Defensive Driving For Non-Emergency Drivers. Non- Emergency Vehicle Operation Non- Sworn personnel...
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Transcript of Defensive Driving For Non-Emergency Drivers. Non- Emergency Vehicle Operation Non- Sworn personnel...
Non- Emergency Vehicle OperationNon- Sworn personnel are not authorized to
operate agency vehicles in emergency mode (lights and siren). Vehicles must be operated in accordance with all traffic laws.
DEFENSIVE driving is…
making a habit of driving to prevent collisions and violations. You are creating a safe driving space. You are defending yourself even if the conditions are poor or other drivers are acting unsafely.
DEFENSIVE driving is…
…driving to SAVE LIVES, TIME and MONEY in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others.
Characteristics of a Defensive Driver
Knowledge of laws and safe driving strategies Alertness to focus attention on driving and the
changing conditions Foresight to recognize hazards in advance and
know what might happen Judgment to decide the safest action Skill to carry out the action
Characteristics of a Defensive Driver KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE
ALERTNESSALERTNESS
FORESIGHTFORESIGHTJUDGEMENTJUDGEMENT
SKILLSKILL
Q: How do we prevent collisions?
A: Collisions are prevented by the driver(s) doing everything reasonable to avoid them.
Safety Facts
In the last 40 years the number of drivers increased by 64% while the roadway system increased by only 6%.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association
Road Sign Shapes Round- Railroad advance warning Diamond - Existing or possible hazards ahead Triangle - Yield
Crossbuck - Railroad crossing Pentagon – School advance and school crossing Vertical Rectangle - Generally regulatory Pennant - Advance warning of no passing zones Octagon - Stop Horizontal Rectangle - Generally for guide signs
Traffic signsStandard Colors
• GREEN – Guide, directional information• RED – Stop, do not enter or wrong way• BLUE – Motorist services guide• ORANGE – Construction/maintenance warning• BROWN - Public recreation/scenic• YELLOW – General warning• WHITE - Regulatory• BLACK - Regulatory
CrashStatistics
90% of all crashes are the result of DRIVER ERROR
Drivers have a 1 in 3 chance (33%) of being involved in a fatal crash.
What affects our ability behind the wheel?
AgeLightsGlareVisionEye wearDirty windows
Injury/illnessFatigueStress
MedicationPassengers
Cellular phones
Driver Safety Equipment Seatbelt
use is mandatory as outlined in Florida state statute and Sheriff’s office policy
Failure to use a seatbelt could result in disciplinary action and or loss of benefits if involved in an accident.
Safety Belts…PROTECT
CONTROL
SURVIVE
They protect you by absorbing the force of a crash.
They help you stay in control of your vehicle by keeping you in your seat.
They increase your chance of surviving a crash by more than 50%.
What are the consequencesor results of speeding?
Increased gas consumption. Longer stopping distance. Violation of traffic laws. Increased chance of injury or fatality. Decreased peripheral scanning ability.
Speed affects your field of vision. The faster you are traveling the narrower your visual field. This reduces your ability to recognize hazards outside of that narrow line of vision.
Driving at unsafe speeds is hazardous to you and other drivers on the road. Safe driving is as simple as making a decision to do so.
Speeding or driving at an unsafe speed costsdrivers $41 Billion
Annually
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association
Driving Too Fast
SPEED: Is the #1 cause of crashes in the USA.
CARELESS DRIVING: Is #2
Vehicle control, stability and maneuverability are all affected
by how fast we drive
Driving Too Fast
The risk of being killed in a collision increases with speed. Speed kills. The greater the speed, the greater your risk of serious injury or death. There is 4 times more energy in a crash at 60 MPH than at 30 MPH.
Speeding is a contributing factor in fatal crashes that kill
approximately 13 of 500 people every year.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association
Vehicle Control•Proper steering will control weight shift and provide effective maneuvering•Shuffle steering helps maintain control and provides smooth steering.•Hand position is at the 10 and 2 o’clock or the 9 and 3 o’clock position on the steering wheel.
Passing
Passing is one of the most dangerous things we do!One of the most common causes of deadly head-on
collisions is improper passing. Before undertaking any pass, ask yourself,
“Will it make any difference?”“Is it safe?”“Is it legal?”
“Do I really need to get ahead?”When getting ready to pass another vehicle, maintain a
safe following distance. Before passing, signal left. Scan the road ahead and behind continually.
How to Recognize Potential Hazards
Scan the road ahead, behind, and next to your vehicle.
Check rear-view and side-view mirrors every 3 to 5 seconds.
How to Recognize Potential Hazards
Many collisions may have been and could be prevented if drivers recognize hazards in advance and focus their attention on driving.
Proper Mirror Adjustment
Mirrors should be adjusted, so that you can not see the sides of your
own vehicle
Collision Avoidance
1. It is better to swerve right instead of toward oncoming traffic to prevent a crash.
Collision Preparedness
3. Hitting a vehicle moving in the same direction is better than hitting one head-on.
Collision Preparedness
4. Driving off the road is better than skidding off the road when trying to avoid a crash.
Collision Preparedness
5. It is better to hit something that is not moving instead of a vehicle moving toward you.
Aggressive driving causes 6.8 million crashes based
on estimates.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association
Safety Facts
Road RageIncreasingly crowded highways and traffic backups cause many
drivers to lose control and become extremely aggressive.
If you encounter aggressive drivers, don’t challenge them, and
stay as far away as possible.
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you speed up to Do you speed up to close the gap with the close the gap with the
car ahead of you to car ahead of you to prevent drivers from prevent drivers from entering your lane?entering your lane?
YES? NO? YES? NO? MAYBE?MAYBE?YOUYOU BE THE JUDGE! BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you switch Do you switch lanes to whichever lanes to whichever
seems to be seems to be moving faster?moving faster?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you try to get ahead Do you try to get ahead of other drivers, even of other drivers, even when you are not in a when you are not in a
particular hurry?particular hurry?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you pass as many Do you pass as many vehicles as possible vehicles as possible
before the road closes before the road closes to one lane?to one lane?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you break Do you break suddenly when suddenly when being tailgated?being tailgated?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you curse and Do you curse and make negative make negative
gestures towards gestures towards other drivers?other drivers?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you tailgate Do you tailgate drivers who you drivers who you think are driving think are driving
too slow?too slow?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you block Do you block vehicles that are vehicles that are
trying to pass trying to pass illegally?illegally?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you typically Do you typically speed up before an speed up before an
intersection to avoid intersection to avoid a yellow light?a yellow light?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Are You An Aggressive Driver?
Do you get overly Do you get overly upset or angry in upset or angry in heavy traffic or in heavy traffic or in
traffic jams?traffic jams?
YES? NO? MAYBE?YOU BE THE JUDGE!
How Close is Too Close?
2 to 3 sec. following distance is generally recommended for driving in town.
The higher the speed the greater the following distance.
3 to 6 sec. minimum following distance is recommended on our county highways.
How Close is Too Close? Your safe following distance depends on how fast you
are going and what the road conditions are. The two-second rule is a convenient way to figure your safe driving distance at various speeds without having to do calculations with numbers.
Just remember, the higher the speed the greater the following distance!
Measure your following distance by choosing a landmark such as a tree. When the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you passes, start counting seconds: “one thousand and one, one thousand and two”. If you reach the landmark before you finish counting, you are following too closely.
Take Your Keys With You
Florida Law prohibits drivers leaving a vehicle parked and unattended while the engine is running.
FSS 316.1975 Unattended motor vehicle
No matter how long you expect to be away from your vehicle, Florida Law requires all drivers to stop the engine, lock the ignition, and remove the key before exiting.
This includes “just for a minute” runs inside any place you can think of! (post office, convenient stores, etc)
Defensive Driving Tips That You Can Use
Use time management when drivingMonitor your speed regularly Be careful and stay alertLower your speed when entering
work zones and school zones.
Defensive Driving Tips That You Can Use
Let tailgaters pass—don’t increase your speed.
Use your turn signals. Florida law requires you turn
headlights on when driving in rain, fog or smoke or other low visibility situations.