Arizona Made The Top 5. And That's Not A Good Thing

Attention prospective Arizona defensive driving students. Here's a list Arizona drivers shouldn't be proud to make. According to the latest statistics available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2005 data), Arizona ranked 5th on the list of highest pedestrian fatality rates.

A quick look at the stats will point out that 157 pedestrians were killed in Arizona traffic accidents, securing the state's position as the 5th worst state for pedestrians to walk around in.

While those words may seem harsh, we believe that even one pedestrian fatality is too many. With 2.64 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people, Arizona drivers need to pay more attention to the road.

While some pedestrian fatalities might not seem preventable, a defensive driving program in Arizona will reinforce correct road rules and overall behavior on the road. That, we believe, can help eliminate pedestrian fatalities.

If you've already committed a traffic violation in Arizona, you're going to need to take an Arizona defensive driving course to correct your driving error, learn from your mistakes and dismiss that ticket. If you haven't committed a traffic violation and are reading this article because you're the curious sort, you might still want to consider taking an online defensive driving course in Arizona.

We know what you're thinking. Why should I take a defensive driving course if I haven't received a ticket or committed any traffic violation?

The answer is simple. Online defensive driving programs in Arizona are packed with useful information that any driver will find useful. The information you'd find in a defensive driving course will help keep drivers and pedestrians safe and hopefully help save lives.

Here are a few helpful rules that you can apply right away to help avoid hitting a pedestrian and contributing to the 2007 statistics.

Stop At That Red Light

You don't need an Arizona defensive driving course to tell you this. When you see a red light up ahead, slow down and stop before the crosswalk. It's only common sense. So why do so many drivers forget that rule when attempting to make a right turn on a red light? When you see a red light ahead, slow down and come to complete stop before the crosswalk -- even if you're only making a right turn. Pedestrians could be crossing up ahead and if you fail to slow down and stop, you could very well hit someone.

Don't Be In Such A Hurry

If you speed, you might lose control of your vehicle. And if that happens, you could end up off the road and onto the sidewalk. While such an incident could send you to an Arizona defensive driving class, it could also send a pedestrian to the hospital or even to the grave.

Let's Lower Our Rank

Smart driving starts with you. For the safety of everyone in Arizona -- pedestrians and drivers - be careful behind the wheel. If you've forgotten some of the rules of the road that we mentioned in this article, take a defensive driving course and avoid getting a traffic ticket. Let's do everything we can to reduce pedestrian fatalities to zero for 2007.