Paul Messam, Gleaner WriterBy being aware, alert and awake could save lives, precious time and scarce dollars.
"Defensive driving is a key concept in our driver improvement programme," says Paul Clemetson, senior director of the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport and Works. "This represents an approach to the driving task that when applied can reduce or minimise the chances of being involved in a motor vehicle accident." Defensive drivers will tailor their driving behaviour to the unexpected actions of other drivers and pedestrians.
The defensive driver will:
Yield the right of way Be prepared at all times Communicate his/her intentions early Slow down before entering a curve
Adjust his speed according to road conditions Keep both hands on the steering wheel.Adequate following distance
In any traffic environment, day or night, rain or shine, maintaining an adequate following distance is extremely important. The driver is able to see well down the road ahead, he/she will be able to adjust to traffic situations in time, and will be able to stop safely if the motor vehicle ahead stops suddenly. "A practical way to measure a safe following distance is to count seconds as you drive," says Lurkent Hanson, senior instructor at the Advanced Driver Training Centre (ADTC), an accredited driving school, which is located in St Catherine. "A following distance of two seconds is considered safe for normal driving conditions," Hanson adds.
He offers some steps for motorists to follow:
Step 1: Choose a fixed checkpoint down the road, such as a pavement marking.
Step 2: When the back bumper of the vehicle ahead passes the checkpoint, start counting: 1001, 1002, 1003 and so on.
Step 3: If the car's front bumper reaches the checkpoint in less than two seconds, increase the distance between you and the other driver.
Step 4: Then check the distance again. It should be noted that the two-second rule works at all speeds under normal conditions. As your speed increases, so does the distance your car travels in two seconds. Therefore, when you count off two seconds, your following distance will be greater at higher speeds than at lower ones. "A motorist should not confuse this two-second distance with the total stopping distance you need to protect yourself from hitting stationary objects; keeping a two-second following distance protects you only from a moving vehicle ahead," says Hanson. It is advised that drivers increase the distance to three seconds or more in the case of the following factors:
FACTOR 1: The motorist is driving downhill.
FACTOR 2: The traction is poor.
FACTOR 3: The driver is just learning to drive. His reaction time may be slow in complex situations.
FACTOR 4: The driver is following a large truck, motorcycle, or a slow-moving vehicle.
FACTOR 5: The motorist is pulling a heavy load or trailer.
FACTOR 6: The car ahead of you is tailgating.
FACTOR 7: The motor vehicle behind is tailgating you.
