CONGRATULATIONS ON PASSING YOUR DRIVING TEST.
By doing so you have proved that you are capable of being a safe and competent driver. But are you capable of maintaining and improving on that standard? Well, of course you are capable - the trick is that you have to want to.
When you were having driving lessons I have no doubt that you witnessed many examples of dreadful driving. I’ll bet that people drove behind you at a ridiculously close and dangerous distance; that you were overtaken where it was unsafe to do so and at speeds way in excess of the limit, and maybe, drivers honked their horn at you in rebuke when you were driving too slow for their liking or you had stalled the engine. Do you want to be that kind of driver? I would certainly hope not. So, what do you have to do? Well, the first thing is that you must resolve to continue to drive in the way you have been taught which is the way you drove when you passed your test. That can’t be too difficult to do can it? Take a look at the information below which I hope will help you decide that you want to be (and will continue to be) a good and safe and driver.
SOME POINTS FOR THOUGHT
- Your priority when driving MUST BE to look after your own safety, the safety of your passengers and the safety of other road users.
- It is an established fact that most drivers, particularly males, believe that their driving is better than average. Clearly, they can’t all be right!
- No matter how good at driving one is, we all have bad days behind the wheel and we all make mistakes. I am certainly no exception. However, the good driver will make a mental note of a mistake and will strive not to repeat it in the future. The bad driver simply won’t care about it.
- The most common cause of collision arises from driving too closely to the vehicle in front. Remember the 2 second rule.
- The vast majority of so called accidents are not accidents at all: they are caused by bad driving.
ROAD DEATHS
According to the latest official statistics an average of 7 people are killed every day on the roads of the United Kingdom. The numbers of deaths have steadily reduced over the years but it remains to be an horrific statistic. Think about it: 49 people die every week. If, tomorrow, there were to be a rail crash or terrorist attack, that resulted in the deaths of 50 people, there would, quite rightly, be a national outcry. And yet, for some reason, it seems that our society more or less ignores the fact that equivalent numbers are killed on the roads every single week. This seems rather perverse.
So what can we do about it? Well, many people have been trying to answer that for many years. But the fact is that each and every driver can do something about it by taking the steps below.
THE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY AND REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF DEATHS ON OUR ROADS
- Drive to the rules of the Highway Code.
- Keep within the speed limits.
- Always apply full concentration to your driving. Don’t drive if you are tired or feeling sleepy.
- Don’t do anything, whilst driving, that is likely to distract you such as smoking, eating, drinking or using a mobile telephone (which is illegal).
- Always be considerate to other road users. Remember that we all make mistakes, including you.
- Don’t set out to drive if you are emotionally upset or angry. Wait until you have calmed down.
- Constantly strive to improve the standard of your driving. Consider joining one of the advanced motoring organisations such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists or the RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders Association.
AND FINALLY: MY TOP TIP
Wherever possible try to maintain a good amount of space around your vehicle. That is to the front, to the rear and to the sides. The more space you have around you, the more time you will have to react to something and the less will be the chance of you having a collision.