Driving Safely is Key

The
standard Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations, ANSI/ASSE
Z15.1, defines defensive driving skills as “driving to save
lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the
actions of others.” This definition is taken from the National
Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Course. It is a form of training
for motor vehicle drivers that goes beyond mastery of the rules of
the road and the basic mechanics of driving. Its aim is to reduce the
risk of collision by anticipating dangerous situations, despite
adverse conditions or the mistakes of others. This can be achieved
through adherence to a variety of general guidelines, such as
following the assured clear distance ahead and two-second rules, as
well as the practice of specific driving techniques. Some motorists
describe defensive driving as “driving as if everyone else on
the road we’re drunk.”

A
driver safety program called the Driver Example Program was developed
in 1964 by Chris Imhoff of the National Safety Council. The program
instituted a Defensive Driving Course. Defensive Driving Courses,
along with Instructor Development Courses were offered beginning 1964
and 1965, typically through corporate sponsorships. Driving
defensively includes: Controlling your speed. Looking ahead and
expecting the unexpected. Being alert and distraction-free.

There
are more drivers on the road every year. Traffic can become extremely
congested at times. It is important for one to stay focused on
driving and not become distracted by texting, talking on the cell
phone or changing the radio station. Between 2000 and 2005, about
42,000 people died each year on roads and highways in the United
States.
Safe
driving means obeying the speed limit and traffic laws, not driving
too closely to the car directly in front, driving slower during rain
and inclement weather, and avoiding alcoholic beverages and certain
medications before hitting the road. All of these safe practices can
decrease your odds of being in an accident.

Several
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,
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 U.S. 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.