Isn't everyone you know a good driver? Nobody admits to being a bad driver. They always blame someone or something else for their mistakes - "it was the other drivers fault", "it was the car", "it was really bad weather,"...
Fact: nearly all road traffic accidents are caused, to some degree, by the driver.
Learning to drive is a medium to long-term process. Successfully passing the driving test is the minimum standard required to drive solo on the road. Every day will bring new learning experiences, probably right up until the day you hang up the keys; experiences that you may not have come across during the lessons whilst learning to drive.
The majority of people will have a few scares and near misses once they start driving alone; some will have accidents of varying degrees and far too many have serious accidents or even lose their lives whilst driving. The perfect driver doesn't exist. There are far too many factors and variables on today's busy roads for a person to reach "perfection." There is always something new to learn, even for the driver who has been on the road for years.
So what is the most important attribute a driver can develop to keep the motor vehicle a safe means of transport? The answer is attitude. Along with driver skills (learned & developed during training), driver attitude will go a long way in determining how you act behind the wheel. The following five areas can influence driver attitude:
- Responsibility
- Concentration
- Anticipation
- Patience
- Confidence
Together, these qualities make up driver attitude and ultimately, driver behaviour. Let's have a look at these qualities briefly and see how they can affect attitude.
Responsibility: Are you fit to drive? The safety of yourself, your passengers and other road users rests in your hands when in charge of a vehicle - are you feeling tired, feeling ill, taken medicine or have been drinking alcohol recently? Is your journey necessary, particularly in bad weather?You should also take in to account the specific needs of your passengers regarding seatbelts and child car seats or any disability issues they may have - all your responsibility as the driver.
Concentration: Any kind of driving, even for short journeys, requires a high level of concentration. On today's busy roads, even the slightest attention lapse can result in mistakes that can lead to accidents. If you do have to drive while tired, ill or stressed give yourself more time to react to what is going on around you. Remember never to make or answer calls on mobile phones, even when using a hands-free device. You can also be distracted by listening to loud music, eating or drinking, adjusting a navigation device on the move or even in conversation with passengers.
Anticipation: Along with planning and hazard awareness, anticipation is one of the most important skills a driver can use. You should be constantly trying to second-guess the actions of other road users, be prepared to act on what you see and plan accordingly. Always plan for the worst!
Patience: Road rage & bad manners are sadly becoming a part of normal daily driving. I know people who have passed the driving test, only to have a bad experience with another driver and be too scared to get back in to the car. You can't control what another driver does or how they act; try to ignore the behaviour of inconsiderate drivers. You can show by the way you conduct yourself on the road that you are a patient driver and try to show tolerance for the mistakes of others.
Confidence: The more you drive, the more confident as a driver you will become. In the initial stages of learning to drive, a person's confidence grows as they develop the skill of controlling a vehicle. This continues as more complex tasks are introduced, including hazard perception, anticipation and planning until the learner becomes more independent. However, a lot of drivers after passing the practical test become over-confident; this can often lead to careless driving - and a change in attitude to others!
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