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.
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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