23 Jul Defensive Driving – It May Save Your Life

Defensive Driving – It May Save Your Life

Employees who drive for work may spend many hours on the road, often in congested traffic and while making frequent stops. The more time spent driving, the greater the exposure to traffic hazards. Defensive driving means staying alert, controlling your speed, maintaining adequate space, and anticipating the actions of others.

Control Your Speed

Speed is a major factor in both the likelihood and severity of crashes. Always:

• Obey posted speed limits and adjust your speed for actual road and traffic conditions.
• Reduce speed in congested areas, parking lots, work zones, and locations with pedestrians or bicyclists.
• Slow down for rain, fog, snow, ice, darkness, or other conditions that reduce visibility or traction.
• Maintain enough following distance to stop safely if the vehicle ahead stops unexpectedly.
• Never allow schedules, deadlines, or traffic delays to pressure you into speeding.

Remember, the posted speed limit is the maximum legal speed under favorable conditions—not necessarily the safe speed for every condition.

Stay Alert and Avoid Distractions

Inattention can quickly result in a rear-end collision, missed traffic signal, unsafe lane change, or failure to recognize a pedestrian or other roadway hazard.

• Keep your eyes on the road and continually scan ahead, behind, and to both sides.
• Avoid texting, reading messages, entering navigation information, or performing other distracting activities while driving.
• Do not attempt to read addresses, maps, paperwork, or detailed directions while the vehicle is moving.
• Program navigation and determine your destination before beginning the trip whenever possible.
• If you need to look up an address, make a call, or perform another distracting task, pull over and park in a safe location first.
• Remain calm in congested traffic. Frustration and aggressive driving can lead to poor decisions.

Parking and Frequent Stops

Employees making deliveries, service calls, inspections, or other frequent stops should use additional caution.

• Park only in safe, authorized locations that do not obstruct traffic, intersections, sidewalks, or visibility.
• Check mirrors and surrounding traffic before opening the vehicle door.
• Look carefully for vehicles, pedestrians, motorcycles, and bicyclists before stepping into a roadway.
• Use caution when entering or exiting the vehicle on the traffic side.
• Secure the vehicle before leaving it unattended.
• When loading or unloading, keep your path clear and maintain an unobstructed view.
• Make multiple trips rather than carrying a load that blocks your vision or prevents you from walking safely.

Manage Fatigue

Fatigue reduces alertness, slows reaction time, and impairs decision-making.

• Begin trips adequately rested.
• Recognize warning signs such as frequent yawning, difficulty focusing, drifting within the lane, or trouble remembering the last few miles driven.
• Never try to push through significant drowsiness.
• If you become too tired to drive safely, pull over at a safe location and rest.
• Avoid medications or other substances that may cause drowsiness or impair driving.
• Notify your supervisor if work schedules or driving demands are creating a fatigue-related safety concern.

Drive Defensively

A defensive driver does not simply depend on other motorists to obey the rules. Anticipate mistakes and maintain enough time, space, and visibility to respond safely.

Watch for sudden stops, vehicles entering your lane, pedestrians stepping into the roadway, bicyclists, changing traffic signals, construction zones, and other unexpected hazards. Always wear your seat belt and never operate a vehicle while impaired.

Remember

Getting to your destination safely is more important than getting there quickly. Slow down, stay focused, maintain adequate following distance, eliminate distractions, and never drive when you are too fatigued to do so safely.