5 Defensive Driving Strategies To Be A Safer, Smarter Driver

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0:00 "I'm a GOOD Driver!"
0:23 Space Invaders & Space Management
1:41 Smith Space Cushion System
2:15 What is Defensive Driving?
2:54 Situational Awareness & Identifying Hazards
3:07 Left Turns & the Jig Jog
4:05 MIT - Mapping Intersections and Tracking Road Users
6:35 Defensive Driving in Parking Lots
7:33 Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
8:01 Top 2 Reasons for Traffic Crashes
8:55 "Motor Mania" The Crazed Mr. Wheeler
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The most important element of defensive driving is space management.

Have space around your vehicle and you will greatly reduce the chances of being involved in a crash.

Be aware of the ever-changing traffic situation as you're driving.

At intersections, Map the Intersection, and Track (MIT) road users, especially those road users that are intersecting with your path of travel.

Go slow in parking lots, and stop if the situation becomes overwhelming.

Finally, failing to yield and following too close are the top reasons for traffic accidents.

Lose your attitude that you have to be first and that you can go at any cost, and you'll significantly reduce your chances of being involved in a collision.

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Good luck on your road test.

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Music: BoxCat Games
Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack - Epic Song

#SmartDriveTest #DefensiveDriving #spacemanagement

[jacksonmehlape]

Hi Rick! Salute from RSA. I would buy you a full tank of gas/fuel because this video and the tips about always being aware and managing space helped me through 1000 km worth of driving within a month of getting my first car... Your advice is invaluable even a person is not from the USA. I would like to say a big thank you for your teachings because they didn't teach me this stuff in my driving school. Well done and keep up the great work Mr August 🌟👍👑🙏🏆✌️🙂

[viffer]

The most dangerous thing about driving is other people. I’m always looking around and thinking what’s the dumbest most dangerous thing that other driver could possibly do and then trying to plan ahead for that outcome. Doesn’t always work, there’s always situations you absolutely cannot avoid but trying to anticipate other drivers’ stupidity is one of the best defensive driving techniques.

[RobbertdeGroot]

A big defensive driving tip, something I learned when taking a motorcycle course but very applicable to people driving cars, on multilane roads/highways/whatever, DO NOT stay in someone's blind spot. This goes double if that someone is a big rig. Even if people shoulder check, peripheral vision is not always 100%. Make sure the cars in other lanes know you are there or can see you. This means, getting up to their front side windows or pulling back so that you can see their rear view mirror through their back window. If you are anywhere in between, there is a big risk of not being seen and they drive into you.

[lithgowlights]

My grandfather told me one thing that stuck with me, and I passed it on to both my children when they learnt to drive. "No matter how good you are at driving a car remember one thing - EVERY other driver on the road will try to kill you. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but as long as you watch them when they are near you then they may not get that chance as you can try to avoid them"

[BhaaskarDesai]

What you said is absolutely true. I see a lot of drivers who are either drunk, distracted by mobile phones, feeling entitled and mostly having ego problems. Although a majority of us drive safe and are always alert, it's the other half that we should be worrying about everytime. And yes, having to backout and yield in certain situations is always a good idea to avoid getting in more trouble. This doesn't make you weak. It just means you are smarter than the other guy :)

[madeasimmons]

1) space management
2) situational awareness
3) MIT--mapping, intersections, and tracking
4) parking lots, drive defensively
5) A defensive driving attitude

[kevinalexander]

I'd like to add a couple tips. Green means go when the ways is clear, just because you get the green light, doesn't mean you can slam the gas and go. Always pause to check for red light runners and emergency vehicles.

No one has the right of way. Certain vehicles must yield the right of way in each situation. Use caution when you are in a right if way situation, when in doubt, wait it out.

[c-sfrancoeu]

I would also add a very important point, to be a predictable and visible driver, such as:
-When merging or changing lane, check your blind spot before using the turn signal, and change lane slowly in case you missed a car in your vision (I see too many people changing lane too fast, almost hitting someone they missed).
-Don't change two lanes in one shot using one turn signal (unless the bad road design forces you to do so), use your turn signal twice with a very short pause in the middle and check your blind spot again.
-When about to turn, use your turn signal before braking (give cars behind extra time to either change lane or slow down).
-When about to stop for an emergency, turn on your hazard light before slowing down (again give cars behind time to react), and turn it off once you re-engage (clearly letting people know that you are back on the road).
-Try to avoid passing cars on the right lane.
-Accelerate gradually and brake gradually.
-Don't rely on your automatic light to turn on when it's raining or snowing heavily.
-Don't close the gap with cars in front of your, if there is a 200 yard gap with the car in front of you and don't want to pass him, just keep that 200 yard gap as is and stay on the right lane, this is a typical north American thing where you see herd of cars because they all close the gap on each other by instinct, creating a needless hazardous condition.
-Don't stay on the left lane if you're not passing, at some point you gonna block faster cars behind you and contribute to that herd effect, you might get stuck in the middle of it because of that.
-Stay away from car herds, if you can't pass it, stay low key far behind on the right lane until you see an opening to go throught quickly.

[syken]

I have been driving for 13 years, and can relate to these tips. They work. When I drive, I stay away from other vehicles a good distance, I stay away from every cars blind spot, never rush. Because with more and more fools every day on the road, your primary priority should be safety of you and your passengers, not getting to your destination as fast as possible. I had many clowns sit on my tail and tried to push me of the road multiple times because they feel ‘entitled’ to do so, because you’re going the speed limit. I've been to New Hampshire and everyone is following the rules of the road. Came back to MA, total chaos. Drivers running red lights, not yielding, parking where they are not supposed to, no blinkers when changing lanes - you don’t know what they gonna do! I had a truck just jump into my lane out of nowhere almost clipping the front of my car, no signals, nothing! I had an illegal wreck my car with a truck and that dude didn’t had a license, no English either. I will give you some tips:

1. Never try to pass a vehicle when approaching a turn, you don’t know if other vehicles are coming. If you’re forced to pass a standing vehicle, give yourself a good viewpoint so you can see approaching vehicles, and do it when it’s safe to do so.
2. Do not pass someone when going through train tracks, you will be blocking their view of their surroundings. I had a moron do this to me and didn’t see the pedestrians around me and almost injured them and crashed into a pole.
3. Never block an intersection. If you see a square with an X in it, dont drive and stand on it, it’s there for a reason. I see drivers do this every stinking day making piles of traffic. No one can turn or go through.
4. Be aware of “lane catchers’. People will turn into your lane without letting you know.
5. Watch out for drivers trying to make the yellow light. Had a crazy almost T-Bone my car and injure my entire family. Blew past me by few inches of my car.
6. Watch out for semi trucks blowing red lights. When in motion hauling heavy cargo, they cannot stop immediately.
7. Always have snow tires on in the winter, don’t trust all season and summer tires. Snow tires provide better traction for all cars in the winter: FWD, AWD, RWD.
And finally, expect the unexpected. Expect shit to happen every day and be ready to find alternative routes. Life happens and we have to navigate it. Stay safe out there everyone.

[miriyanfernando]

I feel like confidence plays a big role when your driving as well. I think with time, the more you drive the better you get at learning these tips and tricks.

[lovielitayt]

got my license a couple weeks ago, and realized today after driving a couple weeks that i'm a pretty reckless driver...these tips helped a lot, i'll be using all of them :) thank you so much for this!

[dandy-jack]

And by sheer coincidence I'm studying for my driving test right now. Thank you Pelo, very cool!

[rubensanchez]

Defensive Driving, the most important, life saving skill.... myself have been driving in U.S for 48 years & never had an accident in my fault, because in 1978, when I applied a driver job in Louisiana coca cola bottling company & took the training course & very first I learned was defensive

[TylerJaysonMadeit]

I used to be a maniac driver until I was forced to take a defensive driving class at 17 after getting a 64 in a 35 🙃, 25 now and still say it was the best 3 days the courts ever gave me

[jassmanawan]

My Road test was today and I have passed.

[michaelrief]

My 3 main defensive driving habits are: Leave plenty of room between me and the other idiots on the road. Drive the speed limit and if someone is tailgating me I slow down and allow them to pass—-I’d rather have them in front of me than behind me. Leave early enough that I can take my time and arrive on time or ahead of time.

[pshores]

I would like to add 3) no jerky, sudden, abrupt maneuvers, except possibly in emergencies. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Smooth is safe. Be predictable. Have your maneuvers be at lesser angles and only the speed required. Sudden accelerations, decelerations, or sudden turns are going to get you into an accident

[kdogg]

i've told my family "stay back from the car in front of you"... it's so simple.. not only does it reduce the risk of you running into the back of the car in front of you, it also reduces the risk of the car behind you running into you cause w/ no car close to the front of your car, you have little chance of ever having to slam on your brakes... which is usually why people run into the back of others.

[therealyoshicrazy]

Thank you Mokey and Pelo for teaching me how to be a future good driver

[timking]

Great video. I take it a step back with what I call the "3 P's". 1) PAY ATTENTION. 2) PACE, it's not a race. 3) PLAN AHEAD, know where you're going and take the safest path avoiding unnecessary risks or impediments. There are more, but these are the foundations of defensive driving.