How to Look

What do you look for when you’re at a stoplight, stop sign, or just driving down the road? When it comes to defensive driving, this is something you should think about. Naturally, you’ll want to keep a sharp eye out for pedestrians and the behavior of other drivers—and of course you should pay particular attention to kids, as their behavior can sometimes be unpredictable.

All of this is pretty routine (or should be). But what about what’s going on behind you? This is something too often overlooked. One of the best examples of how this can be a major problem is when you’ve got another vehicle behind you. What do you do when you’ve got to make a sudden stop? Well, if you’re not careful, that car behind you can ram right into you.

Best advice? Pay attention to what’s right in front of you, as well as what’s going on a ways up ahead, to the right and left, and yes, behind you. Remember, too, that you have blind spots, which must be compensated for.

Other useful information is available at a Defensive Driving Class near you.