defensive driving

American

[dih-fen-siv drahy-ving] / dɪˈfɛn sɪv ˈdraɪ vɪŋ /

noun

the practice of using driving strategies that minimize risk and help avoid accidents, as by predicting hazards on the road (often used attributively).

Get an insurance discount by taking a defensive driving course.

Etymology

Origin of defensive driving

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Verstappen's defensive driving was seen against Norris in Austin.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2024

However, Perez has won praise for his defensive driving to keep rivals off Verstappen’s back, especially when he held up Lewis Hamilton before Verstappen took his first title in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2024

During the six-month academy, rookie officers get 912 hours of training in areas such as firing weapons, defensive driving and de-escalation techniques.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2024

That same year, he started teaching his sons’ friends defensive driving skills, which soon led him to become the founder of B.R.A.K.E.S.

From Washington Post • Feb. 21, 2023

Getting in and out is an exercise in evasive not to mention defensive driving.

From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Schwartau, Winn

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023