Reminders for Grads #1
Remember to Create and Maintain your FRONT SPACE!
During your training you made the WIT pledge:
I pledge to myself and my family to do Whatever It Takes to drive COLLISION FREE.
How are you doing? Please read the following reminder!
Probably the most helpful means to remain collision free is to keep a safe front space or following space between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
As a beginner you were cautious and slower and had no problem keeping front space, but as you gain more experience and confidence you may begin to follow closer as you see other drivers doing. Sometimes friends and even parents will encourage you to close the gap between you and the car ahead. This lack of front space will result in four to five million collisions every year in the US.
Keeping front space will help you beat the odds. As a young driver the odds of remaining collision free are against you. According to the National Safety Council 89.2% of all drivers will be involved in a collision within their first 3 years of driving.
As you know the minimum safe front space is 3 to 5 seconds of timed interval space between you and the vehicle ahead. In some bumper to bumper heavy traffic as on the interstate in rush hour, you will be unable to keep this much space so you must look well ahead (20 seconds or more) to see any signs of a slow down even before the cars ahead of you do. Cover your brake in doubtful situations to reduce your brake reaction time and avoid the collision with the car ahead.
If you have any questions about defensive driving, please call and we will have our instructor supervisor call to offer advice.
Thanks for learning with Haman's New Drivers and keep yourself safe.