Drive Defensively (1959)

Farzana a driver in each car controlling speeding steel and glass as a driver you must learn to exist with all the other drivers on the road can you trust them to do the right thing can they trust you good driving on your part is not enough you must learn to drive defensively to always be on the lookout for mistakes the other fellow on the road may make Chuck henman is a typical driver as he learned to drive defensively Chuck do you think you're a good driver well it seems that you are you keep within the legal speed limit and you leave plenty of room for other cars to pass but this is a true street with stop signs on the corners of the intersecting streets I wonder are you aware of these intersecting streets chuckle yes you had the right of way but Chuck you have to remember that there were many careless drivers and pedestrians some are downright criminals of the risks they take you can't depend on their alertness or on their concern for the safety of other motorists it's up to you to watch out for them to drive defensively Chuck what's that ball how can you hurt a ball you can't just remember a ball belongs to a child you were lucky Chuck but luck isn't defensive driving a defensive driver is always prepared for the worst defensive driving means constant watching watching for potential trouble all around you John aren't you a little too close to that car bumper chasing is not defensive driving you know how long it takes to stop for every 10 miles of speed you should keep one car length distance between you and the car in front that's better a defensive driver allows a little additional distance as a margin of safety now we'll let you drive for a while without making any comments but we'll be watching you and at the end of your trip we'll analyze your driving ability [Music] [Applause] [Music] now we'll go back and review Chuck's driving tactics have you ever noticed how some drivers fiddle with their radios and lose sight of what happens around them [Music] remember accidents take place within fractions of seconds always keep your eyes on the road Chuck wasn't watching for the other drivers mistake he should have reduced his speed to avoid a potential collision do you like a sneak through a traffic light if you do you don't understand the meaning of defensive driving just assume that a car on the cross street is going to try to sneak through two when you make a fast left turn in front of traffic you're assuming that other drivers on the road are safer drivers than you that is certainly not defensive driving and the defensive driver is always on the lookout for pedestrians who can be even more unpredictable than the worst automobile driver here is an inevitable hazard against which a defensive driver will guard himself it's the blind spot in a traffic pattern beware of Hills sharp curves or large vehicles that interfere with your vision if you can't see what's ahead you should always expect the worst to be there don't trust a luck on the highway children can be unpredictable and irresponsible they know far less about safety than you do honking the horn is not enough a defensive driver would have used his brakes although the car ahead is parked off the road an alert driver will notice such clues as exhaust fumes turn front wheels and a driver in the front seat they all point to a potential collision super highways are built for safe high-speed driving Chuck should have turned into the acceleration lane and then when traffic cleared moved carefully into the right-hand lane he shouldn't let a good Road tempt him into dangerous driving it's wise to stay in one lane when driving on any road but if you have to change lanes check traffic to make sure that the lane you are entering is clear and signal your intentions when necessary this is not just courtesy it's self-preservation have you decided how you'd have reacted to this reckless driver would you have started a race on a public highway a defensive driver has no need to prove himself on the highway for him a car is a means of transportation not a symbol of power [Applause] [Applause] it might just as well have been you it happens every day it's something you should defend against every moment you're driving your car it's your choice [Applause]