Good Habits Beat Good Technology

I was taught to drive by my uncle. On our first day of driving practice, he showed up with a handwritten list of "things to never do" while driving. It covered all the common stuff: no texting, no driving under the influence, no speeding, and a few other rules he made sure I understood before I ever got behind the wheel.

Looking back, I'm grateful for the wisdom he passed on to me because after four years of driving, I haven't had any accidents or gotten a single ticket. "Knock on wood", as my uncle says every time I mention that. Although I'm still not exactly sure what knocking on wood actually does or how it's supposed to help.

While those lessons were extremely valuable, I think they were focused more on the distractions his generation experienced than the ones mine does. As a 20-year-old, I've realized there are a few modern distractions that probably weren't even on his radar when he first learned to drive...technology.

For the most part, technology has made driving safer. Cars have more safety features than ever before, and some people even believe self-driving cars will eventually make our roads the safest they've ever been. Maybe that's true. But I also think some of today's technology has created new distractions that many young drivers don't even realize are distractions.

The first example is AirPods.

For those of us around my age, AirPods are basically attached to us. We wear them walking to class, working out, eating dinner, talking on the phone, or watching videos. They're such a normal part of everyday life that sometimes we forget they're even in our ears.

There have been plenty of times I've had to remind myself, or my friends, to take our AirPods out before driving. I've also looked over at stoplights and seen other drivers wearing them. Even if they aren't listening to loud music, they're still blocking out sounds that could alert them to danger, like sirens, horns, or another driver trying to get their attention.

Personally, I have developed a simple four-step routine before I start my car:

It's become second nature, and it helps me start every drive focused instead of distracted.

Another example is GPS.

Don't get me wrong, I love GPS. But I had to learn the hard way that it should be a tool, not a crutch.

During my first six months of driving, I used GPS for everything. Going to work. A friend's house. Chipotle. Places I had already been several times.

Eventually, I realized I wasn't actually learning how to get anywhere. I was depending on a screen instead of learning roads, landmarks, and directions. I also caught myself constantly glancing at the map instead of watching traffic. More than once, GPS told me to turn at the last second, and I found myself making rushed or unsafe turns because I wasn't paying enough attention to the road ahead.

After that, I made a commitment to stop using GPS for places I already knew. Now I only use it when I'm going somewhere unfamiliar. It forces me to pay more attention to my surroundings instead of staring at a screen.

My final example and my uncle would definitely be happy to hear me say this, is backup cameras.

When he was teaching me to drive, he constantly said, "Don't rely on backup cameras. Not every car has them."

Don't tell him I said this...but he was right.

I see people my age back up almost entirely by looking at the screen. Some even depend on the warning sensors to tell them if someone or something is behind them. The problem is that technology isn't perfect. Cameras can get dirty, sensors can miss things, and they don't replace actually looking over your shoulder.

Personally, I drive a 2006 Hyundai, so I'm pretty used to driving the old-fashioned way. I still turn around, check my mirrors, and look over both shoulders before backing up. The camera is a helpful tool, but it shouldn't replace paying attention.

To help reduce distracted driving caused by technology, I think every new driver should first learn the old way. Learn to drive using your eyes, your ears, and your instincts. Once those habits become automatic, then start adding technology to help—not replace—good driving.

Wow...I guess I'm starting to sound a lot like my uncle.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.