Main Page for Defensive Driving 2

Witnesses described the car as travelling at "tremendous speed" ~ 4 MPH (6.4 km/h). The driver had apparently modified the engine to allow the car to go faster. The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death" after an inquest lasting some six hours.

The coroner said: "This must never happen again." ‘

Over a hundred years later, the cars are travelling much faster and road traffic accidents are claiming 500,000 lives a year and causing 15 million injuries. The Red Cross says road accidents will soon overtake war, TB and HIV as one of the world's biggest killers.

Driving is a skill for life and many of our Service activities involve driving. To this end a presentation by PC John Budulis on Defensive Driving was given on 28^th September 2004. About 40 devotees from our Centre attended this second presentation by John Budulis. John works for Leicestershire Police and has over 30 years of traffic experience. He presented a talk on personal safety, the do's & don'ts of safety when driving. The talk was well received and John has left us some booklets to hand out to those devotees who couldn't attend the presentation. These will be available from the Information Desk.

The main aim was to raise awareness of hazards of driving on the roads today. The number of people who attended and the positive feedback received particularly encouraged us to try and organise another event in the new year. We hope that devotees will take up this opportunity to maintain and improve their driving skill - a skill for life.

Main message from the presentation is summarised in the table below.

	Do	Don’t
	ALWAYS wear a seatbelt when driving or travelling as a passenger	DON'T leave valuables in a parked car
	ALWAYS plan your route in advance and take an up-to-date map with you	DON'T put valuables on the passenger seat whilst driving
	DO tell someone where you are going or leave them a note. If your plans change, let them know	DON'T leave your driving licence, insurance details or registration document in your car
	DO carry a mobile phone, with a fully charged battery	NEVER leave your car unlocked
	ALWAYS check your fuel before you leave. Carry spare fuel in an approved safety container	NEVER leave the ignition key in a parked car, even for a short time
	DO have your car serviced regularly. Check oil, tyres, coolant, battery, washer fluid and lights weekly and before a long journey	DON'T park in poorly lit side streets or areas in which you feel unsafe
	DO join a national breakdown organisation and keep the details easily to hand	NEVER leave children alone in your car
	ALWAYS call for assistance immediately if you break down	AVOID argument or confrontation if you are involved in an accident or other incident
	DO keep doors locked and windows closed as much as possible whilst driving	NEVER pick up hitchhikers or allow a stranger into your car
	ALWAYS park in a safe, well lit place and remember where you left your car	NEVER get into a car with a stranger or try to hitch a lift
	ALWAYS lock your car and keep your keys safe. Have them ready when you return to your car	NEVER allow the vehicle to get low on fuel - fill up as soon as the gauge drops below the half way mark
	DO keep an emergency kit in the boot of your car	NEVER put a child into a second-hand seat or one which has been involved in a collision or violent stop
	ALWAYS ensure children are secured in the correct seat/seatbelt for their age	NEVER place a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat where an active air bag is fitted
	ALWAYS ensure that the child seat is secured according to the manufacturer's instructions