Welcome To

Defensive Driving
For the Commercial
Driver
Heritage Group Safety

Financial Impact of
Accidents
Company

Driver

Publicity

Content of Session

Reasons &
Causes of
Accidents
Driving To Stay
Alive
The Practice of
Defensive
Driving
Avoiding
Collisions with
Vehicle Ahead
(Rear-end
Collision)

Collision with
Oncoming
Vehicle
Intersections
Passing &
Being Passed
Mystery Fixed Object
Collision
Backing of
Large Vehicles

The Deadly U-Turn

Risks

Company
Policy

Whos at Fault

Reasons / Causes of
Collisions

Alertness
Vehicle
Condition
Attitude
Speed
Tailgating
Improper Lane
Changes
Road
Conditions

Improper
Backing
Right Turns
Blind Spots
Clearances
Drugs /
Alcohol
Seatbelts

Driving to Stay Alive

Three Es to Traffic Safety

Enforcement
Education
Engineering

Preventable Accident Definition

Five Driving Errors To Avoid

Collisions
Traffic Violations
Vehicle Abuse
Discourtesy
Schedule Delays

The Practice of
Defensive Driving

Improving your ability to

avoid collisions:
Knowledge
Alertness

Foresight
Skill

STANDARD ACCIDENT
PREVENTION FORMULA
Recognize the Hazard
Understand the Defense
Act

Six Conditions
Present In Every
Driving Situation

Lighting
Night, Dawn, Dusk, Sun-glare

Road Conditions
Weather

Rain, snow, sleet, fog, etc.

Hydroplaning

Traffic
Time of Day

Vehicle Condition
Inspection - Maintenance

Condition of the Driver

Age, alcohol / drugs, fatigue,
emotions, attitude

*Most Collisions are caused by Driver Error!

Avoiding Collisions
With the Vehicle
Ahead

Usual Cause of Rear-End

Collisions:

Following Too Close

Stopping Distances
55 mph = 335
60 mph = 426

USE THE 4 SECOND

MINIMUM RULE

Avoiding Collisions
With the Vehicle
Behind

Slow Down
Gradually

Touch the
Brake Pedal

Use Turn
Signals

Watch Your Blind Spot!

Lane Changing &
the Right of Way

Avoiding Collisions
With Oncoming
Vehicles
The Deadliest Of All Collisions
Why Do They Occur?

Four Rs of Head-On Prevention

Read the Road Ahead

Ride to the Right
Reduce Speed
Ride Right off the Road

Dont Panic * Wear Seatbelts

Avoiding Intersection
Collisions
Who has the Right of Way?
Lighted / controlled
intersections
Left turns - right turns
Approaching intersections
Bicycles, Pedestrians,
School Buses
R/R crossings

The Art of Passing and Being

Passed
Being Passed:
1. Courtesy
2. Types of Collisions
3. Preventing Accidents
while being passed
Yield Right of Way
Remain in slower
traffic (right lane)
Stay with the flow

Making a Pass
1. Maintain Proper
following distance
2. Starting the Pass
3. Completing the Pass

The Mystery of Fixed

Object Collisions

Why the
Mystery?

Vehicle
Condition

Fatigue

Drugs / Alcohol

Other Driver
Conditions

Backing of Large
Vehicles

Get Out and

Get the
Picture

Blind Backing
- Use Driver
Side

Back Short
Distances

Back Slowly

Learn the
Territory

Use Reliable
Guide