Defensive Driving

As most people know, driving is one of the most dangerous actions the average person will make during their day. Controlling a moving object that weighs over a ton and is going at 70 or 80 miles an hour requires concentration and focus that most people don’t realize. Driving requires you to focus on not just yourself, but the other drivers around you and what else may be on the sides of the road or just passing by in the air. People need to understand that passing your driver’s test, doesn’t make you an expert on driving. Driver’s education gives people the basic knowledge and understanding of what it means to control a vehicle and how to maneuver it safely, but as most people know, practice makes perfect. Defensive driving is something most people have heard about, but don’t regularly use in their daily life. In the most common instance, people tend to forget their blinkers, go over the speed limit, or even forget that drinking or eating while driving can lead to big accidents. The biggest cause for car accidents, is the driver’s becoming distracted for a split second. This means looking at your phone for a split second, taking a sip of water, looking at passengers, or simply looking at your speedometer. By learning and practicing defensive driving, we can hopefully cull the number of car accidents that occur each year. Defensive driving means checking your mirrors or even starting your music and GPS before you even take the car out of park. Understanding that by putting conscious effort into using your blinkers, staying at the speed limit, and making sure to leave on time so you don’t have to rush are all great ways to make sure you stay safe while driving. Everyone knows that you can’t control other people’s actions, so what should you do to protect yourself from other drivers? Making sure to be vigilante and staying focused on your surroundings while driving is one of the most important things about driving. Being consistent in checking your mirrors so you can see where other drivers are or even moving over to the slow lane so you can focus on one side are great ways to stay safer while driving. Understanding that you cannot control what other people do, but by watching your mirrors and how other people are driving can save your life. Most people wouldn’t realize that driving can be as dangerous as taking part in a war. Statistically speaking, The Vietnam War killed around 47,000 people. In 2005 alone, over 40,000 people were killed in a highway accident. Take a second to think about that. A war, which lasted around 20 years killed just a little more than a single year of people driving. Driving has gotten safer because of advancements in technology since 2005, but that fact still stands that a single year of driving killed the same amount from a 20-year war. I’m sure that many people have heard the story or seen video footage of an 18-wheeler crashing into the side of a ramp to prevent a highway accident. Most people know that his brakes stopped working and to prevent injuring or killing anyone else, the truck driver gave up his own life and steered the vehicle off the road and into the ride of a concrete ramp, crushing the front of the truck and instantly killing him and his dog. If this man hadn’t chosen to protect other people, who knows how many people could have been killed or seriously injured. Driving is dangerous and many people forget what could happen because of a malfunction in their vehicle. People aren’t prepared to make life or death decisions while driving and that is why practicing defensive driving and maintaining your vehicle is so important. Keeping vehicle inspections up to date and understanding the basics of how your vehicle works is important to make sure that you stay safe on the road. Many people don’t understand the differences in sounds and what they can mean for their life or car. Changes in how your car feels while driving, can relate to you tire pressure or even your suspension. If not to stay safe, maintaining your vehicle can help prevent larger problems from happening and creating a car that just takes your money. Making sure to practice defensive driving can keep you safe. Remember, distracted driving alone kills around 3,000 people each year, make sure to practice defensive driving so that you don’t become part of that statistic.