6 Reasons to Take Defensive Driving Classes

Defensive driving is a style of operating a vehicle that involves protecting yourself, your passengers, and your lane position from the actions of other drivers. It involves situational awareness, adherence to driving laws and customs, and knowing the right driving responses to each road situation. Many people view a defensive driving class as a penalty because it is often assigned to drivers after an accident. However, defensive driving is actually something every driver should know and defensive driving classes can benefit you for a number of reasons.

Today, we’re diving into the 6 top reasons why anyone might take a defensive driving class. They might surprise you, and you might just find yourself nodding along.

1) Drivers in Your City Are Aggressive

Let’s face it, some regions and cities are known for aggressive driving. New York, Florida, and California are the top notorious three with many other examples we could easily cite. Big cities tend to be more aggressive, some states tend toward more aggressive driving than others.

If you are not a naturally aggressive driver, or if you are aggressive and want to be mindful, a defensive driving class can help. Get the insight from driving best practices, lane-position defense, and awareness techniques to drive more confidently in an aggressive road environment.

2) You Are Often Startled by the Movements of Other Cars

Many drivers are timid by nature or naturally inattentive. These traits are often complimentary on-foot, but can be dangerous behind the wheel for everyone involved. You need to always be aware of the position and actions of other vehicles on the road nearby. If you find that people are constantly coming up on you, surprising you, or taking actions you did not expect, a little defensive driving education can help you fill in the gaps.

Defensive driving teaches how to watch your mirrors and how to predict what other vehicles are doing. You will also learn how to respond when another vehicle does do something unexpected or alarming, and how to get confidently out of a dangerous situation.

3) You Have Recently Been In an Accident

If you have recently been in an accident, it’s a good idea to improve your driving skills. Whether or not you were the driver, an accident brings acutely into focus the possibility of another accident in the future. You were lucky enough to walk away from the last one. By purposefully improving your driving with defensive driving classes, you can help to avoid and prevent more accidents on the road.

4) You Don’t Like to Be Messed With on the Road

Maybe you’re a naturally defensive driver, but you need sharper skills to defend your lane position. Many people like to pick a lane and stick with it, moving and turning only when necessary. This is a classic and very safe way to drive, but it can cause others to irritatingly zoom around you. Defensive driving will teach you how to pick a lane position that can’t be encroached, how to move with the flow of traffic, and how to prevent less considerate drivers from causing problems on your commute.

5) You’re New to Local Driving Customs

Driving laws and customs are an important part of road safety. Whether you’re a new driver or just new driving in the area, a defensive driving class has all the information you need on the local driving customs. Never misunderstand a 4-way stop or how to deal with the local left-turn signals again. Use a defensive driving class as your inspiration and memory-trick for brushing up on the local traffic handbook and getting the low-down from locals on how to handle unique local driving circumstances.

6) You are Returning to Driving After a Break

Finally, defensive driving classes are the perfect way to get back into driving. If you, like many, took a break from driving for lifestyle reasons and are back behind the wheel, it can help to brush up your skills. You may be driving in a new region (see point 5) or just a little rusty on the details. Don’t take to the road until you’ve had a quick reminder course on what all the lines, lights, signs, and turn signals mean and recall how to handle a local zipper-merge correctly.

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