“Don’t Worry, I Am a Very Good Driver”

“Don’t Worry, I Am a Very Good Driver”

“Don’t worry, I am a very good driver”

Those were the words exclaimed by one-quarter of youth motorists killed in road traffic accidents in 2012¹. In fact, 71 percent of young drivers, aged 17 to 25, believe that their skills are better than the average vehicle owner despite them being 2.5 times more likely to get into an accident¹. Overconfidence in drivers is not a new issue. The phenomenon was first introduced in the 1960s with the help of American and Swedish studies². These studies found that overconfident drivers tend to automatically assume they can handle all future driving situations if they have driven under similar circumstances in the past³. As a result, they can disregard caution and prudence in the face of poor weather, poor road conditions, and other hazards³. This effect creates symptoms such as speeding, aggressive driving, and not wearing seat belts³. It is precisely this belief in invincibility that makes overconfidence such a deadly killer for motorists. What’s new in this day and age is the challenge that overconfidence in drivers presents when more and more youth are getting their licenses younger and younger.

My journey behind the wheel of a motor vehicle is quite traditional. I got my learners at 14 and, in a short two years, would be cruising the edges of my city with a driver’s license in hand. As all of my friends got their licenses around the same time, we found ourselves exploring this unfamiliar mode of transport together. Soon enough, I observed a transition with my friends’ driving, where they went from driving rationally to driving with their ego. The symptoms of overconfidence started to emerge: two hands on the wheel became one, the maximum speed became the minimum, and passing became a game. It was a slippery slope, to say the least.

The first step to minimize this issue is recognition. We need to understand that overconfidence in drivers is a silent killer. One reason why this issue has been so hard to control in youth is due to the rampant effects of peer pressures. More emphasis needs to be placed on uncovering these root psychological causes in order to improve drivers ed on the issue. Teenagers should receive courses that teach them steps to identify the motivating factors of overconfidence.

It is important to note that I am not suggesting that confidence in driving is wrong, rather, that there needs to be a line drawn to separate healthy confident driving from its, often hidden, dangerous counterpart. Indeed, confident driving is a virtue as it helps drivers become more attentive to various road conditions and actions. Youths should be allowed and encouraged to believe that they are good drivers, however, they should avoid getting carried away with peer pressures. At the end of the day, we need to be humble in evaluating our skill level and be modest on the road if we want to curve down such a deadly killer.

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References (APA):

1. Overconfidence ‘an issue for young drivers’. (2014, April 28). Retrieved August 01, 2020, from https://gsi-insurance.com/overconfidence-an-issue-for-young-drivers/

2. Farmer, C. (2020, January 13). Studies show drivers are often overconfident. Retrieved August 01, 2020, from https://www.farmerclinecampbell.com/blog/2018/09/studies-show-drivers-are-often-overconfident.shtml

3. SAN FRANCISCO. (n.d.). Retrieved August 01, 2020, from https://www.hoganinjury.com/overconfidence-an-overlooked-cause-of-fatal-car-accidents