The Civic Responsibility of Driving

The Civic Responsibility of Driving

Young drivers should see driving as a beginning of independence, not a potential end of life. Driver’s education is important in giving students the skills to stay safe behind the wheel and to recognize the responsibility that driving incurs. Learning rules of the road, how to avoid distractions, and how to make proper decisions are critical to staying safe. Understanding that optimal visual scanning enhances safety can help new drivers. Drivers education offers the soon-to-be driver an opportunity to gain knowledge that will enhance decision making when driving. Timely and proper decisions will reduce teen fatalities. Research shows that the vast number of vehicle crashes are tied to human error. Helping a new driver avoid errors directly impacts safety.

Continued education to emphasize that driving is meant to be safe transportation and not a method of entertainment is critical for new drivers to understand. Seeing driving as a responsibility and utility may not be a new driver’s first consideration but needs to be emphasized. Young adults can become distracted by emotions but driving requires vigilance, often diminished when emotions are elevated. Drivers education should help new drivers understand that when they take the driver seat, they should check all distractions, including emotional distraction. Driving should be seen as a civic duty to protect other roadway users as well as yourself. Teaching disciplined attention is an important part of helping new drivers understand that they should be making decisions about their driving environment by proactively scanning, predicting, deciding, and executing NOT reacting to unforeseen or unexpected situations. Being distracted when driving creates a need to react to a situation versus proactively decide and execute a driving situation. Keeping principles of safe driving at the forefront, will enhance safety. And communication is important when driving. Use of signals lets other drivers know your intent.

Driving with someone who is not attentive to the vehicle and roadway is scary. Failing to slow in approach of another vehicle, failing to change lanes in advance of an exit, or hesitating in a decision, all make for an uncomfortable ride as a passenger. But these same principles apply when we are the driver. Do not get overconfident thinking these same aggressive behaviors are okay if you are the driver. But likewise, being too hesitant can also lead to roadway risk. New drivers can overly focus on the speedometer and miss important information out the windshield. Simple and cheap technology like a digital heads up speedometer can be used to keep the eyes and head observing potential risks.

Steps can be taken to maintain safety when driving. Understand that driving is a civic responsibility to keep our roadways safe by proper behavior behind the wheel. Practice active disciplined attention, scanning and watching for threats so the driver is making driving decisions instead of reacting to situations. Always drive under full control of one’s mind and body…not overly emotional, tired, distracted, and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. And always communicate with the use of signals.