from a curb or pulling off to the side of the road. Develop the habit of using your turn signals even when you do not see other vehicles on the road.dot compliance help Adjusting Speed to Conditions Slow Speed / Impeding the Traffic Flow - No driver should certainly drive at such a slow speed as to hold back or block the normal and reasonable flow of traffic. Speed Control Benefits Everyone - As your speed increases, so does your car’s wind resistance, a big think about gasoline mileage. Most automobiles get about 28% more miles per gallon on the highway at 50 Mirielle. P. H. than at 70 and about 21% more at 55 Mirielle. P. H. than at 70. Driving at moderate data transfer rates also: • Provides you with better stopping and evasive control in emergency situations • Allows you maintain the “safety cushion” around your vehicle. • Reduces the risk of death or serious injury to victims in the event of a crash or other accident. • Helps to maintain a safer traffic flow, discouraging others from zipping in and out of lanes recklessly. • Is a key factor in driving safely and defensively. Compromise Another important defensive driving skill is compromise. When you cannot separate risks, and you must deal with two or more at the same time, compromise by giving the most room to either the greatest or most likely danger. For example, suppose you are driving on a two-lane roadway with oncoming cars to your left and a child riding a bike to your right. The child is the most likely to move suddenly, so you need a larger space cushion to the right. In this case, moving closer to the centerline is the correct or best compromise. Knowledge and Experience Becoming a good defensive driver requires knowledge and experience. The beginning driver should learn through instruction, observation and practice. After you obtain your learner permit, practice starting, stopping and vehicle control in a parking lot or other open area with little traffic. Practice will sharpen your basic skills, as well as build your confidence. Your knowledge should include recognition of the hazards of driving and how to protect yourself. Skill is more than eye/hand/foot coordination. It is a well-rehearsed driving strategy, which involves anticipation, reaction and the constant changing of the space between your truck and other vehicles. You must continually strive for improvement. Improvement can be measured in your elimination of risktaking, your adherence to speed limits and your ability to take corrective action when necessary. dot compliance help