Defensive driving, when utilised correctly, is a great way of keeping you accident-free on the roads, keeping you safer and your car insurance for young drivers at a minimum.
Also referred to as 'common sense' driving, defensive driving has grown in popularity in the last few years. The aim of this driving style is to encourage motorists to anticipate oncoming hazards and react to them appropriately. Once the technique has been mastered, the driver will be able to increase their hazard perception, reaction times and their driving skill - leaving them less vulnerable to the errors of other drivers.
If employed correctly, defensive driving can also help save you money as you reduce the amount of petrol your car guzzles, the wear on your brakes and other basic vehicle overheads that poor driving can lead to.
Back to basics
Although basic, things like keeping a safe distance, driving at appropriate speeds for the road conditions, keeping your hands in the 10 to 2 position and remaining alert to the situation around you are the best ways to stay safe on the roads and avoid unnecessary prangs. Most accidents happen when drivers don't leave themselves enough room to deal with any unforeseen hazards such as animals or strange objects on the road.
Stay Alert
By staying aware of everything that is going on around you, you can react to hazards much more quickly which will decrease your chances of being involved in an accident. A defensive driver will constantly scan the road ahead checking for any potential dangers including animals, pedestrians, motorcyclists, push-bikers and debris at the side of the road. They will keep a clear line of sight wherever possible and keep an eye out for any signals that vehicles around them make.
Ready for anything
A defensive driver will look at the road around them and assume the worst case scenario. This doesn't mean wondering whether the lorry in front is actually a transformer waiting to shoot you down or if the tarpaulin covering the truck in front is hiding a team of bandits. Instead it means assuming that you are the only driver in control of their car. By believing that you are surrounded by a road full of idiots, you are going to be far more able to deal with a situation when one of them proves you right.
Young driver car insurance with Hoot
If you employ these defensive driving techniques, you can keep your car insurance premiums at a low especially by insuring with Hoot.
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