Quick answer: Defensive driving means expecting other road users to make mistakes and leaving yourself time and space to react: keep a safe following distance, scan ahead, stay within the limit and avoid distractions.
Defensive driving habits
- Keep at least a three-second following distance, more in rain.
- Scan mirrors every few seconds and watch for taxis stopping suddenly.
- Put your phone away.
- Slow down at intersections even on green.
- Never drive tired or after drinking.
- At night, lock doors and keep windows closed. See hijacking prevention.
How to parallel park, step by step
- Signal and stop alongside the car in front of the space, about half a metre away, with your rear bumpers level.
- Reverse slowly until your rear wheels are level with that car’s rear bumper.
- Turn the steering wheel fully towards the kerb and reverse slowly.
- When your car is at about 45 degrees, straighten the wheels and keep reversing.
- When your front bumper clears the other car’s rear, turn the wheel fully away from the kerb.
- Straighten up, then move forward or back to centre the car in the space.
Know your score
Trackers with driver-behaviour reports show harsh braking, speeding and cornering, so you can see where to improve. See driver monitoring.
