Why there’s a good chance that you were mislead

There are a few topics that are misunderstood much more than ‘Defensive Driving’. The term ‘Defensive Driving’ itself conjures up Formula One or ‘Fast & Furious’ like driving involving split-second acceleration, corner cutting and some serious harsh braking. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

The National Safety Council’s Defensive driving course defines Defensive driving as driving that saves lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others. Effectively, it is driving that enables motorists to address identified hazards in a predictable manner. So, forget Formula One and the movies.

You might ask yourself, ‘‘why do I need Defensive Driving tips when I already have a driver’s license? Or I already have 10 years driving experience, how would defensive driving even help me?’’ Well, below are some of the benefits:

Gets you prepared for any situation – No matter how talented you are behind the wheel, you can never control what happens around you – extreme weather, roadway obstacles, aggressive drivers or mechanical faults. Defensive driving gives you the knowhow to respond in any of these situation without making a meal of it.

Fewer car repairs – Not only is defensive driving good for your safety, it is also good for your car in terms of maintenance. Aggressive drivers spend more time slamming on the breaks in the way that not only puts them in danger, but also quickly wears out their brake pads, their tyres and empties their petrol tanks in record time. That shouldn’t be you!

You become a better driver – who doesn’t want the confidence that comes with knowing that they are a better driver than the average guy?

It earns you discounts on your insurance premium – with programs such as ‘Pay How you drive’, the better you drive, the more discount you can earn on your next insurance premium. So, quite literally, better driving leads to more money in your pocket.

Cut out bad driving habits – After driving for a few years, we all think we are better than the next guy and without even knowing it, we begin to drive from experience and memory. Defensive driving will help refresh you skills by cutting out all those bad habits – your mind’s short cuts – you’ve learned over the years.

You are less likely to get speeding tickets – While some situation may call for you to drive faster than the speed limit, the defensive driver in should help keep your behaviour in check. There’s no need to part ways with your hard earned E60.00, especially during that time of the month where payday is furthest.

You might want to consider investing in defensive driving classes sooner than later. It’s an investment in your safety and in your pocket.