Tune Up Your Defensive Driving Mojo with Tips to Avoid Accidents

Every time you get into a car to drive, are you concerned about the probability of getting into a motor-vehicle collision? Like most of us, it’s probably the last thing you think of, but every year in the United States, millions of people are injured by collisions that may have been avoided, with better defensive driving skills. In the year 2015, the American National Safety Council estimates that 38,300 people were killed, and another 4.4 million people were injured in motor-vehicle collisions. The startling statistic revealed the largest percentage increase in fatalities and injuries in more than half a century. Car accidents that involve injuries and fatalities are increasing, in the United States. What can drivers do to reduce the risk of being involved, or causing a collision? We’ll share some defensive driving tips and strategies that can help protect you and your family, from injury and loss. Common Causes and Circumstances Leading to Collisions They wouldn’t call it an ‘accident’ if a collision was something anyone intended to do deliberately. But there are common situations that predispose drivers to increased risk of a motor-vehicle collision, that all drivers (regardless of age and experience) should be aware of. How would you rate your safe driving behavior, when it comes to distractions? Distracted driving is a leading cause of motor-vehicle collisions, and it includes a broad category of activities inside the car, that briefly take the attention and focus of the driver away from safely operating the vehicle. Eating, texting on a smartphone, changing the music or station, rummaging in a bag or purse, or even conversations or arguments with other passengers can be categorized as distracted driving. The at-risk behavior isn’t isolated only to texting or smartphone use, and can include apply cosmetics, looking in the mirror for grooming purposes, and other activities. Impaired driving awareness tends to focus primarily on younger drivers, who statistically are at a higher risk of collision, thanks in part to social behaviors and inexperience. However impaired driving can also include the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, Schedule II drugs (cannabis and opioids), and even sleep deprivation. Driving while fatigued is legally viewed as impaired driving; if you are running on insufficient sleep, don’t get behind the wheel of a car, truck or motorcycle. In 2014, over 1.1 million American drivers were arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Refreshing Your Driving Skills Operating a vehicle is something that gets better with practice. After being licensed for many years, most drivers feel that they can safely operate a vehicle in virtually every weather condition, with reliability. Your car becomes a second home; one that you are familiar with. Part of the problem is over-confidence however, and the comfort and isolation of our vehicles by design. For instance, new luxury models do a great job of helping us forget we are in a metal box, hurdling at sixty to seventy-five miles per hour. We’re comfortable, and we trust in the ‘new and improved’ safety features of modern vehicles, including assisted braking, artificial intelligence (lane correction), air-bags and reinforced cabin areas to help us reduce injuries, should we experience a collision. The greatest threat to your personal safety, those of your passengers and others on the road around you, is not the functioning of the vehicle, but the aptitude and focus of the driver. Evasive driving is a skill that we learn during the licensing procedure, but unless a license is suspended or invalidated for legal purposes, the next time we’ll be asked to demonstrate those skills, is well after the age of 65 years. The probability of forgetting lifesaving methods of avoiding collisions, reduces as we get older and more confident in our driving skills. What can you do, as a licensed driver, to routinely refresh your driving safety skills? There are multitudes of driver safety organizations that provide valuable online training; take a course, and update your skills by studying traffic law, and collision aversion methods. Alternatively, YouTube is a valuable and free resource with videos geared at educating new drivers, in the licensing process. Search under terms like "motor-vehicle accident prevention" or evasive driving on YouTube, to get some fun, easy to follow learning. Defensive driving to avoid accidents is an essential skill all drivers should revisit, on a regular basis. Next time you see a swerving car, you’ll be able to respond quickly and with confidence, to help avoid a motor-vehicle collision, and injury. A good strategy for all drivers is to reduce or eliminate risky behavior while operating a vehicle. Focus on safety first, minimize in-cabin distractions, and remain aware of other vehicles on the road. Consider defensive driving to be a skill that requires constant updating and exercise, to keep you and your family and friends safe.