BIS Safety Software

Defensive Driving Fundamentals

Our globally acclaimed, award-winning Thinking Driver defensive driving program presents five key Defensive Driving Fundamentals: Think and Look Ahead, Anticipate Hazards, Keep Your Options Open, Manage the Risk, and Control With Finesse. Updated for the current year, this is the top choice for a basic defensive driving course for your staff.

Our globally acclaimed, award-winning Thinking Driver defensive driving program presents five key Defensive Driving Fundamentals: Think and Look Ahead, Anticipate Hazards, Keep Your Options Open, Manage the Risk, and Control With Finesse. These defensive driving principles have been honed and integrated into a cohesive driver safety system by Thinking Driver’s founder and internationally recognized driver training specialist, Spencer McDonald. They form the base skills necessary for a lifetime of incident-free driving. Utilizing this program has led to an unprecedented reduction of up to 90% in incident rates*

Our course with its rich multimedia content engages learners through an array of interactive on-screen activities: quizzes, discovery of facts through clicks, videos, audio commentary, and much more. This is the flagship eLearning program for defensive driving, freshly updated for 2020 with content including ways to avoid Distracted Driving, Impaired Driving including Cannabis, Driver Fatigue, with updated videos and more. The user interface is user-friendly and simple to navigate. Employees prefer this course due to its engaging, entertaining, and informative nature, which keeps their attention throughout.

Developed in collaboration with law enforcement, occupational health and safety professionals, eLearning specialists and world-class driver trainers, this is your prime choice for a staff defensive driving course. *Source: Technical Safety BC (90% reduction in at-fault accidents between 2011 and 2015 using Thinking Driver training courses)

The Five Fundamentals of Defensive Driving

THINK AND LOOK AHEAD

Excellent vision and observation are the first steps towards safe, incident-free driving. Vision is a learned skill that is often not taught properly (or at all) to new drivers regardless of whether they are trained by family of in a school setting. This foundation skill is taught in-depth in preparation for the skill to follow. Avoiding distracted driving is a key element in this module

• The dangers and penalties for distracted driving
• How to avoid distracted driving
• Understanding and applying advanced observation and recognition skills
• Understanding the importance of eye lead time and how to calculate it
• Visual search and scanning techniques
• Developing total situational awareness by getting a big picture view
• Mirror adjustment to minimize or eliminate blind spots

ANTICIPATE HAZARDS

There are hazards everywhere in every driving environment. Defensive drivers identify the hazards in their environment and understand how to mitigate the risks they present.

• Using superior vision to identify potential hazards
• Recognizing potential hazards before they become critical
• Classifying types of hazards using risk assessment strategies
• Predicting other traffic movements and planning responses in advance

KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN

Having space around the vehicle in traffic gives a driver time to respond to other driver actions and other hazards. Managing space is a skill necessary for effective defensive driving and this module provides multiple strategies to develop and maintain a safety cushion of space around the vehicle in various situations.

• Concepts of space cushion driving and the safety zone around a vehicle
• Establishing and maintaining a safe following distance and adjusting for speed, vehicle configuration and conditions
• Optimum spacing at stops and intersections to provide vision and sight lines
• Freeway and highway space risk management

MANAGE THE RISK

Risk is present whenever a vehicle is moving. The defensive driver understands the risk and takes action to eliminate unacceptable risk entirely (like choosing not to drive in a vehicle unequipped for the conditions) and mitigating acceptable risks by taking concrete action like covering the brake or choosing safer lanes or routes. Many risks are associated with the driver themselves, including impairment resulting from substances like alcohol, cannabis or drugs (prescription or otherwise), and fatigue. Strategies are explored to mitigate a variety of types of risk.

• Understanding and avoiding impairment and impairing substances including alcohol, cannabis and drugs when driving or working
• Recognizing fatigue and the risks associated with insufficient rest and/or sleep
• How to make good decisions to minimize risk in common driving situations
• Identifying safe speeds
• How to take proactive steps to reduce risk in critical situations

CONTROL WITH FINESSE

Superior vehicle control is the capstone to defensive driving skills. Optimizing traction is the objective and is achieved by developing smooth and balanced control inputs. Great steering, braking and acceleration skills allow abrupt or evasive manoeuvres to avoid crashes to be executed successfully under control.

• Vehicle seating position for optimal control
• Total control steering technique as used by high performance drivers
• Maintaining vehicle balance and stability to optimize traction
• How to develop superior steering, braking, and accelerator control
• Correct use of anti-lock brakes

Approximately 90 minutes

Testing conducted throughout this online Defensive Driving Fundamentals course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants are able to repeat the course twice if the pass mark is not achieved.

Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.

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