Safe driving means the defense never rests

Constant commitment, vigilance can help reduce preventable accidents

Defensive driving takes constant commitment

Any athlete will tell you defense is all about commitment. The same is true on the road.

Defensive driving means being committed — committed to staying aware of other drivers and your surroundings, anticipating hazards, following the rules of the road, and taking the right action at the right time.

For the small-business owner, it means protecting people and property, and avoiding the increased costs and lost time that can cripple a company.

Driving defensively is all about avoiding preventable accidents, despite the way others are driving, or hazards on or near the road. Simply put, it means no surprises.

According to the National Safety Council, defensive driving should include:

• Knowing and observing all applicable traffic rules
• Constant attentiveness to other drivers and willingness to quickly adjust your own driving to avoid others' mistakes
• Knowing how to adjust your driving based on road and weather conditions, the condition of your vehicle, and your physical condition and state of mind
• Understanding right-of-way rules and being willing to yield to other drivers to avoid accidents
• Driving with confidence that you can avoid preventable accidents

As professional drivers, you and your employees can set an example for others. Consider three basic steps that can help you drive defensively and stay out of preventable accidents:

• See the hazard — Always be thinking about what can happen as early as possible. Never assume everything will be all right.
• Understand the defense — Certain situations require specific ways of driving. Become familiar with unusual conditions and learn how to drive in them.
• Act in time — Act as soon as you see a hazard and realize you know what to do. Never "wait and see."

Help is available

At Allstate, we want to not only provide the insurance coverage that helps protect your people and property, but to give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're backed by a team of Loss Control Consultants who understand your business and can help you prevent a loss before it happens.

That's why we've created the Allstate Safety Line at 800-877-6998, where Loss Control Consultants personally help small-business owners learn more about:

• Fleet and auto safety
• Accident investigations
• Self-inspection procedures
• Safety training
• Fire protection and safety
• Hazard control methods
• Safety and health rules and regulations that apply to your particular business
• Much more

Just call us anytime with your contact information and briefly describe your question or issue. If a trained Loss Control Specialist isn't immediately available, one will call you back by the end of the next business day.