Can you avoid injury by becoming a defensive driver?

Everyone on the road is supposed to follow the general rules of the road and has an obligation to drive their car safely. They have a duty of care to everyone else around them, whose own health and safety depends on their decisions.

But following the rules of the road is just the most basic step to take. It ensures that you will not intentionally run a red light, for instance, leading to a T-bone accident. It guarantees that you will not use the bike lane as a traffic lane, potentially leading to a cycling accident.

Becoming a defensive driver, on the other hand, takes things one step further. While you do adhere to the rules of the road, you may be focused on additional actions that can help avoid a crash, even if they are not a direct obligation that you have based on local traffic laws.

Other drivers make mistakes

As a defensive driver, the most important thing to remember is that other people are going to make mistakes and cause car accidents. If you can anticipate those mistakes, you can go above and beyond the rules of the road to avoid a crash.

For instance, say that you are at an intersection while commuting home after a day of work, waiting for the red light to turn green. When it does turn green, instead of just driving into the intersection – which you could legally do, since you have the right of way – you may want to take a moment to look at cross traffic and check to see if anyone is about to run the red light. If they are, you wait for them to do so before proceeding.

This may seem like a minor difference, but many people will simply drive into an intersection without even checking, assuming that everyone else is going to follow the rules appropriately. But this is not always a guarantee, so defensive driving can be helpful.

If you do still get involved in an accident someone else causes, though, then you need to know what options you have to seek financial compensation.