Defensive Driving – NSC 4 Hour

Prerequisites: This course shall have no formal pre-requisite.

Course Length: 4 hours – Total course time includes breaks.

Class Size: The maximum number of delegates that may be trained and tested per instructor shall be twenty-four (24) in the classroom session.

Ready to Schedule Your Training Class?

Course Objective

  • Delegates will acquire the basic knowledge and techniques to recognize potential hazards and avoid collisions and violation.
  • To motivate delegates to change their behind- the-wheel behaviors and attitudes.
  • Delegates will learn coping techniques for dealing with speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, and hazardous traffic conditions and more.
  • To provide delegates with an understanding of best practices to prevent injury and death while driving a motor vehicle.

Course Design

  • Power Point© / Lecture / Audio Video / Visual Aids
  • Demonstrations
  • Optional Ride Along Driver Evaluation

Successful Course Completion

  • Requires a minimum score of 75% or better.
  • Grades shall be calculated by dividing the number of questions answered correctly by the total number of exam questions.
  • Delegates will have no more than thirty (30) minutes to complete the exam.
  • Successful completion of practical session is mandatory.

Course Content Summary

  • Classroom
  • Optional Ride Along Driver Evaluation

Breaks: 10 minutes (approximately every hour)

Lunch: 1 Hour (if applicable)

Course Outline
Session 1 – Driving Defensively in Our Roadway Community
Course Introduction

  • Course Guide, Goals, Agenda and Completion
  • Defensive Driving and Our Roadway Community

Stages of a Collision

  • 3 Stages of a Collision
  • Collisions Cost lives and More

Defensive Driving

  • Defensive Driving Definition
  • Collision Hazards
  • The DDC Collision Prevention Formula
  • Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility

Occupant Protection Systems

  • Occupant Protection Systems Checklist
  • Safety Belt and Child Safety Seats
  • Children in the Backseat
  • Air Bags
  • Threat of a Ticket

Vehicle Maintenance

  • Types of Vehicle Malfunctions
  • Flat Tire or Tire Blowout
  • Brake Failure
  •  Hood Flies Open
  •  Stuck Accelerator
  • Power Steering Failure
  •  Roadway Emergency Kit

Session 2 – Distracted and Impaired Driving
Cell Phones and Driving

  • Research Statistics on Cell Phones and Driving
  • Distracted Driver
  • Ban on Driver Use of Cell Phones
  • Hands-Free No Safer than Handheld

Texting and Other Distractions

  • Texting While Driving a Major Distraction
  •  Texting Is
    • Receiving Messages
    • Reading Messages
    • Keying
    • Sending Messages
  • Driver Distractions
  • How to Stop Texting While Driving

Fatigued Driving

  • Causes of Fatigue
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Preventing and Handling Drowsiness
  • Medications

Responsibilities of Drivers

  • Legal Responsibilities of a Licensed Driver
  • Impaired Driving
  • Types of Impairment
  • Illegal Drugs an Impaired Driving
  • Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
  • How to Prevent Impaired Driving on Medication
  • Combined Drug Use Impact on Driving
  • Toxicology (Toxic Testing)

Consequences of Impaired Driving

  • Driving Under the Influence
  • What to Do if Following an Impaired Driver
  • Alcohol-Impaired Driver
  • Cost and Consequences of Impaired Driving
  • DUI/DWI Effect on Our Roadway Community
  • Designated Driver
  • Zero-Tolerance Laws

Distracted/Impaired Driver Activity

Session3 – Conditions in Our Roadway Community
Physical Conditions

  • Driver Physical Conditions
  • New Driver Conditions
  • Roadway Conditions
  • Work Zones

Other Users in Our Roadway Community

  • Conditions in Our Roadway Community
  • Traffic Conditions
  • “What If?” Strategy

Aggressive Driving

  • Aggressive Driving and Road Rage Definitions
  • Activity – Are You an Aggressive Driver?
  • Reduce Stress and Aggression Behind the Wheel
  • Avoid Aggressive Drivers

Prevent a Collision

  • Show You Care about Safety
  • How to Act Correctly, in Time

Parking Lots

  • Activity – Identify Parking Lot Hazards
  • Prevent Parking Lot Collisions
  • Selecting a Parking Stall
  • How to Park
  • Parking Lot Lines and Signs

Handling Bad Weather Breakdowns

  • Before You Leave Home
  • Kinds of Vehicle Breakdowns
  • Bad Weather Survival Kit

Session 4 – Fatal Four Driving Behaviors
Speeding

  • What Are the Fatal Four?
  • Reasons for Speeding
  • Determine the Safest Driving Speed
  • Speeding and Alcohol
  • Activity – Speeding

Right of Way

  • Right of Way Definition
  • Delayed Acceleration Technique
  • Right of Way and Our Roadway Community

Driving Left of Center

  • Road Lines and Markings
  • Reduce Your Blind Spots
  • Safe Passing
  • Four Rs for Handling a Potential Head-On Collision
  • Hit with a Glancing Blow

Conclusion

  • Course Goals
  • Remember Your World and Our Roadway Community

Practical Session
Ride Along/Driver Evaluations are not offered through the National Safety Council, but they are offered by M&A Safety Services as a service, upon request.
The driver evaluation will evaluate the driver’s ability to:

  • Wear Safety Belts
  • Scan Effectively
    • Scans well ahead
    • Reacts early enough to respond to potential hazards
    • Not surprised by double parked cars, light changes, etc.
  • Adjust Speed to Conditions
  • Use Horn and Signals
  • Maintain a Cushion of Safety
    • Keeps an adequate following distance-on open road
    • Follows proper techniques and distances when passing
    • Keeps an adequate following distance-in congested areas
    • Keeps an adequate following distance-with a tailgater
    • Avoids following oversized vehicles
    • Avoids driving in other drivers’ blind spots
    • Is aware of own blind spot
  • Position the Vehicle
    • Changes lanes when necessary
    • Moves within the lane to avoid potential hazards
    • Tries to avoid hazardous situations
    • Safely parks the vehicle using recommended approaches and backing
  • Use Mirrors Effectively
    • Properly adjust mirrors
    • Checks mirrors frequently
    • Moves in seat to improve sight angle
  • Not Rely Solely on Eye Contact
    • Covers the brake in addition to making eye contact
    • Handles jaywalkers properly
  • Handle Intersections Correctly
    • Is not surprised by light changes
    • Checks traffic in all directions before entering intersection
    • Leaves space in front when stopping in traffic
    • Keeps wheels straight while waiting to turn left
    • When in left lane, lags back to allow for off-tracking
    • Follows correct procedures for right-turn-on-red
  • Cover the Brakes

Delegate Requirements

  • None

Reference Material / Documents
National Safety Council DDC 4 Driver Safety Training Course Guide

  • Course ID #: MA019

Date

Mar 29 2024

Time

7:30 am
Category