Being a Proactive Driver

Most drivers tend to be reactive drivers when they first learn to drive.  New drivers tend to wait and see what the other drivers on the road are going to do.  As you gain experience driving, your skills start to reflect your personality and attitude.  You start to watch out for hazards sooner the more you drive and you begin to drive proactively.  This means you try to control your part of the situation by adjusting your speed and moving out of the road if there is room.  As long as no one is tailgating you, you do not have to worry about being rear-ended.  If you make good use of your horn, headlights, and brake lights, you can help avoid an accident.

If you need to brake to come to a stop and the road is dry and even, braking very hard is appropriate.  When the weather is bad – snowy, rainy, and icy – a proactive driver will use various driving techniques to slow down and stop their vehicle.  Threshold braking requires the driver to gently brake without excess pressure.  Cadence braking is the method of tapping the brake, pumping it to slow down. 

Sometimes you will need to turn your vehicle around in order to avoid the road hazard in front of you.  If you are on a two-lane road you will need to perform a two-point turn with an emergency stop.  If the road is larger, you can safely try to perform a U-turn.  If you need to back up quickly, make sure there is not traffic behind you. 

Published by admin on July 15th, 2008 in Bill Plant, Advanced Driving, Road Safety