Don’t Drive Like Nobody Is Watching

Think about why driving a car is no different than operating any other type of machinery. Yet people operate vehicles with a passiveness that they would never operate any other powerful machine with, even though both run the same risks. The only time people approach driving with a cautious nature is when they must do so to pass their driver’s test. Those who have already taken the test know that every decision from where they gazed to how long they paused at a stop sign was under scrutiny, so they made sure to adjust their driving accordingly. In general, people are more conscious of each decision they make when they know someone is scrutinizing their choices or lack thereof.

If the sense of being monitored results in a more deliberate compliance with traffic laws, how can we use this to ensure safer driving? We could make driver’s tests longer than just a 30 minute period. Why not have the person scoring the driver observe their driving more than just one time before passing them? This could be done over the course of a week; this way the effects of varying factors such as the driver’s level of alertness, weather conditions, and traffic could be observed and used to further educate the driver about the extensive factors that augment driving risks. The effect of extending periods of observation is that drivers start with consciously implementing safe driving skills and then gradually habitualize these skills.

Furthermore, to obtain certification in any field, upkeep is required, which is typically ensured through re-examination processes. Take EMT’s who must renew their certification every two years. This renewal requires re-education as well as being re-tested. So why not apply this concept to driving? Only those who have already had their licenses revoked on account of reckless driving have to retake a driver’s ed course. Herein lies a serious flaw: there are no preventative measures in the system. We take preventative measures in other areas of our life, such as healthcare. Why the preventative approach as opposed to reactive? Because it is harder to undo the existing effects of something than it is to keep them from existing in the first place. Knowing that driving can have direct consequences on our health because one wrong choice一be it driving under the influence, cutting off another driver, or not wearing your seatbelt一can have lifelong physical and mental effects, let’s approach driving the same way we approach other health factors. Let’s not forget these treatments are almost never a one time thing. We do them repeatedly, just like we retest those certified in any area repeatedly, as mentioned previously. This is why mandating a re-education course and examination on a yearly basis for all licensed drivers suggests that drivers would be more likely to maintain attentiveness while driving, and hopefully make a habit of safety practices.

Regardless of how educated you are, or how much training you have, driving always involves risks. Because it requires active engagement, we should all still do our best to drive as if someone were grading the decisions we make.