Yesterday, a black pick-up truck cruised down one of the roads in San Tan Valley. He was going fast… too fast. And it soon became apparent why. Following close on his heels were 6 police cars. Yep, San Tan Valley may have experienced its very first high speed chase last night.

Reports of the incident have not been posted yet. But it doesn’t appear as though any other cars or drivers were affected by the chase. That’s pretty lucky when you consider the narrower streets of San Tan Valley. It caused us to think about how important it is to be a defensive driver.

When you have car insurance, it makes you feel a little bit more comfortable about getting out on the road. But the very best car insurance is the kind you never have to use. Unfortunately, it’s not just you that needs to be careful. All around you, other people are putting you at risk. Surely you know how to drive defensively, but below are some tips to refresh your memory and keep you safe.

1)      Be aware of your surroundings. It’s easy to get lost in a daydream or become so captivated by the radio that you almost forget you’re driving. Be sure to pay attention. Look in your rearview mirror every couple of seconds. Look at the cars on either side of you. Pay attention to the road and always know who’s around you, how fast their approaching, and where your easiest “escape” is.

2)      Let the crazy drivers go around you. We all suffer from a little bit of road rage. When someone comes up close behind you, trying to make you move, you might be tempted to stay where you are. It serves them right after all. But is it worth risking your life and the life of your passengers to “teach that other guy a lesson?”

3)      Keep a safe distance. How often do you see near misses from a blind spot being overlooked? If you ever notice yourself driving in a blind spot, back up a little bit. Stay a few seconds behind the driver in front of you. That way they can see you. And when it comes to distance, remember this: rear ending someone is nearly always your fault, even if they stop suddenly. So keep some space between you and the person ahead of you.

4)      Proceed when you’re comfortable. When pulling out of parking lots or crossing traffic, some drivers try to be generous and let you go. But more often than not, you’re dealing with multiple lanes of traffic and the generous driver may not see everyone. Don’t feel like you have to go because they’re waving you on. Proceed when you feel ready.

Defensive driving doesn’t sound fun. Why should you have to worry about what other drivers are doing? But let’s put it this way, best case scenario, you get in an accident and your rates go up. Worst case scenario, you get in an accident and someone loses their life. We guarantee you the man in the black truck yesterday did not have your life on his mind, and he presented a real danger to everyone around him.

At Arizona Capital Insurance, we’re not just here to get you the best insurance policies in Arizona, we’re here to keep you protected. We’d love to chauffeur you all around and keep you all safe, but that part is up to you.