1998 Pontiac Sunfire Owner's Manual - Page 170

Defensive driving really means "be ready for anything." On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it m'eans "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 for their mistakes. 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 bothcity and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distractsfiom the driving task -- such as concentratingon a cellular telephone call, reading, or reaching for somethingon the floor -- makes proper defensive drivingmore difficult and can even cause a collision, wt resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help ih do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place do to them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life, Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can giveabout driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your Pontiac: Buckle up. (See "Safety Belts" in the Index.)