Defensive Driver

Training

Welcome!
n Mel Iida – Sr. Loss Control Rep, Willis
Pooling
n This is not a “how to drive” course
n It’s a “way to drive” course
n Not an expert in traffic law
n Emergency Exits
n Restrooms/Breaks/Cell Phones

TRAFFIC CRASHES
Leading cause of work related fatalities!
Leading cause of death for drivers 15 – 24!
Leading cause of death from birth to age 34!

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How Safe Are Our Roads?
Accident Data for Nevada
indicates:
2007 2008 2009
q 372 Fatalities 324 243
q 258 Vehicle Occupants 198 156
q 54 Pedestrians 57 36
q 50 Motorcyclists 57 40
q 10 Bicyclists 7 7
q ?? Other 5 4

So you thought it couldn’t

happen to you?

Or maybe you weren’t even

thinking about it at the
time?

Defensive Driving Means…

n Making the best driving decisions.
n Understanding the consequences
of your driving choices.
n Reducing Stress when driving.
n Driving to your destination incident
free.
n Seeing hazards develop before
they become an emergency.

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Using…
n Courtesy
n Common Sense
n Cooperation

Responsibility

What should I do to avoid a crash.

Other drivers may act quickly, but may act

incorrectly.

Defensive Driving Techniques

n Scan ahead, around, and behind your
vehicle.
n Check the mirrors every 3 to 5 seconds.
n Use the “what if” technique to give yourself
an emergency “out”.
n Look roughly 15 seconds ahead in your
direction of travel

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 4 Killer Driving Habits
n Speeding
n Failure to Yield
n Tailgating
n Crossing Over the Center Line

Killer Habit Number 1

Speeding
n Why Do We Speed???
n Late!
n Flow of Traffic!
n Emergency!
n Like it!

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Why Do We Speed?
n Nearly 1/3 Of Traffic Related Fatalities Can Be
Directly Attributed To The Speed Involved!

n # 1 Unsafe Driving Behavior!

n Costs In Fines And Crashes = Over 41 Billion Per

Year!

Speeding!
n How do you determine the Safe Driving
Speed?

n Know The Speed Limit

n Assess The Driving Conditions

Avoiding the Speed Trap!

n Use Time Management
n Monitor Speed Regularly (Scanning Pattern,
Cruise Control)
n Slow down in School Zones & Work Zones
n Slow Down to Let Tailgaters Pass (don’t be
pressured to go faster)

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 X

1.5x

2x

3x

4x

6x

8x

12 x

Killer Habit Number 2

Failure to Yield Right-Of-Way

n Failure to yield
the right of way
is the major
cause of
crashes in
Nevada

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Intersections
n Bad Places – 4 and 40

n Survey Says!
n 30% ran red light
n 26% rolled stop sign

Take Your Time At The Lights

n Wait two seconds
n Look Left
n Look Right
n Look Ahead
n Look Left Again
n Keep your foot on the Brake
n Safe and Clear
n Accelerate slowly and smoothly

Cover The Brake

n Approaching Intersection...
n Foot off Accelerator...Coast
n Hover Foot Over the Brake

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 Intersections
n Blocked Vision Hazard

n What do you do?

Turns

n Correct Lane Well In

Advance
n Use Signal (100’ – 300’)
n Scan
n Slow Down
n Yield Right Of Way

Turning Right
n Correct Lane Well In
Advance
n Signal
n Right Side
clearance?
n Right To Right
n Pedestrians

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Turning Left
n Most Dangerous
n Be In Correct Lane
Well In Advance
n Signal and watch
oncoming drivers
n Yield To On-coming
Traffic
n Allow time for
vehicles to clear the
intersection
n Pedestrians, etc
n Wheels

Killer Habit Number 3

Tailgating

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 TAILGATING
n Following Distance…
n Three Factors Affect How Long It Takes
You To Stop!

n Perception Distance - 1 ¼ seconds

n Reaction Distance - 3/4 second
n Braking Distance - ???

Stopping Distance

One, One Thousand…

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How To Safely Handle A Tailgater
n Keep A Safe Space In Front, & Sides
n Slow Down
n Increase Following Distance To 6
Seconds(3+3)
n Allow Tailgater To Pass

Killer Habit Number 4

Crossing Over The Center Line

n Passing

n First! Ask yourself.....

n Do I Really Need To Pass?

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Passing
n 3 types of crashes can occur…
n Sideswipe
n Run Off The Road
n Head On

Safe and Legal Passing

n Keep your 3 second following distance!
n Scan ahead, around and behind!
n Use your left turn signal!
n Swing out and accelerate to the posted speed limit!
n When you see the front tires of the other vehicle on the
pavement in your rearview mirror, use your right turn signal
and return to the lane!
n Maintain your speed after passing!

Drive to Stay Alive!

n Avoiding Head-on Collisions

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 Avoid the Head On Collision
n Decelerate. Drive to the Right. Use the
Shoulder
n Drive…Don’t Swerve Off The Road
n Hit Something Soft, Not Hard
n Hit With A Glancing Blow

Quick Quiz
n Before passing another vehicle, what
should you do first?

n Decide if it’s safe and legal.

n Decide if it’s really necessary.

Seatbelts Save Lives

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 Princess Diana’s Crash

Seat Belts
n 50% better chance of survival

n 4 times more likely to be ejected if not worn

n Hold you in your seat-control, human debris

Seatbelts Save Lives

n 258 Nevada Fatalities In 2007
n 122 of them were unbelted.
n 61 people, would still be with us today if
they’d only buckled up.

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 Reno Gazette-Journal
n Around 2:30 a.m., a Dodge 4x4 vehicle was
traveling northbound on Eastlake Blvd. in Washoe
Valley, when the 32-year-old male driver lost
control of his vehicle near Freckles Ct. The
sheriff's office said the vehicle crossed the
roadway and into a field, causing it to roll twice.
The driver and 21-year-old female passenger
were ejected from the vehicle and were
pronounced dead at the scene.

n 5-10-08

Reno Gazette-Journal
n Two people died early today north of Winnemucca when they
were ejected from a pick up and then were ran over by passing
vehicles, the Nevada Highway Patrol reported.

n The accident happened about 3:30 a.m. on U.S. 95 about 70

miles north of Winnemucca, the NHP said.

n A red pickup truck was involved in a rollover accident and it

ejected three people, the NHP said. Two people came to rest on
the road and were “ran over by passing motorists after they
were ejected,” the NHP reported in a statement.

n “It is unknown at this time if the occupants died as a result of

the ejection, or the vehicle(s) running over them,” the NHP said.

n June 5, 2008

Quick Quiz
n In Nevada, child safety seats are
mandatory for kids under 6 years of age
and under 60 pounds.

n True
n False

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 Quick Quiz
n In Nevada, anytime an officer observes you
driving and not wearing your safety belt,
they can pull you over.

n True
n False

OBJECTS TOO!
n Struck-by incidents are a significant cause of workplace injuries and deaths
each year. Police in Surrey, British Columbia, say a 25-year-old woman
was killed when she was struck in the back of the head and neck with her
laptop computer.
n Heather Storey was on a business trip with her luggage in the back seat of
her car when a tow truck collided with her, according to the CBC.
n Investigators say Storey would have survived the accident had it not been
for her laptop.
n Her laptop was unsecured in the back seat at the time of the accident.
Police believe the crash impact threw the laptop out of the back seat,
striking Storey. She died of blunt force trauma to the back of her head.
n Storey’s brother, Michael Pratt, is warning others to take steps to avoid
similar incidents.
n “Try not to keep stuff [in your car's back seat] that can get airborne or hit
you, just because your family, and people that care about you, really will
miss you when you’re gone,” Pratt said.

Impaired Driving
n Impaired Driving is Defined as...

n “driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs”

n Other drugs include:

n Illegal drugs
n Prescription drugs
n OTC drugs

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 By The Numbers
n 40%
n Fatal crashes involve alcohol
n 3 in 10
n Americans will be involved in a alcohol related crash during
their lifetime
n 39%
n Number of Work Related crashes involving alcohol
n 9 in 10
n Insurance companies that will automatically cancel policies of
convicted drivers

OTC/PRESCIPTION DRUGS
n One in 5 fatalities involved drugs other than
alcohol
n Synergistic effect

Quick Quiz
n If you have a Nevada Drivers License, you
have agreed to an alcohol test if the officer
believes you are under the influence.

n True
n False

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 Quick Quiz
n The illegal blood/breath alcohol
concentration for drivers over 21 in Nevada
is…

n .10
n .08
n .30

Fatigue = Impaired
n Reduced Reaction Times
n Unclear Decision Making
n Diminished Energy
n Apathy

Just Plain Pooped

n Majority of crashes happen between 12
noon and 8pm on Fridays!
n Fatigue has been determined to be a factor
in:
n 100,000 Police Reported Crashes Annually
n 1/3 of Commercial Truck Fatalities

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 Drowsy?
n Can’t Remember Last Few Miles Driven
n Can’t Focus/Eyes Close By Themselves
n Trouble Keeping Your Head Up
n Can’t Stop Yawning
n Wandering, Disconnected Thoughts
n Weaving
n Jerky Movements
n Speeding Up/Slowing Down
n Missing Turns/Exits

Your Best Defense!

n Get Enough Rest
n Plan Rest Breaks Every 2 Hours/100 Miles
n Plan Long Trips With A Companion
n Don’t Keep Inside Of Vehicle Too Warm
n Keep Windows Open Slightly
n Power Nap

Distracted Driving
n What is a Driving Distraction?
n It is an Event, Activity, Object or Person
that takes your attention away from the
Driving Task!

n How are we distracted? Name the

ways…

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“ The relative risk of being in a traffic accident
while using a cell phone is similar to the
hazard associated with driving with a blood
alcohol level at the legal limit”

Concentrate
n Always stay alert and focused on the
driving task.

A case in point…
n An 18-year-old girl plowed directly into
the rear of another vehicle. She was
going 70 mph.(106kph) She apparently
didn't see them. You see, she was
'texting' at the time.....

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Here’s the message…
n Just concentrate on the task at hand
n Please don’t drive while using any
mobile electronic device such as a cell
phone, pager, CD player, radio, GPS unit

Special Conditions and

Situations

NO ZONE

n Why risk it, avoid the NO ZONE!

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Crossing Railroad Tracks
n 11 times more likely to be fatal
n Never drive around lowered
gates
n Expect a train when
approaching tracks
n Never race a train
n Never stop on the tracks
n Stalled on Tracks? Train
Coming?!

n Amber Lights?
n Red Lights?
n Exception?

School Buses
n Cars in both
directions
must stop

n Bus drivers
can report
violations of
this law

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School Zones
n Traffic Controls in
School Zones
n Speed Limit either 15
or 25 mph
n Flashing Yellow Lights
n Designation of Hours

Slow Down and Watch for Children!

Emergency Vehicles

Pull to right and stop

Move to right of lane or shoulder

Always slow down and cover the brake

“Move Over” Law

Nevada Traffic Law

Pedestrian Right of
Way Rules

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 Pedestrians
n 5900 killed
n 70000 injured
n 50% at or between intersections
n Most under 15 years old

Pedestrians
n Use the what-if? technique
n Yield
n Do not wave them across the street
n Expect the Unexpected

Motorcycles and Other 2 Wheeled

Hazards
n Be Aware of
Motorcycles/Bicycles
n Harder to See
n Increase Following
Distance

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 Construction Zones
n 50,000 workers injured or killed each year
n All were Preventable
n Input Overload
n Slow Down and Obey Flaggers
n Fines Doubled

Night Driving
n More Hazardous
n ½&½
n 500ft oncoming/300ft
following
n Don’t Outdrive
Headlights
n Windows/Mirrors
n Covers/Lenses Clean

Anti Lock Brake Systems

n Effective use of the system...

n Step on the brake pedal hard

n Stay on brake until stopped/Hazard over
n Don’t release or pump the brake pedal
n Practice

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Aggressive Driving
and Road Rage
n Let them get ahead of
you-more control
n Where do you go?
n Don’t make eye contact
n Ignore gestures and
refuse to return them
n Do not challenge them by
blocking/speeding up
n Report aggressive drivers
to the police

Before You Go Anywhere

ü Familiarize yourself with the vehicle:
ü Know where the controls are located
and how they work:
ü Make Adjustments before: seats,
mirrors, radio, head restraint, etc.
ü Vehicle Manual:
ü Hand Position:
ü Use vehicles with respect:

Checklist for Your Vehicle

n Check...
n Brake lights
n Headlights
n Turn signals
n Tail lights
n Parking lights
n Back up lights
n Horn
n Mirrors
n Wipers
n Tires (tread, inflation and overall condition)

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 Before You Go
n Are you driving with a valid
Nevada Driver’s License in
your possession?

Before You Go
n Are you driving with a
valid registration
n Are you carrying the
certificate or
photocopy?
n Are you insured?
n Are you carrying proof
of insurance

Be Careful Out There

n Always lock your vehicle
n Never leave the engine running if
unattended
n Always do a walk around-tires, damage etc.
n Check interior before opening the door,
nighttime

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 Accident? Incident?

n Accident – Refers to any collision involving

a vehicle with a pedestrian, other
vehicle(s), and /or other fixed or stationary
objects, whether or not any physical
damage or bodily injury occurs.

Accident? Incident?
n Incident – Refers to non-accident personal
injury or physical damage: i.e., vandalism,
window or body damage from flying
objects, lost or stolen vehicle parts or
accessories, vehicle body damage from tire
snow or chains, etc.

When Something
Goes Wrong
n Stop at Once-warn others
n Notify Police-Give exact location
n Render Aid if Injuries-911
n Wait for police-don’t leave scene
n Names, Addresses, license plate
#”s
n Insurance info
n Witnesses-fill out cards
n “Responsibility”-Give insurance
information card to other party

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 What to do if you are stopped by
Law Enforcement
n Stop your vehicle
n Keep your hands in
plain view
n Wait for the officer
n Be courteous and don’t
argue

Final Thoughts
n Serious Business

n Don’t Allow Yourself To Be Distracted!!

n Always Wear Safety Belts!!!

n Drive Your Vehicle As Though Your Life Depends

On It!!!!

FINAL EXAM
n NAME & DATE
n LEAVE TEST WITH INSTRUCTOR
n 70%

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