In Defensive Driving class, some folks call the center two-way turn lane the “suicide” lane! That’s a little extreme — traffic engineers will tell you these lanes are actually pretty safe. But every day, you see people using them in ways that were never intended, and some of these actions are NOT safe. The lane …
Defensive Driving Tip #56: Don’t Abuse the Two-Way Left Turn Lane Read More »
In the United States, a driver’s natural tendency when making a right turn is to look left, since the left is the direction the traffic is coming from (we hope). For this reason, right-turning motorists are one of the biggest dangers to bicyclists! We teach in defensive driving class that many bicyclists ride on the …
Defensive Driving Tip #54: Turn Right, LOOK Right! Read More »
Some of my defensive driving rules focus on preventing trouble in specific danger spots. Especially when they’re in tight, congested areas where it is difficult to maneuver, drivers sometimes get impatient. In situations like trying to get into traffic from a parking lot or making a left turn across heavy traffic, drivers often take advantage …
Defensive Driving Tip #53: Beware of Traffic Gaps! Read More »
Did you know that the AVERAGE speed of a vehicle passing through a controlled intersection is about 52 mph? How many times have you approached and entered an intersection without having any idea if someone is about to run the red light? That means they are traveling roughly 80 feet a second.I teach in our defensive …
Defensive Driving Tip #52: Slow Down When Approaching Intersections! Read More »
We teach in defensive driving school that you can minimize the danger of collision at intersections by learning to stop defensively. First, make sure your deceleration to the stop doesn’t surprise the guy behind you. You already know how to identify a “stale” green light — by watching the pedestrian signal. Typically, when there are …
Defensive Driving Tip #51: Make Defensive Stops! Read More »
What color is a “yield” sign? Think about that for a few moments and we’ll come back to it. We teach in our defensive driving class that human beings are prone to operating on “autopilot.” Especially on familiar roads, our minds wander away from our immediate task to other things. It is virtually impossible to …
Defensive Driving Tip #50: Connect Your Mind To Your Eyes! Read More »
We teach in defensive driving class that Left turns at controlled intersections are one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers. They don’t have to be — the dangers can be controlled. The most important thing is to be knowledgeable — and then MINDFUL — of what they are. When you enter an intersection, the immediate …
Defensive Driving Tip #49: Make Safe and Sane Left Turns Read More »
Most of us know the rules about driving to the right on multilane highways under normal conditions and moving left only to pass. This isn’t just courtesy or standard operating procedure, but it’s often a legal requirement as well. But what about roads where there is only a single lane in each direction? If you’ve …
Defensive Driving Tip #48: Safety on Mountain Roads Read More »
Imagine yourself happily motoring down an Interstate highway when you have a sudden blowout or other emergency situation. You roll (or coast) to the side, but you have limited ability to get too far off the roadway (because of obstacles or a curb), and you have to stop fairly close to the main-traveled portion of …
Defensive Driving Tip #47: Move Over for Parked Vehicles on a Roadway Read More »
Drivers must deal safely with all obstacles and situations we encounter. We take responsibility for a safe outcome — because that’s sometimes the only way we can avoid a collision. One special hazard is posed by heavy trucks. Commercial drivers are proven professionals; they must meet exacting, tough federal standards, and maintain excellent driving records …
Defensive Driving Tip #46: Share the Road With Trucks Read More »
