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On the highway or just on a back road, everyone should practice defensive driving. Defensive driving can not only save you money, but it can also save your life. In addition, defensive driving helps to protect the lives and property of others around you while on the road. As well, defensive driving can help you to avoid legal problems such as speeding tickets and arrest.
The key to defensive driving is to pay attention to your own driving habits. Between other vehicles on the road, cell phones ringing, billboards flying by, animals darting out in the road and all manner of other distractions, it can be very easy to lose focus while driving. Unfortunately, distracted driving can lead to major accidents and speeding tickets, as well as unnecessary wear on your vehicle through actions such as slamming on your brakes.
Essentially, by paying attention while driving, you have the chance to defend yourself from the actions of others. Defensive driving involves watching out for other drivers, as well as anticipating potential driving threats. An example of defensive driving on a highway would be watching for drivers merging into your lane and adjusting your own driving habits as a result. By changing lanes safely to avoid these drivers, you are less likely to be involved in an accident, and you are less likely to injure others.
Additionally, defensive driving involves paying attention to your speed and following distance. The recommended standard is to leave one full car length between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you for every ten miles per hour that you are traveling. It can be easy to let your speed get away from you while driving on a highway, so try to remember to check your speed from time to time in order to not only obey the speed limit, but also to give yourself enough space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
You can also practice defensive driving by being polite. Allowing others to change lanes in front of you can lead to better flowing traffic for everyone. Try to avoid becoming angry or vengeful if another driver cuts you off, as they may not have done so intentionally. Becoming angry may lead to you driving more erratically, meaning less attention paid to the road and less attention being paid to potential driving hazards.




