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Massachusetts driving lesson · Safe Driving Practices

Defensive Driving & Driver Assistance

A 3-minute lesson from the Massachusetts course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Safe Driving Practices
Checkpoint questions
4
Source pages
41, 49, 54, 127

Even experienced drivers make mistakes, and you'll face equipment failures, bad weather, unskilled drivers and people who ignore the law. Defensive driving means expecting trouble and leaving yourself room to avoid it.

Know the rule

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death of children and young adults in America, and about one in three Americans will be injured or killed in one. No matter how good a driver you are, you can't predict when a crash might happen.

Handbook p. 41 ↗

To drive defensively:

  • Keep good vision in front of and around your vehicle
  • Stay alert and prepared for the unexpected
  • Keep space around you to change lanes suddenly; know who's beside and behind you
  • Drive at the right speed and know when to slow down and stop
  • Always wear your safety belt, and keep your vehicle in good working order
  • Don't drive if you've been drinking, are on medication, or are very tired
Handbook p. 49 ↗

Scan and anticipate:

  • Look ahead and around you, and check your mirrors often
  • Watch for vehicles stopping and people getting in or out of parked vehicles
  • Watch for back-up lights on vehicles ahead of you
  • Expect mistakes from other drivers
  • At crosswalks, don't rely on signals: drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians may ignore them
  • Take extra care near playgrounds, schoolyards and shopping centers, where children may be hidden
Handbook p. 49 ↗
1 in 5

Individuals of driving age who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, so never assume others can hear you, especially in crosswalks and parking lots

Handbook p. 49 ↗

Know the rule

Right-of-way is something you give. A big part of driving defensively is giving the right-of-way to prevent unsafe traffic situations.

Handbook p. 49 ↗

Know the rule

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) make driving safer only if used correctly. Learn your vehicle's systems before using them, starting with the owner's manual. The driver is still the most important safety feature in the car.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
About 40%

Share of highway crashes that involve drivers under 25; most are caused by inexperience

Handbook p. 127 ↗

To become a good driver:

  • Give driving your full attention
  • Drive defensively and keep your eyes on the road ahead
  • Practice highway driving, night driving and driving in different weather
  • Know how to handle emergencies such as skidding or a tire blowout
  • Know, understand and obey the rules of the road
Handbook p. 127 ↗

Put it into practice

Driving past a row of parked cars, you notice back-up lights on an SUV ahead. Expect it to pull out: ease off the gas, cover the brake and be ready to stop, even though you have the right-of-way.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

What is a common cause of dangerous distraction the handbook warns against inside the vehicle?
  1. Adjusting your seat before starting the trip
  2. Checking your mirrors regularly
  3. Looking away at a passenger or object
  4. Signaling before a turn

Answer: Looking away at a passenger or object

Even a split-second glance away from the road can be dangerous.

Handbook p. 49 ↗
According to the handbook, about how many individuals of driving age are Deaf or Hard of Hearing?
  1. One out of every ten
  2. One out of every five
  3. One out of every twenty
  4. One out of every three

Answer: One out of every five

One out of every five individuals of driving age is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, so don't assume others can hear you.

Handbook p. 49 ↗
About what share of highway crashes involve drivers under 25 years old?
  1. About 10 percent
  2. About 25 percent
  3. About 60 percent
  4. About 40 percent

Answer: About 40 percent

About 40 percent of highway crashes involve drivers under 25, mostly because of inexperience.

Handbook p. 127 ↗
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are the most important safety feature in your car.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

ADAS can make driving safer if used correctly, but the driver is still the most important safety feature.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
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