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Accidents are caused by people – not by ‘other people’!
It's rare that drivers who are involved in an accident totally blameless.
You should always be on your guard and alert to the actions of others. In this course you have already gained an appreciation of the potential dangers on the road.
By taking heed of the advice and information given, the dangers will remain potential rather than becoming actual threats to life and limb.
Who crashes?
Common reasons for accidents include:
- excessive speed for the conditions
- failure to allow a sufficient safety space
- not understanding the needs of others
- drinking and driving
- drugs (prescribed and illegal) and driving
- tiredness at the wheel
By spending a little time considering the points above and how they might relate to you, you will increase your chances of living to a ripe old age.
Practical examples
By allowing a little more time for your journey or calling ahead to say that you will be late, you can avoid the excessive speed and risk-taking that kills so many people.
By leaving space around your vehicle and letting others overtake if they wish to, you will be more relaxed and safer at the wheel. For example, when driving on the M25 you might have 50,000 cars ahead of you and 50,000 cars behind at any one time; a couple of extra cars in front won’t affect your journey very much.
Learn to understand the needs of other road users.
Children often dash out without thinking, elderly pedestrians may be deaf or partially sighted and not hear or see you, elderly drivers might need more time to react, drivers of large vehicles need more time and space than car drivers, cyclists have wind and weather to cope with.
Idiots should be avoided, not confronted.
A good driver’s list will keep growing …
Drinking and driving? Dead Easy!
One of the quickest ways to kill yourself and your friends is to drink and drive. It's funny how we feel invincible when we take a drink ... But other people look stupid when they drink.
Drinking alcohol slows down your reactions (think of slurred speech), and along with drugs and tiredness it warps perception. The only safe rule is don’t drive after drinking, taking medication (or illegal drugs) or when you are tired.
If you must drive after taking medication, seek advice first (from a doctor or chemist) and take the utmost care.
The picture shows a car that was hit head on by a drunk driver - the innocent, sober driver of this car was killed...
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