Guard your safety by actively creating space around your vehicle, never allowing yourself to get “boxed in.” Space creates time and time helps you avoid collisions. Maintain at LEAST three seconds of following distance, six if driving in bad weather. Adjust your place in traffic as necessary to avoid driving in others’ blind areas. Don’t …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 13: Create Space Around You Read More »
Do you ever wonder how people get stuck behind Valley Metro busses at the intersection? I mean they saw the bus in their lane. Why didn’t they just change lanes? It is because they were only looking at the vehicle in front of them. They should Aim High. This means keep your eyes UP and …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 12: Look Down the Road! Read More »
The saying “Attitude Determines Altitude” means that the way you think and act in life can greatly affect how successful you are. When it is used for driving, it means something a little different. When it comes to driving, “Attitude Determines Altitude” means that your mindset and approach greatly influence your success and safety. How …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 11: Make Driving Relaxing! Read More »
Sloppy driving breeds disasters! Everyone knows the basics of the traffic laws; signaling, proper lane position for turns, turning into the proper lanes, complying with traffic signs (like “No U-Turns,” “No right turn on red,” etc.), driving to the right except when passing, passing across double yellow stripes, really STOPPING for stop signs, and many …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 10: Drive Precisely Read More »
In my hometown, drivers reportedly run red lights 120,000+ times each day! First, there are two basic types of red light runners—there’s the daydreamer or distracted driver who just doesn’t see it, and then there’s the driver who’s impatient and accelerates on the yellow signal instead of stopping and waiting the average 45 seconds of …
There is NO lane splitting law in Arizona. There is a lane FILTERING law. Arizona Revised Statue 28-903 lets motorcycles travel between vehicles if: Is divided into at least two adjacent traffic lanes in the same direction of travel. Has a speed limit that does not exceed forty-five miles per hour. Travels at a speed …
Defensive Driving Rule #8: Motorcyclist, Protect Thyself! Read More »
Driver assistance technologies hold the potential to reduce traffic crashes and save thousands of lives each year. In 2021, 42,939 people died in motor vehicle crashes — many of these crashes were tied to human error. Learn more about driver assistance technologies, how they can help you, and what you should know about these technologies …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 7: Buy and Use the New Safety Technology Read More »
The number one device mandated to be in your car that has saved the most lives is the seat belt. A NHTSA study of lives saved by vehicle technologies found that, between 1960 and 2012, seat belts saved more lives—329,715, to be exact—than all other vehicle technologies combined, including airbags, energy-absorbing steering assemblies, and electronic …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 6: Always Wear Your Seat Belt! Read More »
First, let’s define “impairment.”Dictionary.com defines impairment as “the state of being diminished, weakened, or damaged, especially mentally or physically.” Applied to driving, impairment means there is a factor present that decreases your ability to operate your vehicle safely. The first thing that comes to most folks’ minds is impairment through alcohol or other drugs. There are …
Defensive Driving Rule Number 5: Don’t Drive Impaired Read More »
Driving at a higher than reasonable and prudent speed increases your risk in two ways: it cuts your reaction time and results in more kinetic energy (that must be dissipated in any collision). You should consider if the risks are worth the gain. This is the science of math and physics—you cannot bend these rules. …
