Safe Driving (And Flying!) Starts in Your Mind

As a pilot in training, I am accustomed to hearing about and analyzing the hazardous attitudes that are all too often the culprit of fatal aviation accidents. Pilots are taught to recognize and correct attitudes that lead to unsafe decisions. As such, it is important to note how few fatal plane crashes occur in comparison to car crashes. As of 2021, data found that just one major aviation crash occurred for every 7.7 million flights, whereas the possibility of dying in a car crash was 1 to 107 (Lesser). Flying and driving are inherently different, and to equate the comparative safety of flying over driving to the habits and skills of pilots would be a vast oversimplification. There are various reasons why air travel sees far fewer accidents than ground travel, however, recognizing pilots’ thought processes that are continually cited as reasons for aviation accidents can breed informed and alert drivers, making our roadways safer.

The Federal Aviation Administration cites five hazardous attitudes: impulsivity, macho, resignation, invulnerability, and anti-authority. Impulsivity describes the tendency to take quick, non-calculated actions without analyzing the alternative options and consequences. For a pilot, this may look like acting on instinct instead of taking the time to use checklists and think through the situation. For a driver, this may look like making an abrupt merge on the highway after realizing you were about to miss your exit. Sudden, impulsive reactions while driving can create unsafe situations for oneself and other drivers. To combat the dangers of impulsivity, drivers should take time to be aware of road conditions and the vehicles around them. Missing an exit will have far fewer long-term consequences than potentially injuring or causing the death of another driver. Macho is the hazardous attitude that describes pilots who are overconfident in their abilities, and thus take unnecessary risks. A pilot displaying a macho attitude may decide to go through with a flight despite being warned of strong crosswinds or other risky conditions because he or she want to prove their capabilities. This behavior can be seen on the road with drivers who take unnecessary risks such as making a left turn while a car is quickly approaching instead of waiting for the vehicle to pass. Drunk drivers also display a macho attitude as they often fail to recognize that their intoxicated driving is dangerous and unacceptable. Many believe that because they are “good drivers,” they will be fine driving drunk. For the safety of oneself and others, one must humbly accept that they are not fit to drive while intoxicated. Resignation is the attitude of pilots who feel helpless over their situation and thus do not take corrective action to improve the situation. A driver may exhibit this attitude in extreme circumstances such as slipping on ice or losing control of the vehicle and driving head-on towards a tree. Resignation is being complacent to one’s fate and feeling no sense of positive control. It is important for both pilots and drivers to maintain a level of confidence that propels them to take control in tense situations. Invulnerability is the dangerous attitude displayed by drivers and pilots alike who say, “It won’t happen to me.” Whether it be driving intoxicated, or flying in hazardous weather conditions, or operating a car or plane that you know is not safe for travel, it is easy to believe that you are immune to the negative, and often disastrous consequences of these actions. However, no one is immune to the consequences of dangerous decisions. It can happen to you. Similar to invulnerability is the attitude of anti-authority, the tendency to act as if the rules do not apply to you. For pilots, this may mean neglecting the use of checklists or not complying with instruction from air traffic control. Many drivers display an anti-authority attitude by disregarding the rules of the road. It is incredibly common to witness drivers vastly exceeding the speed limit, or texting while driving. These behaviors become habitual for drivers because, more often than not, they will not be caught. However, that does not change the fact that, regardless of how many times someone has gotten away with it before, one instance of texting while driving could be fatal. The rules are in place for a reason.

The five hazardous attitudes identified by the FAA can be used in driving education to reduce car accidents and increase safety on the road. If drivers are aware of these common mindsets that often lead to fatal consequences, they will be able to identify them in their own driving and correct as necessary. Recognizing these attitudes is an important step in preventing them. By being aware of how your mindset impacts your actions, you will be a more cognizant and alert driver which, in turn, will increase the likelihood of you making safe decisions on the road.

I have been highly fortunate to have lived nineteen years without finding myself in a car accident. This is luck that I hope will continue, however, I make a point of monitoring my own mental state while on the road to prevent a driving error on my accord. We cannot control the actions of other drivers, but by being aware of how impulsivity, macho, resignation, invulnerability, and anti-authority affect our decision-making on the road, we will be equipped to make the best possible driving decisions. Both in the sky and on the road, our mental state and the decisions we make because of it are most frequently the key factor in determining the safety of a travel situation.