Defensive driving describes the practice of anticipating dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions or the mistakes of others when operating a

motor vehicle A motor vehicle, also known as a motorized vehicle, automotive vehicle, automobile, or road vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on railway track, rails (such as trains or trams), does not fly (such ...

. It can be achieved by adhering to general guidelines, such as keeping a two- or three-second gap between the driver's vehicle and the vehicle in front to ensure adequate space to stop. It is a form of training for drivers that goes beyond road rules and the basic mechanics of

driving Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a land vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. A driver's permission to drive on public highways is granted based on a set of conditions being met, and drivers are required to ...

techniques. Defensive driving reduces the risk of collisions and improves road safety.

History

A driver safety program called the ''Driver Example Program'' was developed in 1964 by Chris Imhoff of the (US)

National Safety Council The National Safety Council (NSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public service organization promoting health and safety in the United States. Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, NSC is a member organization, founded in 1913 and granted a congress ...

.http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Defensive%20Driving%20Information%20Highway/Defensive_Driving_Resources/Pages/DefensiveDrivingCoursesHistoryTimeline.aspx
National Safety Council ''Defensive Driving Courses History Timeline'' The program instituted a ''Defensive Driving Course (DDC)''. Defensive Driving Courses, along with Instructor Development Courses were offered beginning 1964 and 1965, typically through corporate sponsorships. A similar driving course is offered by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.

General principles

Driving defensively includes: * General principles: ** Controlling your speed. ** Looking ahead and being prepared for unexpected events. ** Being alert and distraction free. * Regarding other participants in traffic: ** Preparedness for all sorts of actions and reactions of other drivers and pedestrians. ** Not expecting the other drivers to do what you would ordinarily do. ** Watching and respecting other drivers. * Regarding your own vehicle: ** Maintaining a safe following distance. ** Driving safely considering (adjusting for) weather and/or road conditions. ** Adjusting your speed before entering a bend, in order to avoid applying the brakes in the middle of a bend.

Training and courses

Several US government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private schools have launched specialty courses that improve the public's driving skills. In the United States a few of the familiar courses in defensive driving include Alive at 25, DDC or Defensive Driving Course, Coaching the Mature Driver, Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving, Insurance discount, Seat Belt Safety, Handsfree, Professional Truck Driving, and DDC for Instructors. In relation to this, the government has launched active airbag and seat belt safety campaigns that encourage high visibility enforcement. In addition to improving one's own driving skills, many US states provide an incentive to complete an approved defensive driving course by offering mandated insurance discounts or a way to mask a traffic ticket from one's driving record. In some instances, these courses are referred to as traffic school or a defensive driving school. States with the biggest incentives include Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. A number of private providers offer a variety of courses. The methods and styles of the courses vary; but they are typically less comprehensive than training to pass an

advanced driving test The advanced driving test is a special exam for motorists who can drive to a skill level substantially above average, and candidates who pass are called ''advanced drivers''. It is available from several societies, including IAM RoadSmart, the ...

through the

Institute of Advanced Motorists The Institute Of Advanced Motorists Limited, trading as IAM RoadSmart, is a charity based in the United Kingdom, whose objective is to improve car driving standards, motorcycle riding standards, and enhance road safety by using the British ...

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is a British Charitable organization, charity that aims to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries which occur as a result of accidents. In the past, it has successfully campaigne ...

Advanced Drivers and Riders, or

British Motorcyclists Federation The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) is a motorcycle riders' rights group in the United Kingdom. The BMF was founded in 1960 as the Federation of National One Make Motorcycle Clubs to counter accusations of "leather-jacketed hooligans". It ...

Blue Riband. While US training has typically focused on handling skills – such as the Bondurant school of high-performance driving – British training has emphasized

roadcraft Roadcraft refers to the system of car or motorcycle control outlined in two books ''Roadcraft: The Police Driver's Handbook'' and ''Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook''. The books are produced by the Police Foundation and published ...

. Defensive and advanced driving and motorcycling are commonly recognized in the UK, championed by charities such as the

and the

' Advanced Drivers and Riders.

Online Defensive Driving Courses

In many states, online defensive driving courses are available for drivers to improve their skills and manage traffic tickets without attending in-person classes. These courses are designed to help keep the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) or Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records clean, and course providers often handle most court filings, thereby preventing points from being added to drivers' records. Completion of these courses can result in the dismissal of eligible violations.

Benefits of roadcraft

British research has shown advanced drivers who use the

system of car control are safer and have better

fuel efficiency Fuel efficiency (or fuel economy) is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical energy, chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or Mechanical work, w ...

too. The

system was devised in 1937 by racing driver Mark Everard Pepys, 6th Earl of Cottenham, to reduce accidents in police pursuits. A study by

Brunel University Brunel University of London (BUL) is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It is named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution. It became a university ...

found advanced drivers who had successfully completed the

training were nearly 70% better in all aspects of their driving – from steering to judging distances and speed. Earlier research by Britain's

Transport Research Laboratory TRL Limited, trading as TRL (formerly Transport Research Laboratory) is an independent private company offering a transport consultancy and research service to the public and private sector. Originally established in 1933 by the UK Government ...

that concluded drivers are less likely to crash if they have reached a measurable higher driving standard. Unpublished research by IAM Surety (an insurance company) showed that insurance claims by members of the

were far cheaper than comparable non-members. Additionally – according to the Association of Motor Insurers – there is a reduction in claims for the first four years after passing the

test.

Notes

References

External links

World Health Organization Report on road traffic injury prevention
{{DEFAULTSORT:Defensive Driving Driving techniques Risk management