How Can we be Safer and more Cautious Drivers?

Thousands of deaths, hundreds of thousands of injuries and, many more simple accidents have all been attributed to distracted driving. Along with drunk driving, driving while sleepy, and driving aggressively these compose the majority of accidents on the roads.

When someone first gets their full license it can be a really exciting prospect! They are free to go wherever they like, whenever they like, and they can do it all on their own. They don’t need a guardian with them to give them a more experienced set of eyes.

However, don’t think this is the end of your tests. No no! You thought your last driving test was the one that the driving instructor gave you? That was simply the first test. The real tests happen every single time you get behind the wheel of a car.

Will you follow all the rules properly and get back home safe? Will you bend the rules a bit and get a ticket? Perhaps you might even break them completely and end up with a little more than you bargained for with a not so free trip in an ambulance to the nearest hospital.

You might even give someone else a not so free trip to the nearest hospital, along with a free trip for you to the nearest jail. Or, if you really get a bad grade on this test, someone might be sent on an all expenses paid eternal vacation to the morgue.

I know this may sound grim, but it’s simply the truth. Whenever you get behind the wheel you need to be willing and able to accept the responsibility that you are in a several tonne steel contraption hurtling along the road at speeds that can end someone’s life.

With all that being said, what are some ways people can try to be more careful and cautious when driving? What can each and every driver do to make sure they are doing the most to prevent a tragedy from occurring while they are behind the wheel?

Drowsy Driving

Everyone has heard of drunk driving. Or, perhaps the more technical term would be “driving under the influence.” However, many people don’t seem to understand the severity of driving while drowsy.

According to the CDC, drowsy driving can be just as bad, if not worse, than driving under the influence of alcohol. Even worse, it can make the effects of alcohol more pronounced. So, you might not be super tired, and you might not be super intoxicated, but together is a no go.

In general, not getting enough sleep is a huge problem. According to the CDC in fact, 1 out of every 3 adults does not get enough sleep. This can lead to problems focusing, emotional swings (think how grumpy you are in the mornings), and lowered cognitive function.

Just think about it, if you have a sucky day when you don’t sleep well just sitting around in class or doing some work at the office. You want to take that behind the wheel of a car? And no, coffee can’t make up for lost sleeping time. Best to adjust your schedule or take a nap.

Not only will sleeping more help you be a safer driver, but it will just help you in your life in general. I mean, think of the benefits! You can play EasyBet casino and know you have your whole head in the game! If that’s not reason enough to sleep more, I don’t know what is.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving falls into a couple of categories. There are visual distractions, there are cognitive distractions and there are manual distractions. The CDC explains each of the following rather well.

First, a visual distraction is anything that takes your eyes off the road. This is also probably the most common. This could be anything from an ornament hanging from your mirror that catches your eye, to the bright red sign along the side of the road.

Simply put, if there is something around you that is pulling your sight away from the road, try and move it out of your vision (while parked obviously). Also, just simply try to be aware of things distracting your vision and try to ignore them. The more aware you are, the better of.

Second, there are manual distractions. Manual distractions are not distractions from reading a manual. Instead, they are distractions that pull your hands off the wheel. This could be anything from adjusting the radio to scratching your back.

It’s important to always have both of your hands on the wheel. This allows you to react properly and safely to hazards that may appear on the road. So, best to pull over if you need anything. Believe, your safety is worth the slight delay it may cause.

Finally, there are cognitive distractions. Cognitive distractions are any distractions that don’t take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel but take your mind away from your driving.

This could be listening to music, or perhaps talking on a call via a hands free calling device. It’s important to note, talking on a cell phone makes you 4x more likely to get into an accident! Don’t think you are safe because your hands are on the wheel.

There may be 3 kinds of distractions well driving, but the truth is you are probably never doing just one of them. For instance, texting while driving is a visual, manual, and cognitive distraction all rolled up into one deadly package.

Either way, it is really important to keep in mind the things that can distract you while you are driving. Do your best to keep the distractions to a minimum, and if you know there is something that could distract you, make sure it isn’t able to.

If you are worried you might be tempted to text and drive, turn your phone off and put it out of reach from the driver’s seat. If you think the fuzzy dice hanging from your mirror could pull your vision, take them down.

Set up your heating/cooling and music before you set out. Eat your snacks before you start to drive, and don’t even think about shaving or doing your makeup in the car mirrors.

Road Rage

Road rage kills people. It’s a simple fact. Speeding, cutting people off, brake checking, and tailgating cause accidents. According to AAA, road rage plays a part in over 50% of accidents.

People don’t really think of road rage as something more than a, eh, how shall I say, not nice move. Flipping someone off or cutting them off in traffic is really petty, but not much more than that right?

Wrong. Getting angry impairs your judgment, and makes you reckless. Now put that angry and reckless person in front of the wheel and you have a bomb waiting to go off.

I would suggest if you are someone who is prone to anger issues, seek counseling or help to try and stay calm in tough situations. Try and read about such things and improve yourself.

Most importantly, before you head out onto the road, you should always remind yourself that everything is okay. At the end of the day, what happens happens, and getting mad about it only negatively impacts your own life and everyone around you.