Which factor is NOT included in the assessment of defensive driving skills?

In the context of defensive driving, the focus is primarily on skills and strategies that a driver uses to anticipate potential hazards and to react appropriately to ensure safety on the road. Vision accuracy, knowledge of personal limits, and judgment in crisis situations are all essential components of defensive driving.

Vision accuracy relates to how well a driver can perceive their environment, which is critical for recognizing potential dangers and making timely decisions. Knowledge of personal limits involves understanding one's own capabilities, such as reaction time and driving skills, which helps a driver make safer choices regarding speed and maneuvers. Judgment in crisis situations is crucial, as it pertains to how a driver assesses and responds to unexpected events, determining whether to brake, steer, or take other actions to avoid accidents.

Presence of distractions, while certainly relevant to driving safety, is more about external factors that can impair focus rather than a direct assessment of a driver's defensive driving skills. Distractions may affect a driver’s ability to perform those skills effectively, but they do not themselves serve as a skill that can be assessed independently within the framework of defensive driving techniques. Therefore, this factor is not included in the core assessment of defensive driving skills.