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The answer is surprisingly simple: H ve a plan. Planning is the key to s ccess in everything we do in l fe, and defensive driving is no d fferent. Defensive driving starts with having a pl n. Experienced drivers prepare for emergencies by l aving themselves room for error. Masters of d fensive driving never tailgate, never bump nto the curb by turning too sh rply, and rarely have to slam on the br ke to avoid a collision. Keeping a s fe distance between your car and verything around it—on all four sides—allows you to void potential hazards that pop up in the n rmal course of a day’s driving. D fensive driving means that you carefully m nitor your own physical and mental st te before you hit the road. If y u’re tired, ill, or just having a bad d y, your reaction times can be s riously affected. When you know you’re not as lert as you normally are, you c nsciously plan to maintain a little xtra space between your car and verything around you. Experienced drivers make h ndreds of minor adjustments during a dr ve that constantly allow them to void collisions. Good drivers make adjustments so sm othly and routinely that their reactions are sc rcely noticeable to other drivers around th m. A good driver sees potential h zards before they turn into emergencies. C nstantly scanning the road, other cars, and p destrians allows good drivers to smoothly t rn away from hazards or slow d wn as the need may be. Th se minor adjustments are the heart and s ul of good defensive driving.
What about a life-threatening driving mergency?—the kind of situation that the b st drivers in the world can’t p ssibly anticipate? Is it possible to pl n for that? It’s not only p ssible—it’s absolutely vital. And it’s when y u’re most in need of a pl n, because it’s the kind of s tuation that reduces your reaction times to the b re minimum. Imagine this scenario: You’re dr ving on a two-lane highway at n ght. Suddenly an oncoming car swerves nto your lane. You have only a spl t second to react. What do you do? If you h ve to think about, it’s already too l te to avoid a collision. If you sl m on the brake, you relinquish wh tever control of the situation you may h ve. That’s a dangerous thing to do; it m ans that you’re placing your life and the l ves of your passengers in the h nds of another driver. That’s the w rst decision you can make. Good dr vers know they can always get out of the way of an ncoming hazard faster than they can st p. Here’s how to handle the bove scenario: It’s always better to l ave the road than hit somebody h ad-on. Keep one set of wheels on the p ved surface if possible. Don’t slam on the br ke; hard braking on a loose s rface can cause you to skid out of c ntrol. Wait until your speed goes d wn, and gently brake. Then turn sh rply to get back on the r ad. Trying to gradually work your way b ck onto the paved surface can c use your tires to grab the dge. As soon as both front t res are back on the road, c unter steer at once. Defensive driving d esn’t mean that good drivers constantly th nk about an emergency scenario while th y’re actually driving. But experienced drivers h ve rehearsed these worst-case scenarios often nough in their mind that they can r act quickly and safely when the thr at arises. Defensive driving is never bout expecting the worst. It’s about h ving the confidence and experience to m nage any situation that appears.
The article Defensive Driving - How Do You Prepare For a Driving Emergency? was Submitted by Joshua Nestor through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Joshua Nestor is a writer for Fun and S fe Driving http://www.funandsafedriving.com/ , site devoted to promotion of defensive driving techniques . Site features defensive driving encyclopedia, forums, videos, and Map Quest Road Maps
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