Defensive driving is common sense driving; it is a strategy for survival. It is important to follow the rules of the road. However, just knowing the rules does not make one a safer driver. A safe driver practices defensive driving, which requires a driver to perfect his/her observation techniques, traffic safety attitudes, driving courtesy, communication with other drivers and common sense ability to predict potential hazards.

These are important elements of defensive driving:
Look Ahead - Scan for potential hazards . Some outside distractions should be ignored but don't ignore real potential clues. A child might be chasing a rolling ball, a person may open the door of a parked car; parking lot entrances, intersections, crosswalks and playgrounds will all have activity to be aware of.

Make sure you're seen - Stay out of blind spots. Always signal when turning or changing lanes, even if there are no cars in sight. Keep all lights and signals, front and rear, in working order.

Give Yourself Room to Maneuver - Avoid collisions by positioning yourself in the proper lane , and signal well in advance. If conditions are dangerous or you're not sure, take short looks to check the situation, and ask passengers to help navigate. Keep a good space cushion, especially in clusters and cases of emergency - increase this space cushion all around your car to what conditions require for safety. Slow down before a curve and stay to the right. Leave 3-5 seconds between you and cars ahead, especially on the city driving or if road conditions are bad. To avoid rear-end collisions, keep pace with other traffic, check direction and signal before you change lanes, use your mirrors, keep all rear lights operational, and brake smoothly.

Don't Tailgate - Choose speed and locations. Stay at least 2 seconds (3-5 or more on the city drivimg or in bad road conditions) behind the vehicle ahead of you. Avoid the heaviest traffic clusters; look ahead to see where you'll be in about one city block. Compromise to reduce hazards; be ready for cars drifting into your lane or when a long line of cars is coming up - be ready to slow, move, and sound your horn if needed.

You should never insist on your right-of-way. If another driver does not yield to you, forget it; let the other car go first.

Always ask yourself, "what if...? " What if someone cuts in front of me? Do I have enough space to stop? Can I safely move to the next lane? etc... If you answer no to one of the questions, then adjust your position in traffic and/or reduce speed.

Defensive drivers can learn to predict potential collisions , and may use such techniques as accelerating past, braking ahead, and steering away to avoid them.