Getting into a car accident can be a scary experience, and most drivers do whatever they can to avoid being involved in a collision. The best way to do this is to practice defensive driving techniques every time you are on the roadway. Defensive driving skills come with experience, and these skills involve learning to predict the actions that careless or negligent drivers may take in order to avoid serious incidents and personal injuries. Here, we want to discuss some defensive driving tips for Kentucky drivers.

Defensive Driving Basics

There are various strategies that new and experienced drivers can implement in order to practice defensive driving on the roadway. Implement the tips below and help minimize the amount of accident victims

• Do not follow closely. You should never follow other vehicles too closely. You should always be at least two to three seconds behind the car in front of you. Your following distance will change depending on the speed limit.
• Have an escape plan. Anytime you see a potential hazard ahead on the roadway ahead, you should immediately check the lanes around you as well as your blind spot to formulate an exit strategy. If you need to move over quickly, you will know whether you can do so safely.
• Avoid blind spots. Every vehicle has blind spots, and you will be doing many drivers and yourself a favor by avoiding staying out of their blind spots. You cannot always depend on other drivers to check their blind spots before they change lanes.
• Stay away from reckless drivers. If there are other drivers tailgating you, speeding, or swerving through lanes, you should do your best to stay back and away from them. When a reckless driver is in front of you, you are in control of how close you get to them.
• Avoid slamming on your brakes. Avoid slamming your brakes at all costs, as this could lead to drivers behind you rear-ending your vehicle. Your best bet is to stay far enough away from the vehicle in front of you so that you will not have to slam on your brakes if they come to a sudden stop.
• Watch for other cars at intersections. Intersections are a leading place for accidents to occur. Even if you have a green light or the right of way, you should still always check for cross-traffic to see if other drivers have stopped or yielded where they are supposed to.

Are There Kentucky Defensive Driving Classes Drivers Can Take?

There are several organizations around the Commonwealth of Kentucky that teach defensive driving courses to students, and these organizations are primarily focused on those seeking to get their driver’s permits or driver’s licenses. One such organization is Kentucky Safe Driver, which provides courses and information to students and has online registration available. This organization even has cash giveaways for students who complete the entire four-hour driving class. The State of Kentucky also offers two-hour defensive driving courses online, though these courses are focused primarily on those who have already gotten into some sort of trouble on the roads. This includes those who have perhaps gotten speeding tickets, been cited for reckless driving, etc. We can consider these classes a sort of extra credit for traffic offenders. Upon completion of the Kentucky course, drivers can get a few points taken away from their driver’s license to make up for traffic violation points.