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Defensive driving starts with having a plan. Experienced drivers prepare for emergencies by leaving themselves room for error. Masters of defensive driving never tailgate, never bump into the curb by turning too sharply, and rarely have to slam on the brake to avoid a collision. Keeping a safe distance between your car and everything around it—on all four sides—allows you to avoid potential hazards that pop up in the normal course of a day’s driving.

Defensive driving means that you carefully monitor your own physical and mental state before you hit the road. If you’re tired, ill, or just having a bad day, your reaction times can be seriously affected. When you know you’re not as alert as you normally are, you consciously plan to maintain a little extra space between your car and everything around you.

Experienced drivers make hundreds of minor adjustments during a drive that constantly allow them to avoid collisions. Good drivers make adjustments so smoothly and routinely that their reactions are scarcely noticeable to other drivers around them. A good driver sees potential hazards before they turn into emergencies. Constantly scanning the road, other cars, and pedestrians allows good drivers to smoothly turn away from hazards or slow down as the need may be. These minor adjustments are the heart and soul of good defensive driving.

What about a life-threatening driving emergency?—the kind of situation that the best drivers in the world can’t possibly anticipate? Is it possible to plan for that? It’s not only possible—it’s absolutely vital. And it’s when you’re most in need of a plan, because it’s the kind of situation that reduces your reaction times to the bare minimum.

Imagine this scenario: You’re driving on a two-lane highway at night. Suddenly an oncoming car swerves into your lane. You have only a split second to react. What do you do? If you have to think about, it’s already too late to avoid a collision. If you slam on the brake, you relinquish whatever control of the situation you may have. That’s a dangerous thing to do; it means that you’re placing your life and the lives of your passengers in the hands of another driver. That’s the worst decision you can make.

Good drivers know they can always get out of the way of an oncoming hazard faster than they can stop. Here’s how to handle the above scenario:

It’s always better to leave the road than hit somebody head-on. Keep one set of wheels on the paved surface if possible. Don’t slam on the brake; hard braking on a loose surface can cause you to skid out of control. Wait until your speed goes down, and gently brake. Then turn sharply to get back on the road. Trying to gradually work your way back onto the paved surface can cause your tires to grab the edge. As soon as both front tires are back on the road, counter steer at once.

Defensive driving doesn’t mean that good drivers constantly think about an emergency scenario while they’re actually driving. But experienced drivers have rehearsed these worst-case scenarios often enough in their mind that they can react quickly and safely when the threat arises. Defensive driving is never about expecting the worst. It’s about having the confidence and experience to manage any situation that appears.