There’s no denying the fact that getting behind the wheel can be an intimidating prospect for new drivers. There’s a lot to focus on, plenty to do, and then, there are other drivers.

It’s an unfortunate truth that you can neither control nor predict the behavior of other motorists. But there are actions you can take to minimize the impact they have. I’m talking about defensive driving.

Defensive driving is the practice of proactive safety on the road. Essentially, it means driving in such a way that you take precautions to avoid either causing or being in an accident. However, for new drivers, this isn’t always that simple. That’s why I’ve compiled these six tips to help beginners stay as safe as possible behind the wheel. 

1)Stay Focused On Driving

Driving on today’s roads comes with a multitude of distractions, and many of them are in your car. Multimedia displays, in-car infotainment systems, GPS, touch screens, Bluetooth for mobile phone connectivity, the list of auto-tech features keeps getting longer . Add eating or drinking to this, restless children or attention seeking adults, and the list goes on.

All of these factors can cause distractions and take your mind off what you’re meant to be doing. Focusing on driving.  

In the US, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 9% of young drivers (ages 15-20) involved in fatal traffic collisions were the result of distractions. This was 2% higher than any other age group, and 3% more than drivers over the age of 75. 

The CDC says that there are three kinds of distraction for drivers: visual distraction, which occurs when you take your eyes off the road; manual distraction when you take your hands off the steering wheel, and most serious of all, cognitive distraction when you take your mind off driving. 

2)Don’t Assume That Other Drivers Know How To Drive

You might have memorized the traffic code, but what you can’t ever know is how much other drivers know about the rules . Let alone if they plan to follow them. 

With this in mind, you should always drive under the assumption that other drivers won’t be predictable. Right of way is a good example of this principle in action. The other driver might be obliged to yield, but you should still put your foot on the brakes, or ideally, come to a halt. 

Similarly, leave at least the space between three streetlights between you and the car in front of you, because you shouldn’t assume that their car is roadworthy either. Should they have trouble with brakes, brake lights, experience mechanical dysfunction, or become distracted, you will be at a safe distance and can stop before rear-ending them.

3)Take Environmental Conditions Into Account

Weather conditions can have a huge impact on your driving. 

Depending on where you live, you may have to invest in snow tires and other paraphernalia for safe driving during certain months of the year. 

Snow and rain make the road slippery and can cause you to lose control of the steering if you turn too aggressively. Plus, they conceal hazardous obstacles and generally obscure your visibility. You should always drive more slowly on wet roads. 

Another golden rule to remember: if your wipers are on, then your lights should be too. If you can’t see properly under certain conditions, you should assume that other drivers can’t see your vehicle either. Tailgating is particularly hazardous on wet roads since the water kicked up by the tires of the car in front of you will make the roads even more slippery, and braking time is greatly increased. 

4)De-escalate and Defer

If you’re unsure who has right of way, err on the side of caution and yield to the other road user. Research from across the world holds failure to yield consistently as one of the leading causes of traffic collisions. 

An annual review by the Las Vegas Metropolitan police department in 2021 found that a quarter of all car crashes were a result of failure to yield violations, and in that year, it was the leading cause of pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist deaths in fatal car crashes in the city. 

Data collected by the American Automobile Association suggests that 8 out of 10 drivers experience road rage. So, while this is an extremely normalized phenomenon, it’s closely linked to the kind of aggressive driving practices like speeding and tailgating that lead to accidents. 

Another factor to consider in this regard is your car insurance premium. Depending on your cover, you may find your premiums increasing exponentially if you rack up a history of fines and fender-benders.

5)Make Good Use Of Your Blinkers And Check Your Blind Spots

Confusion is the enemy of safe driving. While distracted driving is estimated to be responsible for almost a million accidents in the US annually, the comparative numbers on accidents as a result of negligent blinker use tally up to over two million. 

The same study indicated that three-quarters of American drivers don’t use their blinkers on a regular basis when merging, overtaking, or changing lanes. This goes a long way to explaining the accidents we’ve described above. A lot of people tend to think of blinkers as something of a courtesy to other drivers, and the study named the new generation of drivers as the most negligent in this regard. 

The reason blinkers are so important is simple. Blind spots. Every vehicle has them. With fast-moving objects all around you, you can never be sure what’s in them, even with frequent checks, which you should always do in any case. 

6)Aim High In Steering

This phrase is bandied about a lot in driving courses. What it means is more or less to ‘oversteer’. Always make your steering adjustments based not on what’s immediately in front of you at that moment, but what’s going on  in front of you, or about half a mile down the road. 

If the road is curving or winding in a mile, try to check as far down that turn as possible and make adjustments for whatever potential hazards you might encounter. Human beings weren’t cognitively designed for processing objects and trajectories at 50 mph. Our top speed is about 10 mph after all. 

The more driving experience you get, the easier defensive driving will become. Safe motoring!

Go Home