5.1 Defensive Driving, Vehicle Condition, Following Distance & Stopping Distance

The Manual's defensive-driving pages hold some of the most testable numbers in Chapter 2. They are also the core of every in-car lesson. "Even experienced drivers make mistakes," the Manual says. Defensive drivers prepare for equipment failures, bad weather, unskilled drivers, unpredictable pedestrians and drivers who ignore the law.

Habits of a Defensive Driver

• Keep good vision in front of and around the vehicle, and check your mirrors often.
• Stay alert and prepared for the unexpected. Never take your eyes off the road, even for a split second, to look at a passenger or an object.
• Keep space around the vehicle so you can change lanes suddenly; know who is beside and behind you as well as in front.
• Drive at the right speed and know when to slow down and stop.
• Always wear a safety belt.
• Don't drive after drinking, on medication that impairs, or when very tired.
• Keep the vehicle in good working order.
• Give the right-of-way when appropriate. The Manual stresses that right-of-way is something you give.

What to watch for

• vehicles stopping ahead, and people getting in or out of parked vehicles;
• back-up lights on vehicles ahead;
• crosswalks, where others may ignore signals, so never rely on the signal alone;
• playgrounds, schoolyards and shopping centers, where children, pedestrians and cyclists may be hidden;
• people who may not hear you. One in five people of driving age is Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Your Health and Physical Condition

Have your eyes checked every year or two. Vision, especially at night, can worsen with age, and drivers with reduced hearing must be even more visually alert. Never drive:

• after drinking alcohol;
• after taking prescription or over-the-counter medication that can cause drowsiness;
• under the influence of any drug;
• when very tired;
• when upset, because anger and depression cause careless driving.

Wear sunglasses on bright days.

Checking Your Vehicle's Condition

Passenger vehicles and motorcycles must pass annual safety and emissions inspection. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, and before every drive glance at the tires for low pressure or damage.

The penny test. The distance from a penny's edge to the top of Lincoln's head is about 2/32 inch. Slide the penny into a tread groove head-first. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, the tire is worn out.

Safe Distances Around Your Car

How to count: pick a fixed object ahead, such as a sign post or tree. When the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand." If you reach the object first, you are too close.

• Never tailgate. It is illegal, the main cause of rear-end crashes, and the fine can be as high as $100.
• Never cut in front of heavy equipment or tractor-trailers; they need much more room to stop.
• If a tailgater is behind you, change lanes or pull over and let them pass.

Braking and Stopping

Reaction time is the time it takes to react, think and get your foot on the brake. The Manual uses about three-quarters of a second. The distance covered during that time is the reaction distance. Using figures from AAA's How to Drive (9th edition):

These figures assume working brakes and tires on dry, level, clear pavement and are for teaching only. Stopping takes longer in bigger, heavier vehicles, going downhill, and on wet, slippery or uneven pavement. Large trucks may need twice the stopping distance of a passenger vehicle.

Braking tips

• Brake early and gently when preparing to stop or turn; it warns pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers.
• Don't ride the brakes by resting a foot on the pedal.
• Never pump antilock brakes (ABS).
• Slow down near curves and wherever you can't see clearly ahead; vehicles are more likely to leave the road at a curve.

Building Space and Stopping Habits in Lessons

Use the three-second count from the first on-road lesson and make the student say it out loud. Lengthen it in rain and behind motorcycles and heavy equipment. Ask the student to predict the stopping distance at different speeds, then show how a 3/4-second reaction at 50 mph already uses about 55 feet before the brakes do anything.