Unit 8: Law, Courts, and Procedure

Law Enforcement Operations: Defensive Driving

The following are a summary of topics related to police/law enforcement operations that will be helpful throughout the application process.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

Driving a motor vehicle is something all of us do, probably every day. As a law enforcement officer, you will spend a large part of your career driving a cruiser. We tend to think of a car as a means of transportation, which it is. But, stop and think of this for a moment - a .44 magnum revolver with a 240-grain bullet develops about 1440 feet pounds of energy at a muzzle velocity of about 1660 feet per second - certainly a DEADLY WEAPON!

Now, consider an average automobile weighing about 3500 pounds traveling down a street at 60 mph (88 feet per second). It develops 196, 875 feet pounds of energy. It, too, is a deadly weapon. Yet, we take the driving of a vehicle much more for granted than we do the firing of a weapon. More than twice as many people are killed in traffic crashes annually in the U. S. than are killed by criminals.

There are four basic factors involved in defensive driving. Two of them, you control directly. One, you control partially. The last, you have no control over. They are:

1. Driver attitude

2. Driver skill

3. Vehicle condition and capability

4. Driving conditions

Attitude. It is important when you get behind the wheel of a cruiser to remember that you are a professional driver and you must act like one. The things that can get you in trouble easiest are a) overconfidence; b) self-righteousness; c) impatience; and d) preoccupation.

Skill. Your skill as a driver is tested every minute of every day-you operate a vehicle. That skill can be divided into four basic areas:

1. Motor Skills

2. Understanding and using the forces at work in and on a vehicle

3. Experience

4. Physiological and mental factors which affect motor skills

Vehicle capability and condition. This is an area where you have only partial control. You generally cannot dictate to your department what make and model of cruiser to buy. This is usually determined by the process of competitive bids. The area where you have the most control over your vehicle is its mechanical condition. If you detect a worn or malfunctioning component, have it repaired. The last thing you need is for something as simple as a wiper blade to fail during an emergency run in the rain. Do not treat the “walk around” inspection of your vehicle as a routine matter.

Driving conditions. You probably have no control over driving conditions unless you can stop it from raining or snowing, or stop traffic. So, you have to live with driving conditions. Adverse driving conditions demand the absolute maximum in driving skills, experience, mental ability and vehicle performance. Reduce your speed as necessary when driving conditions become adverse. You are more likely to have an accident when on routine patrol than when on an emergency run. You can become hypnotized by the boredom of driving. When you get sleepy, stop! Get out of the car, and take a short walk.

What can you do as a DEFENSIVE DRIVER? Drive at reasonable speeds for the conditions.

You are no safer than the worst driver you meet. It’s not enough to obey the traffic laws and drive courteously, you must also watch for and avoid the other driver’s errors. Expect the worst from every driver and pedestrian you meet.

The smoother your driving movements, the better able you will be to control your vehicle.

Learn to drive ahead, on both sides, and behind your vehicle. Anticipate the actions of other drivers, and always leave yourself an escape route, or “space cushion.” And, just as you wouldn’t go on patrol without your ballistic vest, don’t go on patrol without fastening your seatbelt!

Most people believe if they encounter a problem, they can stop. However, the following factors enter into stopping a motor vehicle:

1. Perception of danger. This depends on the alertness of the driver and the ability to recognize dangerous situations. It requires good observation and vision, including peripheral vision and depth perception.

2. Decision time. The interval during which a driver, after spotting danger, makes a decision as to what action to take, is usually 3/4 of a second.

3. Reaction time. The time that elapses between decision time and when the driver places his/her foot on the brake pedal.

NOTE: All the while, the vehicle is traveling ahead at 44 feet per second for every 30 mph of vehicle speed.

4. Braking distance. Depends on the condition of the vehicle’s brakes and the road surface and conditions. Stopping distances quadruple as speed doubles.

This is why it is so dangerous to follow another vehicle too closely. Rather than the old fallacy of leaving one car length for each 10 mph of speed, you should leave at least two seconds of time between the time the vehicle ahead of you passes a fixed point and when you pass the same point.