Nobody is perfect. This is a simple fact of life. However, on the road, we need to strive to be as better drivers as possible in order to minimize the risk to our lives and to those around us. With this said, let’s talk about the most important signs that will tell you that you need to improve your driving techniques.
1) Making Common Preparation Errors
Usually, we all forget some basic things from time to time. But if you see yourself making these mistakes often then it’s time to make a change.
- Disregarding turn signals
- Crossing lanes while you are turning
- Not putting your seat belt on
- Speeding up when you see a yellow light
- Driving slowly while passing
- Stopping suddenly with no warning to others
2) Not Adjusting Your Mirrors Properly
What most drivers do wrongly is adjusted their mirrors so that they can see the edge of their vehicle. This is not a good thing because the edges of your car are already visible to you from the rear-view mirror. What you should do is sit at the steering wheel and set the mirror on the driver-side window as such so that you can only see the edge of your car. While it isn’t possible to eliminate all blind spots in a car, this will greatly help you to focus on what is important in your surrounding while driving.
Also, experts recommend that you glance at the mirror every few seconds in order to always keep a good sense of what is around you while you are driving in the car.
3) Your Eyes are Constantly Focused on One Thing on the Road
A huge problem that can happen on the road is target fixation. What people usually do is look in front of them while driving and keep their sight focused on that target. This happens a lot in everyday life. This wouldn’t be such a problem if it didn’t happen on the road where the target is almost always another car. You will get closer and closer to the vehicle in front of you without even realizing it until it’s too late.
The best way to avoid this from happening is by practicing checking your rear-view mirrors passively and moving your focus along from one car to the other while driving.
4) You Don’t Leave Enough Space in between You and the Car in Front of You
What we tend to do is to pass people who leave a good amount of space between them and the car in front of them. This is a bad tendency. You should always leave a good distance between you and the car in front of you. It isn’t only because of safety (although that is the main point), but you will also be saving your brakes since you won’t have to use them nearly as often.
5) You Have a Lot of Distractions While Driving
People tend to multitask while driving in order to get as many things done and out of the way. This can, however, influence how you drive and lead you to possibly get into road accidents. Not to mention that police officers are becoming stricter with the fines and punishments they give to people caught texting (or overall looking at their phone) and driving. This can range from getting a small fine to getting your license revoked. So, don’t risk your life for a few seconds of efficiency and keep your eyes on the road.
On the other hand, factors like kids, friends, and radios can also negatively influence your concentration. Keep the child entertained or quiet so you can focus on the road ahead. Friends who are in the car with you should not distract you while driving. We all want to talk from time to time, but there is always a time and place for everything. The radio should be playing random songs and not in a very loud setting so that you can be entertained but not overly distracted.
6) You Lack an Advanced Driving Course
When you feel that you are a good driver but lack that final leap forward, you should enroll in an advanced driving course. A lot of things can change from the moment you got your license, you could have easily developed bad habits since then and you haven’t even noticed them. This is why taking an advanced driving course can really help you correct these mistakes. For example, driving schools in Sydney are known for their great driving teachers and offer top-tier services.
7) You Don’t Know Your Own Car’s Safety Features
A big sign that you need to improve your driving is that aren’t aware of your own vehicle’s safety features and their limitations. The problem with this is that you could easily be in a potential accident tomorrow if you are approaching a dangerous situation and do not know how to react or react the incorrect way. For example, an anti-brake system won’t be of much use to you if you plan to use it just to shorten braking distances. Another factor is knowing the limitations of rear-view cameras. They aren’t omnipotent. You can’t see in a 360° view and it would be foolish to think you can. Knowing the limitations of your car and its functions is vital to always knowing how to proceed in every situation.
These would be the 7 most important signs that you need to follow in order to become a better driver. Hopefully, after reading this, you will start seeing improvements in your daily driving routine. Till next time!
