What Is Defensive Driving? Techniques, Benefits, and Insurance Perks
When you get behind the wheel, your main responsibility is driving safely. Cars are dangerous, and your driving techniques can be the difference between staying safe and getting into damaging incidents. You should always be trying to reduce your risk of accidents on the road. Defensive driving is one way to do that.
What is defensive driving? In this guide, learn what driving defensively means and how to implement these techniques in your driving habits.
Understanding Defensive Driving
Defensive driving is about becoming a safer driver who can anticipate hazards on the road and react quickly and effectively. Building up defensive driving skills will help you avoid accidents, become more confident, and possibly even save money on your car insurance.
Key Techniques of Defensive Driving
If you’re wondering what driving defensively is, there are a few critical techniques to keep in mind.
Keeping a Safe Distance
One of the first things you learn in most defensive driving courses is to keep a safe following distance from fellow drivers on the road. Staying a safe distance away from other cars means you’ll have enough time to react to sudden stops or changes in traffic without hitting the vehicle in front of you.
Managing Speed
Similarly, maintaining a safe speed gives you more time to react to changing situations on the road. You should always adjust how fast you’re going to follow speed limits and drive safely in traffic.
Adapting to Weather Conditions
Defensive drivers know that driving on a foggy, rainy day is very different from driving on a sunny day. If weather conditions lead to less visibility or poor road conditions, you should slow down and pay even more attention.
Predicting and Responding to Others' Actions
Other drivers are the biggest danger on the road. Don’t assume that they will follow all the traffic rules. As a defensive driver, you must anticipate what they might do and be prepared to react accordingly.
Safe Lane Changing and Merging
Changing lanes or merging on a highway can be tricky. You have to manage your blind spots at high speeds and keep track of where all the other drivers are to avoid a collision. Make sure you clearly indicate what you’re doing with your turn signals, check your blind spots, and maintain a steady speed as you move between lanes so other drivers can predict your movement.
Benefits of Defensive Driving
The main goal of defensive driving is to be safer on the road and prevent accidents. By staying aware of what’s happening on the road and anticipating possible hazards, you’re better equipped to avoid collisions. You’ll have time to react effectively to keep yourself, your passengers, and others on the road as safe as possible.
Because defensive driving leads to decreased accidents, it can also save you money on vehicle repairs. After all, if you don’t get into collisions and damage your vehicle, you won’t need to pay to fix anything.
Insurance Perks
Defensive driving doesn’t just make you a better, safer driver — it can also save you money on your insurance costs. For instance, it can be tricky to find affordable car insurance after a DUI, but completing a defensive driving course can help.
To take advantage of these discounts and get cheap car insurance, find a defensive driving course approved by your insurance provider. Requirements vary by insurance provider, but generally, you need to complete at least six hours of defensive driving instruction.
Successfully complete the course and submit any necessary documents to your insurance company so they can apply the discount. Typically, the discount will last up to three years on your liability and collision insurance premiums.
Defensive Driving Courses
What is a defensive driving course? These courses are designed to teach you techniques for reacting quickly and safely to potential hazards on the road.
Common types of defensive driving courses include:
- Online courses: If you have a tight schedule, you can work at your own pace with online courses that cover key strategies and defensive driving techniques.
- In-person classes: With in-person classes, you get to have interactive discussions and possibly practical exercises about defensive driving with your instructor.
- Specialized courses: Defensive driving courses for specific groups, such as for drivers of commercial vehicles or older drivers, address these unique needs and challenges.
If you’re planning to take one of these courses, make sure the one you select is approved by your state’s Motor Vehicle Commission. You should also check whether your insurance provider will accept the course to give you a discount on your premiums.
Beyond that, look for a course that covers essential topics you want to learn with an experienced instructor. You can find courses from the National Safety Council and other approved providers on your state’s MVC website.
More Car Insurance Savings
Completing a defensive driving course isn’t the only way to save money on your car insurance policy. One of the best money-saving strategies when it comes to insurance is shopping around. You never know what great rates you might find when you get car insurance quotes from other insurance providers.
And don’t worry. You don’t need to manually request insurance premium quotes from lots of different insurance companies to see all your options. With EverQuote, you can get a free comparison of car insurance options tailored to your driver profile and location. It’s easy to find the best deal for your coverage needs.
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