What is Defensive Driving and How Can It Prevent a Car Crash?

It’s easy to assume that just because you are a cautious and careful driver, the other drivers around you on the road will be also.  Assuming that another driver will stay in their lane, safely react to a road hazard, or wait to safely pull out onto a major roadway is a dangerous mistake.  Other drivers on the road are often distracted, rushed, or drive aggressively.  Looking ahead and keeping your eyes moving can help you anticipate the actions of other drivers and stay safe.

What is Defensive Driving?

Defensive driving is a set of driving skills and a style of driving that allows you to avoid collisions and defend yourself against irresponsible drivers, drunk drivers, and bad weather conditions.  Defensive driving reduces the chance that you will be caught off guard by an unexpected hazard and increases your chance of reacting appropriately and avoiding an accident.

The Department of Motor Vehicles offers courses on how to be a defensive driver.  These courses teach safe driving techniques, crash statistics, and the traffic laws of your state.  Mississippi defensive driving courses can help you financially by reducing your fine should you receive a traffic violation and reducing your auto insurance payments.

How Can Defensive Driving Prevent a Car Crash?

Defensive driving helps you prevent a car crash because it takes away the element of surprise.  Controlling your speed, maintaining a safe following distance, and avoiding distractions of your own, such as using a cell phone or eating, helps you be prepared to make necessary quick decisions.  Respecting the other drivers around you helps you to anticipate their actions.

Bad weather can create dangerous and slippery roadways.  Slowing your speed and looking ahead for debris or pools of water in the road can keep you from losing control and spinning off the road.

Drivers who are already mentally prepared for hazards will react properly and avoid a car crash.  Drivers who blindly assume that nothing bad will happen are complacent, distracted, and likely to find themselves involved in a car accident that they could have possibly prevented.

Driving Under the Influence

Drunk driving causes thousands of crashes that happen in America every year.  Drugs and alcohol impair your judgment and slow your reaction time.  Defensive driving courses commonly cover driving under the influence (DUI) and how it poses tremendous risks to yourself and the drivers around you.  Following a rule to never drink and drive is both lawful and responsible.  Assuming that the drivers around you do not follow this rule is defensive driving.

Careless and irresponsible behavior behind the wheel causes thousands of accidents, injuries, and deaths each year.  If you or someone you love has been injured in a car crash on Mississippi roadways, an experienced Biloxi, MS car accident lawyer from the law office of Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law can help.  Our dedicated legal team will fight to earn you the financial award you need to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.  For a free, zero-obligation consultation of your case, contact our Biloxi law office today.