Why is it a good habit to look under, around, and inside the vehicle before you open the door

As a defensive driver, you can avoid crashes and help lower your risk behind the wheel.

If you've been out on the roads, you know that not everyone drives well — but most people think they do. Some drivers speed aggressively. Others wander into another lane because they aren't paying attention. Drivers may follow too closely, make sudden turns without signaling, or weave in and out of traffic.

Aggressive drivers are known road hazards, causing one third of all traffic crashes. But inattentive or distracted driving is becoming more of a problem as people "multitask" by talking on the phone, texting or checking messages, eating, or even watching TV as they drive.

You can't control the actions of other drivers. But updating your defensive driving skills can help you avoid the dangers caused by other people's bad driving.

Skills That Put You in Control

Before you get behind the wheel of that two-ton frame of glass and steel, here are some tips to help you stay in control:

Stay focused. Driving is primarily a thinking task, and you have a lot of things to think about when you're behind the wheel: road conditions, your speed and position, observing traffic laws, signs, signals, road markings, following directions, being aware of the cars around you, checking your mirrors — the list goes on. Staying focused on driving — and only driving — is critical to safe driving.

Distractions, like talking on the phone or eating, make a driver less able to see potential problems and properly react to them. It's not just teen drivers who are at fault: People who have been driving for a while can get overconfident in their driving abilities and let their driving skills get sloppy. All drivers need to remind themselves to stay focused.

Stay alert. Being alert (not sleepy or under the influence) allows you to react quickly to potential problems — like when the driver in the car ahead slams on the brakes at the last minute. Obviously, alcohol or drugs (including prescription and over-the-counter drugs) affect a driver's reaction time and judgment. Driving while drowsy has the same effect and is one of the leading causes of crashes. So rest up before your road trip.

Watch out for the other guy. Part of staying in control is being aware of other drivers and roadway users around you (and what they may suddenly do) so you're less likely to be caught off guard. For example, if a car speeds past you on the highway but there's not much space between the car and a slow-moving truck in the same lane, it's a pretty sure bet the driver will try to pull into your lane directly in front of you. Anticipating what another driver might do and making the appropriate adjustment helps reduce your risk.

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Eight Secrets of Super Driving

When you drive defensively, you're aware and ready for whatever happens. You are cautious, yet ready to take action and not put your fate in the hands of other drivers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 90% of all crashes are attributed to driver error.

Following these defensive driving tips can help reduce your risk behind the wheel:

1. Think safety first. Avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies yourself will put you in a stronger position to deal with other people's bad driving. Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. Always lock your doors and wear your seatbelt to protect you from being thrown from the car in a crash.
2. Be aware of your surroundings — pay attention. Check your mirrors frequently and scan conditions 20 to 30 seconds ahead of you. Keep your eyes moving. If a vehicle is showing signs of aggressive driving, slow down or pull over to avoid it. If the driver is driving so dangerously that you're worried, try to get off the roadway by turning right or taking the next exit if it's safe to do so. Also, keep an eye on pedestrians, bicyclists, and pets along the road.
3. Do not depend on other drivers. Be considerate of others but look out for yourself. Do not assume another driver is going to move out of the way or allow you to merge. Assume that drivers will run through red lights or stop signs and be prepared to react. Plan your movements anticipating the worst-case scenario.
4. Follow the 3- to 4-second rule. Since the greatest chance of a collision is in front of you, using the 3- to 4-second rule will help you establish and maintain a safe following distance and provide adequate time for you to brake to a stop if necessary. But this rule only works in normal traffic under good weather conditions. In bad weather, increase your following distance an additional second for each condition such as rain, fog, nighttime driving, or following a large truck or motorcycle.
5. Keep your speed down. Posted speed limits apply to ideal conditions. It's your responsibility to ensure that your speed matches conditions. In addition, higher speeds make controlling your vehicle that much more difficult if things go wrong. To maintain control of your vehicle, you must control your speed.
6. Have an escape route. In all driving situations, the best way to avoid potential dangers is to position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing and being seen. Having an alternate path of travel also is essential, so always leave yourself an out — a place to move your vehicle if your immediate path of travel is suddenly blocked.
7. Separate risks. When faced with multiple risks, it's best to manage them one at a time. Your goal is to avoid having to deal with too many risks at the same time.
8. Cut out distractions. A distraction is any activity that diverts your attention from the task of driving. Driving deserves your full attention — so stay focused on the driving task.

If you're interested in taking a defensive driving course to help sharpen your driving knowledge and skills, contact your local AAA or your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Many states keep a list of approved defensive driving course providers, and lots of these offer online programs. In some states, you may be eligible for insurance premium discounts, "positive" safe driving points, or other benefits. These courses do cost money, but it's worth the investment to be a smarter, safer driver.

Safe driving!

Part of  learning how to drive a car safely is developing safe driving habits.  As you learn to drive do the following 7 things every time you get in the car.  It will develop them into a habit.    Experienced drivers have developed habits that keep them safe when driving a car.

1.  Walk Around the Car

a)      When learning how to drive a car get in the habit of walking around the car before you get in.  Then you’ll see if there are any obstacles in front or behind you.  There have been many tragic accidents when children were hidden behind cars that backed out of driveways. 

b)      You’ll also notice if there is any damage to your car.  If someone scratched your car in a parking lot, you want to know before you drive away.

2.   Adjust your Seat

You need to be high enough to see clearly and close enough to use the accelerator and brake.   You also need to be at least 10 inches back from the airbag so if it explodes, you won’t get hurt.Tip: Use your measuring tape to make sure you’re at least 10 inches from the steering wheel.   Once you have measured the distance use Lauren’s tip below to adjust your seat properly without the measuring tape.

Lauren’s Tip for Proper Seat Adjustment

 Parents: Have your teens sit with their backs against the seat and their hands over the top of the steering wheel. Their wrists should ‘break’ at the top of the wheel and drape over the side.

If they have to lean forward to do this, they are sitting too far back. If the steering wheel hits further up their arm, they are too far forward.

Now, everyone’s body proportions are different.  Some people have longer arms than others.  Some modifications may be necessary to ensure safety.

If your teen’s knees hit the dash when their arms are at proper distance, try these adjustments:

1.      Move the seat down

2.      Change the position of the steering wheel

3.      Put the seat back and/or up”

3.   Adjust Your Mirrors

On most modern cars, blind spots can be minimized or eliminated by setting the driver-side and passenger-side mirrors correctly.

Simply follow Lauren’s instructions below.

“Cars have blind spots because we adjust our mirrors improperly. When you look at your side mirrors you can probably see the side of your car.

Why do you want to see that? It’s going where the front of the car is going, and no one is going to steal your gas cap at 65 mph.

As drivers we have this notion that we need to see how our car is positioned in the lane through our rear view mirrors. (Just look out the windshield for that.) Your mirrors may also overlap with the rear view mirror. (Meaning, when you look in both your side mirrors and your rear view mirror, you see the same objects.) This isn’t taking full advantage of the visual possibilities of side mirrors.”

Lauren’s Tips for How to Properly Adjust Your Mirrors When You Learn to Drive 

Parents– Stand an arm’s length away from the rear quarter panel of the car.

Have your teen adjust the side view mirror so they can see your body. (Often – they’ll want to adjust it to see your face. That’s incorrect. Make sure they understand they should look at your body. That’s the height where another car would be.)

Do the same for the other side.

Slowly walk around the car at arm’s length, stopping every so often to ask if your teen can see you. They should be able to. You will start to disappear when you get toward the front door, but a car is much longer than you are. When the front of a car is where the front door is, the rear of the car will still be visible in the mirror, thus eliminating the blind spot.

NOTE:  There is also a blind spot below the rear window on your vehicle. This spot cannot be removed without technology like back up cameras and parking sensors.  That’s why it’s always best to walk around your car before you get in and drive.

4.   Adjust Your Headrest

The headrest has a purpose beyond comfort.  If you get in a crash, the headrest will support your head and could keep you from getting whiplash.  You need to make sure you position it properly before driving a car.

Position the headrest so it’s squarely behind your head.  When you’re sitting upright (ready to drive) your head should be within a couple of inches of the headrest.

5.   Adjust the steering wheel

Adjust the steering wheel so it’s comfortable.  Slightly tilted is best.

6.   Do your “Seatbelt Check!”

7.   Lock the doors

(If they don’t automatically lock when you put the car in gear.)

Since you will most likely learn how to drive a car in your parent’s car you will need to do the above every time you drive the car.

 Practice these steps when you are learning how to drive a car.  Make this a part of your  Learn to Drive checklist.  Look for more information in the Driving Lessons sections of the Workbook and the Video Library.  See Driving Lesson 1. 

 Learn To Drive: Driving Lessons Video Library