The roads can be a dangerous place and no matter what type of driver we are, most of us like to believe that we’re doing all we can to make our journeys as safe as possible for everyone around us.
However, for many of us, driving is part of a daily routine that can soon feel like second nature, and our good intentions become subsumed by distractions and bad habits. To moderate your driving skills first requires knowing yourself, and that means taking an objective look at the instinctive reactions that define you as a person and as a driver.
Maybe you consider yourself to be a consummate professional behind the wheel — to the extent that you have every right to take control of your lane and the environment around you. If your response to being stuck behind a slow-crawling Sunday driver is to ‘encourage’ them by maneuvering bumper to bumper. And if you find yourself regularly drowning out the car stereo with your vocal impeachment of other drivers, then regardless of your technical skill you may be something of a road safety liability.
A good driver doesn’t just manage their vehicle, but themselves, leaving a good amount of time to travel from A to B so as not to risk the kind of stress levels that can make to bad decision making.
At the opposite end of the scale, maybe you consider yourself no danger at all because you rarely approach the speed limit and overtaking is something other people do. Well, driving too slowly can also be dangerous – and illegal – and if you’re a timid driver whose confidence could do with a boost, it is advisable to take a refresher course.
Can you do better?
If you’re not sure quite how to evaluate what type of driver you are, check out this new flowchart which flags up a few warning signs as to which elements of your game could do with some attention – and what steps you can take to do so. The best way to make the roads safer for everyone, is to start with yourself.
Infographic provided by Varooma.
