1998 Chevrolet Express Van Owner's Manual - Page 165

Defensive driving reallymeans "be ready for anything." On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means "always expect the unexpected." Assume that pedestriansor other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes.Anticipate what they might do. Be readyfor their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventableof accidents. Yet they are common.Allow enough following distance. It's thebest defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle front of you is going to brake in or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task -- such as concentrating on a cellular on telephone call, reading, reaching for something the or floor -- makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or off the road pull in a safe placeto do them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. (See "Safety Belts" in Index.) the 4-2