Defensive Driving: Collision Prevention in 3 Steps

If you drive long enough, you will be involved in a automobile crash. Often these are just fender-benders, but fatal collisions also occur. For people under the age of 25, car crashes are the leading cause of death. In 2006, 42642 people were killed in traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driving defensively could prevent you from being involved in fatal crashes. When every person behind the wheel is responsible they will help reduce traffic collisions by learning how to drive safely and defensively. It is each driver's responsibility to do everything reasonable to avoid a collision.

Defensive driving protects people from what what is happening around them. It is:

- making safe and legal driving decisions

- creating a safe personal driving space in and around your vehicle

- driving to your destination safely without affecting other driver's safety

- practicing common sense and cooperation

- recognizing the risks of hazardous driving behaviors and conditions.

Defensive driving saves lives, time, and money. It is driving for these reasons, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of other drivers.

The major goal of defensive driving, preventing collisions, can be done with three steps.

Step 1 of Preventing Collisions: Recognize the hazard.

The best form of defensive driving is being aware. Scan ahead, around, and behind your vehicle for possible dangers. Check your mirrors every 4 seconds to see upcoming traffic. Scan one block ahead while driving in urban areas and in other areas scan the next hill, curve, or overpass.

Step 2 of Preventing Collisions: Understand the defense.

This may be the most important step of the 3, because knowing what to do in dangerous situations is the best way to prevent them. Prepare for different possibilities before you drive by running through "what if" strategies so you will be prepared to act in any situation. Know what to do avoid traffic hazards, and be aware of the consequences of your driving choices. Know the basic defenses: use effective scanning patterns, slow down, and use a safe following distance.

Step 3 of Preventing Collisions: Act correctly in time for prevention.

To prevent a collision you must act in a manner that is appropriate to the situation. To do this you must always stay alert and focus on your driving so you don't lose response time. Several options will be available to you when facing a collision so you must choose the safest one that will cause the least damage because the other car may not choose the right action.