Sept 2009: Defensive driving is probably the best way to ensure the safety of you as the driver, your passengers and your vehicle. Defensive driving describes the skill of being able to operate a motor vehicle in such a way that reduces the chance of being involved in an accident. The basic idea is simple - It involves being aware of, and taking various steps to avoid, all the potential hazards when you travel on the roads.

1) Be Prepared

This is one of the most important skills of defensive driving. If you're constantly prepared for every situation that may develop while on the road, your chances of returning home safely will be much greater.

Before you begin any journey, make sure that your vehicle is properly prepared. Check the tyre pressure and the water, oil and gas levels. Make sure that all the lights and mirrors are working properly. And finally, don't leave home without carrying a medical kit, basic tools such as a jack, spare bulbs and all the relevant documentation.

2) Be Seen

One of the best ways to improve your safety on the road is to make sure that other motorists see your car. If they're aware of your vehicle and the space it occupies on the road, they're less likely to collide with you.

Statistics show that most motorists only see 10 percent of cars that are on the roads around them. That means they see only one car in ten. Or more worryingly, they don't see nine cars out of ten.

So to make sure other drivers see you, make full use of your lights. Of course it goes without saying that you should always use your headlights when it gets dark, but advanced drivers say that you should use your headlights at ALL times unless driving in full sunlight.

3) Create Space

The third principle of defensive driving is to create space between your vehicle and other motorists. This gives you extra leeway to avoid a collision with other road users if something unexpected happens.

For example, don't follow too closely behind other vehicles. If they have to stop suddenly and you're too close you're more likely to hit their vehicle. So back off, use the three second rule. Whatever speed you're doing, make sure that the vehicle in front of you is always three seconds ahead. As a rough guide, choose a roadside reference point and start counting when the vehicle in front passes it. If you pass the same point within three seconds, you're too close and need to back off. During bad weather conditions this gap should be extended to five seconds to account for the longer stopping distances.

Keep away from packs, especially on the highway. When you see before you a pack of vehicles clustered together, slow down and build some distance behind them. When you see vehicles smashed onto each other in a chain reaction, you know this is the unhappy consequence of moving in a pack.

And finally, when on the road, use your common sense. For example, avoid getting too close to any vehicle that looks poorly maintained or has signs of accident damage. These are subtle clues that the owner of the vehicle is not a defensive driver and is a potential danger.

4) Remain Calm

Another important aspect of defensive driving is to avoid road rage, both in you and other motorists. Try to remain calm at all times and don't react to the anger of other people that you encounter while on the roads. Your ability to remain calm and rational is directly linked to your ability to put the principles of defensive driving into practice and stay safe. If you lose your temper when behind the wheel, your safety is immediately in jeopardy.