Most states have made it mandatory for drivers with a particular number of points on their driving record to finish a defensive driving course. However, given that more than 41,000 deaths and more than 3,000,000 injuries are associated with motor vehicle collisions each year (National Traffic Safety Administration), a defensive driving course can useful for all drivers.
The greatest advantage of completing a this course is that you learn to anticipate potential dangers on the road. This causes you save precious seconds in a crisis because you already have a proactive strategy ready rather than simply reacting to the circumstances.
A basic defensive driving course includes training on the following:
- Traffic accidents – regarding the emotional impact, monetary costs and causes of accidents.
- Psychological factors – like over the top stress, fatigue, road rage and emotional distress affect driving ability and reaction to potential dangers.
- Role of alcohol and drugs and other human factors – Courses not just spotlight on the state laws regarding driving impaired yet additionally the impact of alcohol and medications on judgment, motor abilities and inhibitions.
- Dynamics of an accident – The occasions that lead up to a crash are not restricted to only one vehicle colliding with another. The speed of the vehicle, location of impact, size of the article hit, whether seatbelts were worn, how the other passengers crashed into parts of the vehicle, and so forth, all make of the dynamics of an accident.
- Use of safety gear -, for example, seat belts, air bags, safety seats for kids and head rests are the safety hardware that can go a long way in reducing the risk for the driver and passengers.
- Ways to prevent accidents – Being able to perceive potential hazards and knowing how to avoid them is part of the crash prevention strategies taught.
- Traffic Laws – State-explicit traffic rules and laws are part of all defensive driving courses.
In the United States, there are several specialty defensive driving courses to choose from, both classroom-based and online. The classroom-based defensive driving course are six hours long. Online courses range from 4-8 hours in length depending on the jurisdiction. For example, Florida Traffic School is only 4 hours, while California Traffic School can last as long as 8. In New York, the course is 320 minutes. The advantage of an online course is, of course, that one can finish it at one’s leisure from the comfort of one’s own home. You can sign in and out at any time…
