Many states require teenagers under the age of 18 to go to undertake driver's education in order to qualify for a driver's license. As a teenager, you need to learn how to drive defensively. For you to be a great defensive driver you need to do the following:
Stay focused
Driving is a thinking task as you have to think of many things when you are behind the wheel. For example, you need to think about road conditions, traffic laws, following directions, and cars around you.
As a result of this you need to stay focused and concentrate only on driving. This calls for you to get rid of distractions such as talking on the phone, eating, and playing loud music.
Stay alert
It has been shown that almost all accidents occur as a result of the driver not paying attention. For you to stay alert, you need to ensure that you don't drive under influence of alcohol or drugs. You also need to ensure that you are not drowsy.
Think ahead
Although, you can't know what the other drivers are thinking, you should try to anticipate their next moves. To be on the safe side you should always keep your eyes open and be prepared to react to any possible driving mistakes made by other driver(s).
Apply the three-second rule
When driving you should keep a minimum of three seconds of following distance between you and the car in front of you in order to create time and space for you to react to unexpected situations. If you think that you are too close to another car you should slow down or change lanes.
Have an escape route
You should always position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing and being seen. It's also wise to place your vehicle in a position where you can have an alternative route if your immediate path of travel was suddenly blocked.
Observe your speed
Almost every road has a speed limit and it's your responsibility to drive according to the given speed. You should remember that high speeds make it difficult to control a car and often results to accidents and deaths.
Make use of turn signals
To let other drivers know of your intentions it's paramount that you make use of the turn signals whenever you are turning. Making use of the signals not only saves the lives of others on the road, but it also saves your life.
