Your Best Defensive Driving Tips?

[Lazy2.5]

Defensive driving involves a set of strategies and techniques focused on anticipating potential hazard and preventing accidents, even if other drivers are making mistakes.

I'll get the ball rolling.

My most important focus is to maintain about 6-8 car length following distance when travelling at 80km/h or faster. This helps me stay prepared for potential slow downs, especially if they are sudden or drastic.

What's yours?

 

[sm1ke]

I do my best to keep my emotions in check. I used to have less self-control and awareness when I was younger, and it led to confrontations that were completely avoidable (despite other drivers being at fault).

For example, if someone is tailgating me aggressively, instead of maintaining speed and gesturing or getting antagonized, I'll just move over as safely and quickly as I can to let them get ahead of me. Even if you're doing everything right and the other driver is being unreasonable, it isn't worth the shouting match and potential road rage that could be triggered.

Another thing I try to do is pay attention to my position relative to other drivers, especially larger trucks. If I think I'm in their blind spot, I'll actively speed up to make it easier for them to see me in case they want to come into my lane.

 

[AL Cx5]

Thanks @Lazy2.5 for this topic. It dove tails on how to be a FE as possible as well.

I have a long haul big truck driver friend on another forum who puts out volumes of information how to stay out of crashes. He as logged over a 1,000,000 miles without being named the cause of a crash. His screen name is SLOWMOVER.

His number one technique, drive slower than the rest of the traffic AND put as much distance between him and others. He has logged hundreds of thousands of miles using this technique.

I've begun to drive like Slowmover. It was a complete change in driving style for me. I use to be the guy 10 MPH over the limit or more.

Slowmover plans his trips to great detail. He knows where he will be stopping for fuel and rest. He looks over the stations for easy of entry and exit. He keeps a daily log of how many break events, traffic slow downs, time stopped. He compares engine hours to miles traveled. I have logged some of my longer trips. It's interesting to see what happened at the end of the day. And it keeps me consciously driving. I named these techniques CONSCIOUS DRIVING.

My experience driving 5 MPH UNDER the speed limit is I'm a safer driver and not near the packs who may crash. My car is moving slower, I can slow down in a shorter distance. I'm normally in the far right lane so I can pull off to the shoulder. I'm and less stressed, fresh and alert.

Slowmover gets bonus money if he drives more FE. The above techniques put $$ in his pocket and he is safety record allows him to get the choice runs. I've found my FE is much better now. We get 33 to 34 MPG with our Turbo CX 5 on trips. We arrive 20 to 30 minutes latter on all day trips than when I was the other kind of driver.

I don't skimp maintaining my vehicles. Items like: better than OEM brakes, good quality tires with tread, upgraded suspension that is repaired and tight, shocks are replace around 60,000 miles or sooner. If/when we need to make a quick maneuver, the car responds equal or better when it was new.

 

[Lazy2.5]

@AL Cx5 The speed I maintain greatly depends on the terrain. If it is flat or up hill, I will usually maintain or even lose some speed. During the downhills is when I take full advantage.

So, I usually drive at or below the speed limit, but with downhills permitting, I won't hesitate to pick up the pace, so long as I am still maintaining my generous following distance.

 

[theblooms]

Do yourself a HUGE favor, and take the Motorcycle Safety Fundamentals course. They are generally available at most community colleges and many H-D dealerships.

Yes, it's motorcycle focused, but you'll learn so, so much about how to simply survive going down the road. And you don't have to have a motorcycle to take the class, bikes are provided for you.

The only prerequisites are knowing how to ride a bicycle and having a Motorcycle Learner's Permit, which you get at your local DMV office after passing a general knowledge test. I passed the test with only 1 miss without even studying, and in my state, the fee is like $5 for the permit.

Also, after you pass the MSF course, your insurance company will give you a discount.

Basic RiderCourse - Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Our most popular course. Learn core motorcycle riding skills and earn your motorcycle license. Includes two 5-hour sessions of on-bike instruction over a weekend.

msf-usa.org

 

[GTXT23]

Many excellent suggestions - I read every post and thank all contributors - Just being " aware " is a good start - one op said concious - planning your route - staying out of the line of fire from agressive drivers who we will all ineviatably encounter - In my state we have a huge issue with drivers hanging in the fast lane as a default -then they gather tailgaters who often want to use the freeway to teach them a lesson - As a result Ive seen many road races start over something as petty as that -
I use the left lane as a passing lane only - once i see the headlights of the vehicle i have passed in the rv mirror - I move over to the right lane and choose a speed thats going to be with the general flow of traffic -
I always move over if I see a someone coming up from behind at a high rate of speed - I stay out of others blind spots and like the op - keep a good distance between myself and others whenever possible - My contribution - make a habit of scanning your mirrors on a regular basis - knowing whos around you in case evasive action needs to be taken - Last but not least - Check your tires before every trip out-( Keep a pressure gauge and a good bicycle pump onboard- this way you are always spot on ) -particularly fwy - Checking , tires , oil , wiper fluids etc - are paramount to being in a vehicle that you know is road worthy and safe -

 

[GTXT23]

I do my best to keep my emotions in check. I used to have less self-control and awareness when I was younger, and it led to confrontations that were completely avoidable (despite other drivers being at fault).

For example, if someone is tailgating me aggressively, instead of maintaining speed and gesturing or getting antagonized, I'll just move over as safely and quickly as I can to let them get ahead of me. Even if you're doing everything right and the other driver is being unreasonable, it isn't worth the shouting match and potential road rage that could be triggered.

Another thing I try to do is pay attention to my position relative to other drivers, especially larger trucks. If I think I'm in their blind spot, I'll actively speed up to make it easier for them to see me in case they want to come into my lane.

Emotions -- a biggie --particularly if you have a motorcycle --

 

[AL Cx5]

Drivers Safety course for moving violations.

The last speeding ticket I got was over 10 years ago. To reduce the points, I attended an 8 hour driver safety course. I still remember today many of the key points.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I always move over if I see a someone coming up from behind at a high rate of speed

I stay out of others blind spots

keep a good distance between myself and others whenever possible

make a habit of scanning your mirrors on a regular basis - knowing whos around you in case evasive action needs to be taken

On top of being a defensive driver for safety, keep in mind that you are equally entitled to use the road safely and however you feel comfortable. I drive the same even while being tailgated and will move over once it makes sense to. (like discussed in the other thread.) Stand your ground.

 

[sm1ke]

Also a good idea to keep track of posted signage and lane markings. Slower traffic keep right, lane closure ahead, construction zone, reduced speed ahead, etc. Double solid lines, single broken line, etc. Paying attention to these allows you to plan ahead and safely change lanes, adjust your speed, or safely overtake a slow-moving vehicle as needed.

 

[GFrosty]

Your Best Defensive Driving Tips

Always expect the other driver to do the exact worst possible thing at the most insane possible moment. Anticipate him/her doing so, and have a plan for countering it.

Always initially creep into an intersection until via line of sight it's clear that oncoming vehicles at that intersection are coming to a stop. (Can't count the number of times I've watched someone run a red light immediately ahead of me, where I would have gotten creamed on the driver side door had I just blindly gone when the light turned green.

Never remain in another driver's blind spot. Try to keep my car either fully behind or ahead of another vehicle in a neighboring lane. There's no telling when another driver will simply refuse to look before changing lanes or will fail to see a car in the next lane before making a move.

Always maintain a bare minimum of two seconds' distance from a car ahead. Myself, I prefer a minimum of 4-5 seconds, and a good deal greater distance if at "highway" speeds. Nothing else affords the time for sufficient reaction to who-knows-what sort of situations that occasionally arise on a roadway. (Boulders, critters, vehicles making insane maneuvers, disabled vehicles or crashes.)

Always adhere to "The Basic Speed Law", which states that a driver should drive no faster than the conditions allow. Rain, snow, ice/crud, likelihood of critters, possibility of junk in the roadway (ie, immediately after or during a storm or heavy rain), shortened sight lines (ie, on a curvy mountain road), crappy lighting conditions, etc. Have had elk and deer step into the road ahead of me, giving me a bare minimum of time to react. Have had a couple instances of vehicle crashes occur immediately ahead of me. Have had numerous instances of other drivers instantaneously changing lanes without looking, right ahead of me. Got 'dinged' a couple of times during my first ten years of driving, but nothing since then ... mostly, IMO, due to driving defensively, and remaining quite aware of what conditions reasonably allow in terms of speed, distances.

Defensive driving or high-speed driving school. Done with my own vehicle, with normal street tires, set up how I normally drive it (ie, no suspension tuning), I can learn this specific vehicle's handling limits and quirks. No better way to get this information, which exists inside no owner's manual. Did more than a dozen of these in a Mazda Miata I once owned, years ago. Haven't yet in the CX-5, but I still remember all those lessons the Miata taught me on grip limits, handling dynamics, road surface quirks (ie, off-camber angles, road crown, asphalt condition, rain/sand impacts on asphalt).

That all being said, I have family members and some friends who've suggested that I "drive like a granny." I don't really, but I certainly do drive defensively, whenever other drivers are around, whenever risks rise, whenever visual/weather/roadway conditions demand it. Has saved my bacon countless times in ~50 years of driving. I still hear the words of my old driving school instructors humming in the back of my mind, to this day, and I am very thankful for it.

 

[Lazy2.5]

@GFrosty these are some fantastic tips - thank you for sharing.

@AL Cx5 Correctly pointed out that defensive driving and fuel efficiency go hand in hand.

One of the most important changes I've made to my driving habits was to take my time.

As i've mentioned before on this forum, the drivetrain is tuned for economy (Low-end torque, aggressive torque converter lockup, very long gearing to take advantage of this and save fuel.) So, as a driver who pays close attention to what my vehicle is doing and why, I learned to take my time and abide by the transmissions decision to stay in painfully low gears.

I have saved myself from countless accidents, avoided hitting several animals running across the street simply because I was paying attention to the gear i'm in and not forcing the engine to accelerate harder.

This, in my opinion is the single most important unspoken rule of being a safe and efficient driver on the road.

 

[GFrosty]

One of the most important changes I've made to my driving habits was to take my time.

Definitely important.

Deadly important with telephone conversations and texting, for example. Likely the lives of others (and our own) hanging in the balance, if we refuse to take the time for calls/texting by first stopping off the roadway in an appropriate spot. Splitting attention away from Job #1 can be the last thing we ever do.

 

[AL Cx5]

@GFrosty these are some fantastic tips - thank you for sharing.

@AL Cx5 Correctly pointed out that defensive driving and fuel efficiency go hand in hand.

One of the most important changes I've made to my driving habits was to take my time.

As i've mentioned before on this forum, the drivetrain is tuned for economy (Low-end torque, aggressive torque converter lockup, very long gearing to take advantage of this and save fuel.) So, as a driver who pays close attention to what my vehicle is doing and why, I learned to take my time and abide by the transmissions decision to stay in painfully low gears.

I have saved myself from countless accidents, avoided hitting several animals running across the street simply because I was paying attention to the gear i'm in and not forcing the engine to accelerate harder.

This, in my opinion is the single most important unspoken rule of being a safe and efficient driver on the road.

Today I was on I20 east and west bound doing a road test on my other vehicle. I punched in CC at +65 MPH on a 70 MPH speed limit.

I hung in the far right lane. I listened to a podcast and kept a close check on the changes I made. The traffic was heavy with many large trucks passing. It was almost was like being in a movie, as the traffic zoomed by. I had no interest in running with the herd. That's been a big change.

I wish I had my blood pressure at 65 vs 75 or 80 MPH. We can only guess 75 MPH blood pressure will be higher. What is better health worth? Back when I was an 80+ MPH driver I was Stressed. When I left the radar detector in the truck and drove only 5 MPH over the speed limit I felt better. Now I feel even better driving 5 mph under the limit..

Total cost of ownership is reduced at lower speeds. Tires and brakes last longer. Fuel cost is less and so on. I really like the performance tune on our turbo, even if it is counterintuitive to increase performance and drive under the speed limit. I use the bump in performance judiciously.

I notice the fast driving guys don't stick around long on these forums. They break stuff and wear their vehicles out much quicker and move on to the next latest and greatest. Some have crashes and are forced to buy another vehicle. Others don't make it.

As the say: "you have to pay to play". Reduced safety and the cost of ownership ticks up exponentially with each increase in MPH. As I have increased the speed of my drag car, my race budget increases exponentially. There is a direct correlation on drag racing speed and street cars speed..