Defensive Driving

Refuse to be an auto-accident victim.


Bad things happen to victims. Victims have no power to avoid unfortunate situations. Other drivers run red lights, stop suddenly, make unexpected turns and come out of nowhere. Roads get slick. Visibility deteriorates. Tires fail. Cars lose control. "Victims" crash. There's nothing a victim can do about it. It's as if accidents are preordained. If you think of yourself as a powerless victim, perhaps car crashes ARE inevitable.

You Have Power
The truth is you have the power to avoid virtually every accident. Start by refusing to be a victim. You have the power to identify red-light runners, sudden stoppers, random turners and comers-out-of-nowhere in time to take effective avoidance action. Be in tune with the road and it's easy to spot deteriorating conditions. You can prevent tires from failing and your car from going out of control. If things still go wrong, accept that you're an "accident participant" not an "accident victim."


Here are some simple things you can do to take control and refuse to be a victim.

See and Be Seen
A common phrase among accident victims is "I never saw the other guy until the last moment." Sometimes the drivers of BOTH cars say this. Make sure you can both see and be seen.