DEFENSIVE DRIVING TIPS

 
 

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Defensive Driving
Motor vehicle travel is the primary means of travel in the Indonesia. With all the benefits that come along with the mobility, deaths and injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents. Below are defensive driving tips to help reduce deaths, injuries and economic loss due to vehicle accidents. As a defensive driver, you can avoid accidents :

Seat Belts

In indonesia, the law requires the use of safety belts while occupying a vehicle. Because your vehicle is equipped with an air bag does not excuse you from wearing a seat belt. The air bag was meant as a supplement tool to safe lives, not as a replacement for the seat belt. A properly adjusted seat belt is tightly positioned directly over the hips, not the stomach. If the safety belt has a shoulder strap, the strap should be positioned on the shoulder, not under the armpit or behind the occupant. A lap or should belt, properly used, can help reduce the severity of injuries in a crash.

Safest place for a child is in the backseat with the safety belt properly used. In most states, the law requires that children under the age of three are required to be in a child safety seat. Please check with your state for more information.

Vehicle Maintenance

Defensive driving starts and ends with vehicle maintenance. Ideally a vehicle should be checked for deficiencies before and after the vehicle has been used. This is very unrealistic for the average driver. Therefore below is a list that should be checked at least once a week:
  • Brakes and brake fluid
  • Belts
  • Fan
  • Alternator
  • A/C
  • Tires and tire pressure
  • Engine fluid
  • Motor oil
  • Transmission fluid
  • Coolant
  • Lights
  • Wiper blades
  • Windshield and wiper fluid

The inside should be well maintained too. Make sure all objects are well secured, so they do not turn into projectiles during a sudden maneuver..

Plan Your Route

Before leaving on a trip, plan your route according to time and weather. Leave yourself adequate time to arrive at the desired location and plan for any type of climate conditions. It is a good idea to tune into your respected local weather channel for the daily forecast. Keep an updated map in the glove compartment of the car. If it is necessary to look at the map, pull off to the side of the road like a rest stop or gas station. DO NOT TRY TO READ A MAP AND DRIVE, fully stop in the safest place and open your map. If you do get lost, do not hesitate to ask questions and try to relax.

 

Cell Phones

Car phones are becoming very popular and many people own one. Car phones can also be a safety hazard if not properly used correctly. Some research reveals that the use of a cell phone decreases a driver’s reaction and awareness time by three to four times. If you need to talk and drive, invest in a good earpiece for the cell phone to free up both hands; however, the ideal situation is to stop to the side of the road to talk on the cell phone, remember the driving is your main priority.

Driver Conditions

A tired driver can turn a harmless vehicle into a weapon of massed proportions. It if very important when planning trips to plan a sleep plan. Make sure that the primary driver is allowed at least six hours of sleep the night before the trip. If there is more than one occupant in the vehicle, consider a driving rotation. Below are set to two separate lists to detect a drowsy driver and help keep him or her awake.

Danger Signs

  • Your eyes close and focus out on their own.
  • Having trouble keeper your head up.
  • Constant yawning.
  • Wandering disconnected thoughts.
  • Not remember driving for a few minuets.
  • Missed the exit.
  • Consistently driving through or over the line.
  • Speed becomes variable.

Tips for Staying Awake

  • Get rest and do not start a trip late in the day.
  • Do not drive alone.
  • Avoid driving at night.
  • Adjust the vehicles environment to stay awake.
  • Watch your posture.
  • Snack on some food or drink.
  • Take frequent breaks and exercise.
  • Break the monotony.
  • Pull over on to a safe area and sleep.

Safe Driving Distance

One way to practice defensive driving, is to keep a good consistent driving distance from the leading vehicle. A good tool to use is the two-second following rule.

The two-second following rule is performed like so:

Fix your attention on the lead vehicle, when it passes a recognizable object like a line in the road or sign. Start counting, one Mississippi, two Mississippi, until you reach that object. If you reach the object before two, you are driving to close to the leading vehicle. Back off a bit and redo the procedure to get a proper driving distance between the leading vehicle and yourself.
In poor driving conditions, add one or more seconds between you and the lead vehicle.

Approaching Intersections

Most accidents occur at an intersection, three to four seconds after light changes. If you are aware and cautious when driving through an intersection, you can greatly reduce the likely hood of an accident. Below is a list of tips that can help you when driving up to an intersection.

  • As you approach and intersection, never assume that the vehicle will stop. Always look carefully before proceeding. It is good practice to wait two or three seconds before proceeding through the intersection.

  • If you are approaching an intersection where the light has been green for a while, cover the break with the right foot incase it changes suddenly.

  • A good indication on whether a light is about to change is to pay attention to the crosswalk signal. If it has the walk icon up, then the light will not change; however, if it has the blinking do not cross icon, then be prepared to stop.

  • Always be aware of pedestrians at intersections. Remember, pedestrians have the right away.

Braking Distance

A vehicle cannot stop on a dime. That is why the two-second following rule is so important. If you can maintain a proper distance with the lead vehicle, you can properly stop safely before hitting it. In an ideal situation, perception of a stopping situation is about one second and reaction to that situation is an additional three-fourths of a second. Again this is for an ideal situation, the variable for this situation is weather, speed, road conditions, fatigue, alcohol or drug use. The faster the speed, the harder is to stop.

Control Factor

Everyday you get behind the wheel; there are some factors that you can control to have a safe trip.

Factors you have NO control over

  • Weather

  • The other drivers

  • Traffic

  • Force of impact

  • Energy of motion

Factors you CAN control

  • Emotions – good or bad

  • Vehicle  Condition

  • Vehicle Speed

  • Position in traffic and space around vehicle

  • Concentration on a given task

Be aware of the factors you cannot control, and concentrate on the ones you can control.

Summary

Defensive driving is all about being prepared before, during and after the trip. Read and study the about content and think about them on the road for practice. An aware driver is a safe driver.

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