Defensive Driving, at its core, is driving training that applies re-enforced strategies to safe driving methods which allows motorists to deal with identified hazards in a controlled and predictable manner, however these methods go beyond just the basic teachings of traffic laws and procedures. With the help of defensive driving schools and their instructors, students are able to improve and enhance their skills and techniques, by anticipating future events and creating safe and well-informed choices they are able to reduce the potential risks of driving. The majority of these choices are based around both environmental and road conditions and are used to help execute secure driving manoeuvres.
Apart from the additional knowledge and skills that you can use to help protect yourself and prevent accidents, there are a number of perks to taking such a course. The most common perk is the reduction of points taken from you after you get caught out on a ticket or driving offence. In addition, there is the added assurance that insurance rates will not rise after suffering a fine. In some cases, a defensive driving course might even grant you a reduction of up to 10% in your insurance rates for roughly of three to five years.
As the advantages of defensive driving categories vary with every state, so do the necessary requirements of passing it. Whereas most simple defensive driving categories are four hours long, others may be anywhere between six to eight hours.
In some states, students have the choice to complete the defensive driving courses and lessons on-line or by watching a video, whereas other states require the students to study and learn defensive driving in a classroom environment.
What surprises most people, is that the majority of deaths that are caused by a car crash could have been avoided if the victim had been properly wearing a seat belt, however seat belts are only the most commonly thought of vehicle safety equipment. Devices and equipment such as air bags, child safety seats and even head rests can all ensure the protection of the drivers and their passengers, as well as reduce the potential risk of injuries and even death when tangle din an accident.
The key to any good defensive driving strategy is not just to know the best method to avoid traffic crashes, but to be able to recognize potential hazards before they can cause problems. This is due to defensive driving courses tendency to present a wide variety of information on crash prevention techniques.
The final section of many requirements of a defensive driving curriculum is that the teaching of state-specific traffic laws. While this may serve as a simple refresher course for many students, certain state traffic laws and their variances are not always widely known by all students.
This is especially so in states where defensive driving courses are taken due to the driver receiving a speeding fine or another traffic violation, making the re-education of these traffic laws a mandatory part of the course will help turn a regular driver into a good defensive driver.
To find a local driving school to help you become a licenced driver, or find a local defensive driving class to help you become a better, safer driver, just take a look at AussieWeb.com.au, where you’ll find plenty of information on a variety of advanced driving courses and what they have on offer.
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