From grimoire
Coaches defensive driving techniques (scanning, space cushion, IPDE) to reduce crash risk. Useful for driver coaching, self-assessment, or safety curriculum.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/grimoire:apply-defensive-driving-principlesThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Reduce crash risk by anticipating hazards, maintaining space cushions, and making decisions before situations become emergencies.
Reduce crash risk by anticipating hazards, maintaining space cushions, and making decisions before situations become emergencies.
Adopted by: NSF International defensive driving programs, AAA Driver Improvement Programs (1M+ participants/year), Smith System fleet safety (Fortune 500 fleets, UPS, Coca-Cola), NHTSA Driver Education programs
Impact: Defensive driving training reduces crash frequency by 20–50% (AAA Foundation); Smith System-trained fleets report 30–75% reduction in collision frequency; employer-mandated programs lower fleet insurance costs 15–30%
Why best: Over 90% of crashes involve human error; defensive driving addresses perception-reaction gap (average 1.5 seconds) by building proactive scanning and decision-making habits that override reactive instincts
Sources: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety "Distracted Driving" research (2022); Smith System "5 Keys to Space Cushion Driving"; NHTSA "Driver Education Model Curriculum"
Aim high in steering — Focus eyes 12–15 seconds ahead (not just immediately in front of the hood); at 60 mph that is roughly 1,000 feet; this extends reaction time from 1.5 to 4–5 seconds.
Get the big picture — Scan the full driving environment: mirrors every 5–8 seconds, intersections before entering, pedestrian zones, parked car doors; identify the 2–3 highest-risk elements in the scene.
Keep eyes moving — Avoid fixating; shift gaze every 2 seconds across near, mid, and far zones; fixation is the leading cause of failure to detect hazards.
Leave yourself an out — Maintain a following distance of at least 3–4 seconds (add 1 second per adverse condition: rain, night, fatigue, cargo); identify an escape route before it is needed.
Make sure they see you — Use headlights in low-visibility conditions, position vehicle where it is visible (avoid blind spots), use horn preventively not reactively, make eye contact at intersections.
Manage speed for conditions — Drive at a speed where you can stop within your visible stopping distance; reduce speed 10–15 mph in rain, 30–40% in snow/ice regardless of posted limits.
Handle intersections with IPDE — Identify: scan all quadrants 100 ft before reaching the intersection. Predict: identify potential conflicts. Decide: choose safest action. Execute: proceed with controlled, deliberate movement.
Minimize distractions — Set GPS before moving, phone on Do Not Disturb while driving, adjust mirrors and climate before departure; each 2-second visual distraction doubles crash risk (NHTSA).
Manage fatigue — Stop every 2 hours or 100 miles on long trips; recognize warning signs (lane drift, missing exits, heavy eyelids); do not drive within 3 hours of <6 hours sleep.
Adjust for adverse conditions — In rain: increase following distance to 6–8 seconds; in fog: use low beams, reduce speed to sight distance; in construction zones: match traffic flow, scan for workers.
npx claudepluginhub jeffreytse/grimoire --plugin grimoireAssembles or audits a vehicle emergency kit for roadside safety and breakdown preparedness, following AAA, FEMA, and NHTSA guidelines.
Trains defensive situational awareness, threat assessment, and de-escalation using the Cooper color code, OODA loop, body language reading, and grounding techniques. Use in unfamiliar or potentially hostile environments.
Forces a deliberate verification pass when an answer arrives too easily on high-stakes or unfamiliar tasks, preventing premature commitment to plausible but incorrect answers.