RoadTrip America - 70 Rules of Defensive Driving

Drive Safe With Uncle Bob

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70 Rules of Defensive Driving
roadtrippers like to dwell upon, but about 50,000 people die each year in collisions on the roadways of the United States. By most estimates, over twenty-two million are injured. The costs associated with such collisions are staggering -- often quoted at more than $80 billion. This carnage is unnecessary since nearly all collisions are preventable. How? Glad you asked! RoadTrip America's contributing expert Robert Schaller has the answers. In this collection, "70 Rules of Defensive Driving," he shares wisdom gained from nearly fifteen years of teaching defensive driving and traffic law in his home state of Arizona.
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Defensive Driving Rule #1: Pay Attention

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Bob Schaller

"I never saw him!" is the most common excuse heard after a collision. Was the other vehicle invisible? Virtually all collisions involve inattention on the part of one or both drivers. Inattention ...

Defensive Driving Rule #2: Don't Trust NOBODY!

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Bob Schaller

We have met the enemy and he is us. You can never rely on what the other driver will do. Think back to all the mistakes you've made while driving over the years. Think ahead to the ones you know you will make in the future. All the other drivers are just like ...

Defensive Driving Rule #3: Yield Anyway!

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Bob Schaller

"Nobody ever yielded their way into a collision." Think about it. If you are in doubt about who has the right of way, give it away. The other guy may be wrong, but you can end up hurt or dead. We often say no one HAS the right-of-way until it is ...

Defensive Driving Rule #4: Don't Speed!

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Bob Schaller

Driving at a higher than reasonable speed increases your risk in two ways: it cuts your reaction time and results in more "stored" energy (that must be dissipated in any collision). You should consider if the risks ...

Defensive Driving Rule #5: Don't Drive Impaired

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Bob Schaller

First, let's define "impairment." Webster's New World Dictionary defines impairment as "making something worse, less, weaker, or damaged." Applied to driving, impairment means there is a factor present that decreases your ability to operate your vehicle ...

Defensive Driving Rule #6: Wear Your Seat Belt!

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Bob Schaller

Without a doubt, seat belts are the most significant safety device ever invented. Seat belts do several things for you. They provide impact protection, they absorb crash forces, and they keep you from being thrown out of the vehicle. Modern vehicles are built with "crumple zones," ...

Defensive Driving Rule #7: Buy and Use Safety Devices

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Bob Schaller

In addition to seat belts, we also recommend size-appropriate child safety restraints, ABS brakes, and air bags.

Child Safety Seats: As a defensive driving practice, children under age five should be restrained in approved child ...

Defensive Driving Rule #8: Motorcyclist, Protect Thyself!

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Bob Schaller

Talk about helmets always incites vehement disagreement between folks that believe in their value and those that don't. My opinion? I haven't heard any arguments from the no-helmet crowd that make any sense, and my personal experience tells me ...

1. Pay Attention	2. Don't Trust NOBODY!	3. Yield Anyway!	4. Don't Speed!
5. Don't Drive Impaired	6. Wear Your Seat Belt!	7. Buy and Use Safety Devices	8. Motorcyclist, Protect Thyself!
9. Don't Run Red!	10. Drive Precisely	11. Chill Out!	12. Look Down the Road!
13. Create Space	14. Drive to Communicate	15. Drive Predictably	16. Always Signal Your Intentions!
17. Know Your Blind Spots!	18. Avoid Distractions	19. Avoid Backing Up	20. Beware of Intersections
21. Be A Freeway Pro	22. Know How To Stop	23. Know When To Use Your Headlights	24. Slow Down in Rain or Snow
25. Maintain Your Tires	26. Take Care of Your Vehicle	27. Get Rid of Tailgaters	28. Maintain an Even, Measured Pace
29. Check for Hydroplaning	30. Know How To Recover From A Skid	31. Avoid Head-On Collisions	32. Be A Safe Passer
33. Avoid One-Vehicle Collisions	34. Deal with Light Glare	35. Never Play Chicken With a Train	36. Beware of Stopped Vehicles
37. Practice Animal Avoidance!	38. Don't Prevent Others from Passing	39. Drive Your Van Safely	40. Practice Smart Bicycling
41. Share the Road With Bicyclists	42. Exercise Prudent Courtesy	43. Recognize the Futility of Rushing	44.Allow for Your Physical Limitations
45. Start Rested--Keep Fresh!	46. Share the Road With Trucks	47. Make Space for Parked Vehicles	48. Give Way on Mountain Roads
49. Make Safe & Sane Left Turns	50. Connect Your Mind To Your Eyes!	51. Make Defensive Stops!	52. Slow Approaching Intersections!
53. Beware of Traffic Holes!	54. Turn Right, LOOK Right!	55. Don't Change Lanes in Intersections	56. Don't Abuse 2-Way Left Turn Lanes
57. Avoid "Reverse Traffic" Lanes	58. Move Right Nearing Intersections	59. Beware of Vehicles at Crosswalks	60. Use the Center Lane for Safety
61. Never Stop on a Freeway!	62. Don't Cross a Freeway Median!	63. Seat Belts and Air Bags Go Together!	64. Avoid Head Injuries
65. Don't Ride in Pick-Up Beds!	66. Secure Loose Objects!	67. Keep Your Child Safe in the Center	68. Don't "Pump" ABS Brakes!
69. Choose Your Route for Safety!		70. Use Uncle Bob's Defensive Driving System

Sections

Driving Tips

Drive Safe With Uncle Bob

Defensive Driving Rule #1: Pay Attention

Defensive Driving Rule #2: Don't Trust NOBODY!

Defensive Driving Rule #3: Yield Anyway!

Defensive Driving Rule #4: Don't Speed!

Defensive Driving Rule #5: Don't Drive Impaired

Defensive Driving Rule #6: Wear Your Seat Belt!

Defensive Driving Rule #7: Buy and Use Safety Devices

Defensive Driving Rule #8: Motorcyclist, Protect Thyself!

70 Rules of Defensive Driving