DEFENSIVE DRIVING Sep 07

Transcription

1 DEFENSIVE DRIVING Sep 07 Introduction What is Defensive Driving? Characteristics of a Defensive Driver How Safe Is Your Driving? What to Do After the Incident Occurs? What is Defensive Driving? Protecting yourself and others. Yield to drivers who are determined to get there first. Keep checking your rearview and side view mirrors for upcoming traffic. Remember, your mirrors have blind spots. Wear your seat belt. passengers also required to wear seatbelts What is Defensive Driving? Always expect the other driver to do the unexpected such as speed up, slow down, pass, and cut across the lane. Avoid participating in road rage. Watch for sudden movements of: Pedestrians Cyclists/Motorcycles Animals What is Defensive Driving? Keep your mind on your driving by: Eyes on the road and other drivers do not look at the delivery tag or a map while driving. Both hands on the steering wheel do not use your cell phone while driving. Have partner (if available) do the communicating. Consistently looking at the mirrors. Get enough rest. 1

2 What is Defensive Driving? Use caution when backing up, especially in parking lots. Always use a spotter. Don t follow too closely observe the 2-second rule. No speeding Fast on your feet, not in your seat. Planning ahead know where you are going before you leave. Use caution when looking for addresses let other drivers pass. 5 Characteristics of a Defensive Driver Knowledge Alertness Foresight Judgment Skill Characteristic #1: Knowledge Defensive drivers take time to: Educate themselves about safe driving techniques. Know how to recognize hazards. Avoid collisions. Maintain their vehicles in a safe operating condition. Characteristic #2: Alertness Defensive drivers are alert. They pay attention to traffic conditions that are in front, side and rear of the vehicle at all times. Characteristic #3: Foresight Defensive drivers know that their worst enemy is the unexpected. They never assume the other driver will do the right thing. They anticipate hazards by scanning the road to size up the conditions as they drive. Characteristic #4: Judgment Good drivers use common sense and knowledge to make decisions wisely and quickly. They maintain control of their behavior, and avoid risky maneuvers to get somewhere or around someone. Good drivers are courteous even when others are not. 2

3 Characteristic #5: Skill Defensive drivers develop skills and techniques to operate their vehicles properly and safely. They know the rules of the road. How safe is Your Driving? Your driving personality Challenging conditions Rules of the road Special vehicles Vehicle upkeep Challenging Conditions Bright, sunny days Morning rush hour Rain and fog Construction zones Curving roads Hilly roads Snow and ice Night time Evening rush hour Rules of the Road Right of way Right on red Adjusting speed Making left turns Following distances Seat belts No Alcohol and drugs Using your blinkers Special Vehicles Heavy-duty trucks Passenger transport bus (school buses, public buses) Emergency vehicles Vans RV Motorcycles 3

4 Vehicle Upkeep Pre-trip inspection Windows clean, no cracks, wipers work Tires properly inflated, good tread Lights head lights, brake lights, turn signals in working order Oil proper level Fuel full tank, ready to go Current insurance, registration & accident paperwork Common Road Hazards Left turns U-Turns Pulling into flow of traffic Driving through parking lots Backing out of driveways Other Requirements Make sure you are up-to-date on insurance coverage Motor Vehicle Reports completed Maintain your vehicle Obey all rules for safe driving DO NOT take short cuts After Incident Occurs Secure the location Call for medical assistance (if needed) Call the office to notify your manager of the incident DO NOT Admit responsibility Argue with anyone at scene Make a written statement or sign a statement about the incident Give other party any kind of release from liability After Incident Occurs YOU are responsible for gathering key information Move to side/shoulder if safe to do so Protect property from theft Call local authorities for written report especially if any injuries are noted Key Information Name, address, driver license number Year/make/model of car(s) include color and license plate number 4

5 Number of occupant(s) Phone number(s) home/work Where did the incident occur? (street address) Key Information When did the incident occur? (date/time) Number of vehicles involved. What injuries/property damage noted? Insurance company name/ policy number/ telephone number Witness names/phone numbers Keep a notepad & pen in glove box Review/Summary What is defensive driving? Do you have the characteristics of a defensive driver? How safe is your driving? What do you do after an incident? Whether you are shy, outgoing, submissive or even ruthless, when you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, you need to become reasonable, and reasonably mild mannered. Your life and the lives of others, depend on your cool headedness. What may seem to you to be wimpy may in fact be a sign of strength. It takes to ignore an irate driver. A: wimpiness B: a hot head C: Strength D: aggressiveness E: assertiveness If you are driving when you are anxious or worried, try to keep your mind A: working on finding a solution to your problem B: thinking about your favorite vacation C: focused in the present D: blank E: focused only on what is in front of you ADJUSTING TO THE ENVIRONMENT Distractions Driving defensively means, staying alert to ever changing circumstances. You cannot pay attention if you are distracted. You should be watching the road in front of you at all times. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Carnival ride 5

6 Cell phone in your hand Passenger talking next to you Police giving tickets Post-accident vehicles on the side of the road So much to see, so little space between you and the car in front of you... If you plan to drive safely, then you need to know the rules for driving in specific locations. Intersections, city, country, freeway, and other special conditions are covered in detail throughout the course. You are responsible for knowing how to control your vehicle wherever you are. Make sure you know what to do, because you cannot assume that the other person will. How often do you think about the actual mechanics of driving? Are you in awe of the power that it takes to move a ton of metal across concrete at 70 mph? You should be. You are in control of a piece of machinery capable of great destruction. The only thing separating you from disaster is the touch of your hand on the steering wheel. Are you giving that touch the attention and respect it deserves? Are you thinking of the consequences of even the slightest misjudgment or smallest lapse of attention? Mere inches separate your ton of steel from the ton traveling in the lane next to you, both moving at speeds capable of killing you. Think of your vehicle as a lethal weapon, and everything else is a target. It takes only a second to lose control of your car. How long does it take you to? Change the radio station? Dip a French fry in ketchup? Dial the phone? Look at a map? Hand the baby a bottle? Read a billboard? Put cream in your coffee? Glance at the collision scene across the street? YOU CAN KILL WITH YOUR CAR! Two common themes run through this course: laws are made to be followed: and, what laws don t cover courtesy does. 6

7 California allows you the PRIVILEGE OF DRIVING, not the RIGHT TO DRIVE. You earn the privilege of a driver s license by preparing yourself to be a safe driver, and you keep the privilege by practicing safe driving habits. Nobody has the right to endanger other lives. The State and Power Plus however, has every right and obligation to revoke your driving privileges. If you are a threat to there drivers, The State and Power Plus do not want you on the road. If you are a helpful, courteous driver, however, California welcomes you. What will you have to do if your license is revoked? A: pay a fine B: take a driver improvement course C: reapply for a new license D: submit a written statement to the state E: wait 90 days for a replacement When you drink too much on a regular basis, what do you lose permanently? A: your sense of direction B: your driver license C: your pride D: your brain cells E: your communication skills What is the level of blood alcohol content that determines DUI? A:.10% B:.06% C:.08% D:.04% E:.80% Smart Choice Avoid Tailgating Almost 30 percent of all collisions are rear-end collisions. In a 12- month period, more than 2,000 (2,007) fatalities and a staggering 622,000 injuries were from rear-end collisions. To help yourself avoid rear-end collisions, remember two things: 1. Traveling distance 2. Reaction time 7

8 Traveling distance is the distance, or space, you maintain between your car and the one in front of you. Reaction time is the time it takes your brain to perceive there is a problem in front of you and realize that you need to do something about it. When considering your traveling distance in your car, use the 4- second rule: Choose a fixed object, such as a street sign. Once the vehicle in front of you passes the object, start counting, 1,000-1, 1,000-2, etc. If your vehicle passes the fixed object before you finish counting 1,000-2, then you are traveling too closely. Back off until there is at least a 4-second cushion between you and the other car. If you are in something bigger than a passenger car, increase your distance one second for every 10-foot length. (For example, if your car is pulling a 20-foot trailer, give yourself a 4-second cushion. Let us look at how quickly things can happen in an actual driving situation. Say you are traveling at 60 miles per hour down a highway. Suddenly, from a side road, a truck pulls out blocking the highway ahead of you. How much distance do you need to stop short of the truck? Let us analyze it. Studies on human perception show that it will take an alert driver about ¾ of a second to see the truck pulling out. At 60 miles per hour (or 90 feet per second), your car will have traveled 66 feet before you even perceive the truck. Now, pretend your right foot is pressing down on the car accelerator, lift that foot off the accelerator move it over to the left, and hit the brake. How long did that take? Experts say it takes at least another ¾ of a second, and during that time your car has traveled another 66 feet. 8

9 A total of a second and a half has passed and you have traveled 132 feet. Just for reference, 132 feet is about half a football field, or the length of a Boeing 727 airplane, and you are just now hitting your brakes. After hitting the brakes, it will take an additional airplane length to actually stop the car. That is under ideal conditions, with dry pavement, and an unimpaired, alert driver. Defensive Driving I have read and understand the Defensive Driving standards for Power Plus. I agree to adhere to all of them and will comply to the driving guidelines and laws of the state that I am driving in for Power Plus. Dept # State Print Name Date Signature Date 9