The phrase “defensive driving” can be unintentionally confusing. Defensive brings to mind aggressive and reactive behaviors, high tensions, hot tempers, and the “come at me, bro” vibe, but defensive driving is the opposite of that. Defensive driving is calmly paying attention to your environment and proactively making decisions to protect yourself and those around you. While every driver can benefit from defensive driving, it is especially important for drivers with their CDL.
Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are generally much larger
than traditional vehicles, which means they have the potential to cause much
more damage. CMVs also take much more time to maneuver and stop because of
their increased size and weights, which means that reckless driving ahead of
them may be difficult to avoid. According to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, CDL drivers average 70,000-100,000 miles per year, while
regular drivers average 13,500 miles per year—that’s 567% more than regular drivers!
The sheer amount of time behind the wheel puts a CMV driver at greater risk of
causing or being involved in an accident.
The first step of defensive driving is always completing a pre-driving inspection that determines if you are emotionally and physically okay to drive and if your equipment is okay to drive. After that, there are five main tips for commercial defensive driving.
1. Never tailgate or crowd the vehicle in front of you.
a. The rule of thumb is to give yourself 6 seconds to stop or leave one car length per 10mph you’re traveling between you and the person in front of you.
2. Constant vigilance!
a. Check your mirrors every 4 seconds and scan the roads ahead of you to check for threats and hazards.
3. Slow your roll!
a. Regardless of the posted speed limit, slow down, especially on hills and around curves and turns.
4. Be prepared.
a. Plan your route out ahead of time to ensure that you can avoid busy or dangerous roads.
b. Always assume that everyone else on the road has no idea what they’re doing and isn’t paying attention.
5. Never drive impaired or distracted.
a. Only drive when you are completely sober and not distracted.
b. Emotional drivers can be as dangerous as drunk drivers.
c. Put the phone down and only use hands free communication methods.
Due to the dangers of driving a CMV, many employers may require
you to take a DOT certified course on defensive driving specifically for CDL
drivers. A defensive driving certificate is also a great way to stand out to
future employers We offer that course for only $29 (available here)!
Like all our courses the Defensive Driving for Commercial Drivers course is
self-paced and designed with industry experts and professional educators to
ensure that what you learn in the course sticks with you long after you finish
the training.
