User:Thomas Leonard96/Defensive driving

The standard Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations, ANSI/ASSE Z15.1, defines defensive driving skills as "driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others." This definition is taken from the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course. It is a form of secondary training for motor vehicle drivers that goes beyond mastery of the rules of the road and the basic mechanics of driving. Its aim is to reduce the risk of collision by anticipating dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions or the mistakes of others. This can be achieved through adherence to a variety of general guidelines, such as following the assured clear distance ahead and two second rules, as well as the practice of specific driving techniques. Drivers are taught these skills through classes such as a defensive driving course or DDC.

History
A driver safety program called the Driver Example Program was developed in 1964 by Chris Imhoff of the (US) National Safety Council. The program instituted a Defensive Driving Course (DDC). Defensive Driving Courses, along with Instructor Development Courses were offered beginning 1964 and 1965, typically through corporate sponsorships. Early defensive driving schools were often independent, later becoming regulated by state governments. This helped to make courses offered by different schools more consistent, ensuring that drivers would learn all the same practices and techniques. These new state-certified courses began to offer incentives such as on state mandated auto insurance savings, removal of demerits from ones license, and the dismissal of tickets among the completion of the course. Traditionally defensive driving courses were taught in person, usually in a classroom setting, but with the rise of the internet many defensive driving courses became available through an online medium in the 2000’s. Some of the first states to do so include Texas and New York.

General principles
Defensive driving is a set of principles, and techniques that are utilized to reduce the chance of being involved in a collision. The main concept behind defensive driving is to anticipate the unexpected and plan ahead in order to avoid an accident. This is because when driving in a defensive driving mind frame drivers are taught that everyone else on the road are bound to make mistakes and are not perfect. Drivers are taught to control their speed in order to stop sudden variations and to stop possible speeding which can make any collision more deadly. One technique deployed by defensive drivers is enacting a spatial buffer between themselves and the car ahead of them in order to have sufficient time to react to a crash or sudden braking. This is often referred to as the two second rule, as a two second buffer is considered standard when in normal weather. The importance of being able to keep control over the vehicle during severe weather is also taught along with the importance of being undistracted by things such as a phone or other passengers.

Training and courses
Several US government agencies, non profit organizations, and private schools have launched specialty courses that improve the public's driving skills. In the United States a few of the familiar courses in defensive driving include Alive at 25, DDC or Defensive Driving Course, Coaching the Mature Driver, Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving, Professional Truck Driving, and DDC for Instructors. In relation to this, the government has launched active air bag and seat belt safety campaigns that encourage high visibility enforcement.

A number of private providers offer a variety of courses. Courses can be completed in a classroom or online from ones home. The overall length of a course can vary but most can be completed in 8 hours or less. Information may be discussed in a textual format, or could be provided via video depending on the course. The course concludes with an exam that must be passed in order to receive a certificate of completion. In some instances, these courses are referred to as traffic school or a defensive driving school.

While US training has typically focused on handling skills – such as the Bondurant school of high-performance driving – British training has emphasized roadcraft. Defensive and advanced driving and motorcycling are commonly recognized in the UK, championed by charities such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents' Advanced Drivers and Riders.

Benefits of defensive driving courses
A study conducted in Lake County Illinois found that drivers who had taken a secondary form of driver education had reduced rates of accidents and traffic related arrests when compared to someone who had not taken such a course. The study was done over a ten year period. A similar study taking place in Massachusetts found that after taking a defensive driving course, participants chance of having a traffic violation was reduced for the next six months. This was true even for participants who had past traffic violations, whether they had been major or minor. Meanwhile some research, such as a literature review, found either little or no reduction in fatal crashes for most of the studies. The review consisted of many different studies conducted on defensive driving courses from the 1960's to the early 1990's.

In addition to improving one's own driving skills, many US states provide an incentive to complete an approved defensive driving course. These incentives may be different for each states but can include state mandated insurance discounts as well as ways to mask a traffic ticket from one's driving record. If a driver is interested in these incentives It is important that a state approved course is taken, otherwise the participant will not be eligible for such incentives. States with the biggest incentives include Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

Benefits of roadcraft
British research has shown advanced drivers who use the roadcraft system, a concept similar to defensive driving, end up being safer drivers. A study by Brunel University found advanced drivers who had successfully completed the Institute of Advanced Motorists training were nearly 70% better in all aspects of their driving – from steering to judging distances and speed. Earlier research by Britain's Transport Research Laboratory concluded that drivers are less likely to crash if they have reached a measurable higher driving standard. Unpublished research by IAM Surety (an insurance company) showed that insurance claims by members of the Institute of Advanced Motorists were far cheaper than comparable non-members. Additionally, according to the Association of Motor Insurers, they see a reduction in claims from drivers who have passed the Institute of Advanced Motorists test within the last four years.