TeamEven the most composed drivers cannot control what happens around them, from aggressive drivers to extreme weather conditions and mechanical malfunctions. Such hazards may imperil your safety and passengers if you are not well prepared to take care of them. Once you start driving, you have to maintain your sanity by handling fatigue and other anxieties caused by road rage. Hence the need to attend a defensive driving class. So let us go through some of the primary benefits of taking a defensive driving class which include:
- Insurance Discounts
- Safe Driving
- Improved driving skills
Top Reasons why you should take up a Driving Course
A defensive driving class can be completed online in a short period, after which you will be more knowledgeable on how to handle hazards and emergencies when driving and some of the laws you should observe. Here are some of the primary benefits of enrolling in a defensive driving class.
Car Insurance Discounts
Taking up a defensive driving class automatically qualifies you for a 10% car insurance discount. In states such as Pennsylvania, authorities make it mandatory for insurance companies to offer discounts to drivers who have completed their defensive driving course. Such discounts are a good way to save up on your insurance premiums, especially if you are a parent with a teen driver included in your policy. This also makes defensive driving more desirable to those looking to lower their insurance bills.
Prevent Fines
Enrolling in a defensive driving class can help you erase driving violation records which lowers the risk of losing your license. Losing your license is quite costly since you will have to incur the costs of hailing a cab and meeting other transport needs. Moreover, some fines may be heavy enough to cause financial burden to you and your family. You may also risk losing your driving license in some states.
Some employers may include a driving license as part of a job requirement, and thus you may lose out on such opportunities if you do not take up a defensive driving class. Moreover, you will be saving more on car repairs which may cost a fortune.
Learn Safe Driving Techniques
As a driver, you will always come across road hazards. Interpreting these hazards helps you keep safe on the road. Therefore taking a defensive driving course helps you learn how to anticipate and react to such hazards and stay off potential threats on the road. Such techniques are essential in preventing accidents that could be prevented.
Refresh your Knowledge in Driving
Are you aware that the majority of the accidents occur at intersections or that overtaking another vehicle at 100b feet of a bridge or railway increases the risk of causing an accident? Such information may sometimes slip the mind of an old driver, and thus you may need to be reminded of such from time to time. Additionally, several new traffic laws have been passed that you may not know about. Therefore taking a refresher course helps refresh your knowledge of the existing laws and the new ones.
Enhance your Driving Skills
Both experienced and new drivers have room for improvement for better safety outcomes. Driving with limited traffic regulation and general road knowledge is risky to you, your passengers and other road users. Therefore expanding your knowledge on safe road usage helps prevent accidents. Having more knowledge on safe driving also broadens your scope of reasoning when driving. You will be able to make rational decisions and find the necessary solutions without being confused. Sometimes when driving we bow to the tension and pressure from other drivers and road users and we may end up making avoidable mistakes.
Create an Escape Plan
When faced with a challenging situation on the road, you have to think on your toes. You have to come up with a safe escape plan that does not endanger you or other road users. For example, you can decide to switch lanes instead of swerving. After enrolling in a class, these are useful road usage skills you will learn about. Once you learn these defensive techniques, you will have better decision-making skills on the road.
Final Take
Defensive driving courses are comprehensive, covering a wide range of safe driving techniques and how to react during emergencies. Having such valuable information is essential to being a careful driver. It is quite impossible to control what happens on the road. But at least we can mitigate some situations by taking up such classes. Car accidents are devastating emotionally, physically and financially.
