Safe Driving Practices and Defensive Driving
Core concepts
Defensive driving is a decision framework: scan far ahead, maintain space cushions on all four sides, manage speed to sight distance, and assume other drivers will err. Teach the Smith System habits (aim high in steering, get the big picture, keep eyes moving, leave an out, make sure they see you) and the IPDE cycle (Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute). Emphasize hazard perception, space management, and the physics of stopping distance - perception time plus reaction time plus braking distance, all lengthened by ice, speed, and load.
Traps in questions
Distractors often confuse following distance with stopping distance, or imply that ABS shortens stopping distance on ice (it does not; it preserves steering control). Questions may test whether a driver should swerve or brake when an animal enters the road - braking in a straight line is generally safer than swerving at speed. Watch for "always" and "never" absolutes that ignore context.
Rule of thumb
"Cover the brake, create the gap, have an out." When you sense a hazard, ease off the accelerator and hover over the brake to cut reaction time. If a question asks for the safest response to an emerging hazard, favor controlled braking and space over sudden swerving.
Worked example
A student asks how far back to follow a snowplow. Apply the rule: increase following distance well beyond three seconds because of spray, reduced visibility, and the plow's sudden stops; pass only when the plow driver can see you and the lane is fully clear.