Experience and Knowledge- Two Key Traits Every Driver Should Have

Having knowledge of the road and its laws gives the driver an idea of what the expectation should be when cruising around. If a driver, whether novice or experienced, has this knowledge, it can gear the mind to being aware and make it privy to important indicators to look for in the surrounding area. A crucial skill for drivers to have is the ability to constantly scan the road and notice potential hazards far before coming into close contact with them. Noting abnormal obstacles on the road can save lives. Instead of harshly breaking, the driver can identify the irregularity and make the proper measures to slow down with caution. With these cautionary actions, other drivers behind can also gradually slow, which could potentially prevent a crash. It is also important to know what different signs and markings mean. There is often difficulty and confusion when driving in an area with one way streets. Sometimes, drivers tend to make the wrong turns, get in the wrong lane, or even go the wrong way. This lack of knowledge can cause collisions, so in addition to scanning the road constantly, a driver should also be aware of how to deal with uncommon driving situations. If crashes are prevented, lives will be less at risk and the number of deaths that result from driving can be reduced.

Drivers should strive to seek ways to gain more experience to decrease the number of foolish mistakes made on the road and to decrease the number of deaths associated with driving. To gain more experience, it could help to enroll in defensive driving courses, drive with the guidance of a more experienced driver in the passenger seat, or become intimately familiar with other driving situations even if those situations will not be immediately applicable to the driver. It is always better to learn something and not need to use it, rather than not having that information in a situation where it is needed. More experience and more knowledge will increase the driver’s ability to make smart decisions on the road and will put them in a position of heightened awareness. No one knows it all, so if a driver can find ways to learn more information about how to drive safely, it will benefit many around them. Not only will the driver be better, but so will other drivers and pedestrians that share the road with them. Knowing how to deal with many different situations that could appear while driving will certainly reduce the number of deaths related to driving.

With the new technology that we can get our hands on, it becomes more difficult to stay focused on the road while driving. I have noticed many friends and family become distracted by their phones. Whether it be a text message, a notification, or a call, their eyes are drawn away from the road. Even if it is just for a split subject, the lack of awareness can cause a collision.

As a passenger, I can help others become safer while driving by being the co-pilot and also the DJ. I can do the things that would be distracting to the driver, such as setting the GPS, switching the music, or even answering text messages on their behalf. As a passenger, I can also function as a second pair of eyes that are also scanning the road for potential hazards. Sometimes the driver is not able to look everywhere at once and can miss things. If the driver is not making unsafe decisions, often other drivers are. It is helpful to spot unsafe decisions other drivers are making because measures can be taken to prevent an accident. Every automobile should be equipped with a horn that can alert the other driver of a potential collision if they do not seem aware of it themselves. We are very fortunate as drivers to not be on the lookout by ourselves, there are other observers and drivers there to help prevent accidents.

As a driver, I can be better by listening to advice of more experienced drivers. I believe a safe driver is one that is calm and capable of recognizing road conditions that are not the safest and taking corrective actions to be safe. Something I learned recently that should make sense, but has never occurred to me until now is that a driver does not necessarily have to match the speed limit. Sometimes, it is safer to go way slower than the posted speed. I am now looking at the road conditions to determine a speed that would be safe. If the weather or the structural condition of the road does not allow for a smooth and safe drive, then I have learned to go slower. This knowledge and the continued knowledge that other drivers and I strive to have will lead to less accidents and hopefully, fewer deaths.