What is Advanced, Defensive Driving?

Professional, advanced, defensive driving does not require any special degree of specialized training. However, given our country’s high annual crash fatality rate means that road users need to be extra vigilant when dealing with driver competency, compliance and responsibility. Only by displaying a positive mental attitude to driving will the roads become safer for all.

“Advanced” means that the driving skills course undertaken passes way beyond what is offered in the now really outdated K53 driving license test system. A certified and reputable advanced driving skills course will cover many mental aspects such as observation, concentration and the ability to identify hazards and manage the hazards.

By enhancing one’s mental ability to drive, means that a persons’ defensive concentration skills are sharpened thereby avoiding all distractions, looking far ahead, identifying potential hazards, making the correct judgement and dealing with them timeously before it become a crisis.

A competent driver also needs to possess basic, but sound knowledge of how a car works, why it behaves the way it does in various conditions, appreciate the laws of physics and the forces of nature acting on a vehicle, apply the rules of the road and importantly, understand and anticipate the behavior of different road users.

The defensive driver will operate the vehicle with “mechanical sympathy”, ensuring that they enjoy optimal vehicle performance without excessive wear-and-tear and undertaking services and repairs timeously. They will drive economically, not only to save expensive fuel, but also to reduce carbon emissions and protect our precious environment.

A defensive driver should be street-wise and constantly aware of his/her surroundings to avoid being a victim of criminal activities. Constant vigilance at intersections, driving on quiet roads, choosing safe places to park and being careful of suspicious characters on the roads will ensure that they do not become easy targets for criminals.

Finally, an advanced, defensive driver will conduct regular pre-trip inspections for both the interior and the exterior of a vehicle. This preventative exercise could save a great deal of time, inconvenience and heartache should a breakdown occur in an unsafe place.