1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass Owner's Manual - Page 148

Defensive driving really means "be ready anything." for On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means "always expect the unexpected." Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready their mistakes. for Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It's the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. never You of know when the vehicle in front you is going to brake 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 telephone call, reading, or reaching something on for the floor-- makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting or injury. Ask a passenger help do things like this, to pull off the road in a safe placedo them yourself. to 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 Oldsmobile: Buckle up. (See "Safety Belts" in the Index.) 4-2