In the event of a collision, use extreme caution and seek emergency medical assistance.įor more information on our course offerings or if you have any questions, contact Top Driver. Take a moment to think through the IPDE process and how you should use it while driving. P - Predict - Judge where the possible points of conflict may occurĭ - Decide - Determine what action to take, when, and where to take itĮ - Execute - Act by maneuvering the car to avoid conflicts I - Identify - Locate potential hazards within the driving scene Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute (IPDE): This is the step-by-step process behind the p rinciples of defensive driving and complexities of visual perception in traffic – it could very well save your life and those of your passengers.
The driver should steer and focus their attention high, so as to view the road as whole and not just a few feet ahead.
Stay alert of the potential dangers and scan ahead to avoid rear-end collisions. This may cause a collision with other exiting traffic. If you inadvertently miss your exit, do not back-up. Knowing the exit number before your exit will give you plenty of time to position your vehicle properly. When you plan to drive in areas that you are not familiar with, be certain to know your exit number ahead of time. Generally, high-speed roadways, when compared to other roadways, have a lower frequency of collisions however, when a collision does occur, it is often more severe because of the combination of speed and impact. In light traffic conditions, try to time your approach so you do not reach the intersection at the exact time as another vehicle.Įxercise caution when operating your vehicle at high speeds on a large roadway. Likewise, if another driver is turning at the intersection, he/she may not be able to make the turn successfully and could veer into you.
Doing so will allow you to stop smoothly should the light change.ĭon’t assume that other drivers will be able to stop when they are approaching an intersection. Take your foot off the accelerator and cover the brake. If it is green when you enter the block, anticipate it will change by the time you reach the intersection. Your scan should help determine which lane to select. As you enter an intersection, scan the entire block for potential problems. It may sound simple, but the sooner you size-up an intersection and identify the potential hazards, the more likely you are to avoid a traffic collision.
Poor Driving Conditions– Driving at night, in snow, rain and other less than ideal conditions can increase your chances of being involved in a traffic collision.Įven for experienced drivers, intersections are among the most hazardous locations and are the site of many traffic collisions. Speeding– For every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph, the risk of death in a traffic collision doubles. Impaired Driving – Driving under the influence of mind altering substances (ie: alcohol, prescription drugs, cannabis etc.)
Even with good visibility and in the best of conditions, intersections are a high-risk area for collisions.ĭistracted Driving – One of the biggest and most common reasons for traffic collisions involves distracted driving and cell phone use. When a vehicle blows through an intersection and collides with another vehicle or pedestrian - that isn’t an accident, but a preventable traffic collision.Ī traffic collision, also referred to as a motor vehicle collision, is when a vehicle makes contact with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal or stationary object. We accidentally drop our cell phone, or accidentally walk into a glass door. Accidents are just that, unintentional, unforseen mistakes. This is why motor vehicle crashes are not called “accidents” by law enforcement and driver education professionals. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey,” over 97% of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by driver error.