Road Safety: 4 Basic Concepts of Defensive Driving

Defensive driving is typically used to describe individuals who strive for safety when on the road. It is a concept that has been around for many years and has helped numerous people become safer, proactive drivers.

Defensive driving encourages drivers to take precautions to prevent accidents from happening and to expect the unexpected. If you are interested in learning more about defensive driving, AODD’s Online Traffic School offers defensive driving courses and traffic safety training in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Here, we have listed down some defensive driving basics that you should keep in mind.

1. Follow Basic Traffic Laws
   Come to complete stops at stop signs. Follow proper merging procedures. Drive at or below the speed limit. These are just some of the basic traffic laws that you should always follow. The concept of defensive driving encourages drivers to understand and follow traffic laws that are in place to protect all motorists. Following these traffic laws and regulations is the first line of defense against accidents.
2. Yield to Aggressive Drivers
   To avoid confrontations and accidents, yield to aggressive drivers (i.e. swervers and tailgaters). No good will come from responding to these types of drivers. If you ever find yourself in a situation with an aggressive driver, slow down and let them pass and drive away from you.
3. Stay Alert
   Being alert allows you to react quickly to potential problems (i.e. when the driver in front of you abruptly slams on the brakes). Driving under the influence (alcohol, drugs, and some medications) can affect your judgment and reaction time. Driving while you are sleepy has the same effect and is one of the leading causes of road accidents. So, rest up before you go out and drive.
4. Be Knowledgeable
   The key concept of defensive driving is being knowledgeable. As a reputable safe driving school in California, we offer defensive driving courses suitable for all types of drivers. Our courses are available for new drivers, elderly drivers, and more. Acquiring more information on safe driving will contribute to a reduced risk of road accidents.