Defensive Driving

The set of driving techniques which focuses on reacting to the behavior of other traffic on the road is commonly referred to as defensive driving. The distinction between defensive driving and standard driving instruction is not clear cut, and there is a good deal of overlap between the two.

However, ordinary instruction tends to concentrate more on operating a vehicle in accordance with safety and traffic laws; while defensive driving encourages a heightened awareness of the behavior of other drivers nearby and offers strategies on how to respond to their actions. Essentially, basic driving is active, while defensive driving is reactive.

Defensive Driving Strategies

The core principle behind defensive driving is the assumption that all other drivers on the road are incompetent. A defensive driver always behaves as if every nearby vehicle might spontaneously brake, swerve, or speed up, no matter what the current traffic situation or the rules of the road might indicate was rational behavior. This assumption prevents the driver from developing a false sense of security and from unnecessarily undertaking risky maneuvers, such as single-lane passing, which rely on the understanding and good behavior of the other drivers on the road to be enacted safely.

Thus, when driving defensively, a driver will not place trust in the continued good behavior of a tailgater or slow moving vehicle, but will switch lanes or otherwise move away from the situation as soon as safety permits. A defensive driver will also keep a constant three-second window between his or her vehicle and the vehicle in front, on the assumption that the other driver cannot be trusted to maintain a steady speed. Similarly, a defensive driver will never expect that other traffic will yield or give the right-of-way, even if he or she is clearly entitled to it by law.

Defensive Driving and Scanning

A key component of effective defensive driving is maintaining a constant scan of the road. A skilled scanner keeps their eyes focused at points a good distance ahead and moves their glance repeatedly from side to side; noting all vehicles and roadside objects and anticipating any threat they may potentially pose. The defensive driver then assumes that this threat, no matter how unlikely, is imminent, and plans for his or her reaction when it occurs.

Defensive Driving Classes

Defensive driving is a standard topic of instruction in traffic school, and classes on such driving strategies are frequently offered for insurance discounts, or in lieu of a traffic fine or the revocation of a license. Today, many defensive driving courses are available online, offering the same advantages as ordinary attendance-based classes, but with added convenience for the student.

By Matthew Ingalls