Driving Habits and Foundations

A unique feature of humans is that we are born dependent on others to learn everything necessary for survival. While reflexes and inborn senses provide us information about the world, knowledge must come from outside sources, often in formal and informal ways. As a teenager, I remember being thrilled about the freedom that a driver’s license offered and, at the same time, burdened with the responsibility of operating a vehicle.

Learning to drive and operate a vehicle occurs in formal and informal settings; however, bad habits can become ingrained early. Establishing safe driving habits and providing a solid foundation of knowledge for the rules of the road is one of the essential elements of driver education. As a child, I may informally learned that certain routines are performed when entering a vehicle: buckle the seat belt, check mirrors, turn around before backing up. However, this informal education does not inform the reason behind these routines, a gap filled by driver education. With the formal education element, I learn the science and reasons behind seemingly routine actions: fastening a seat belt can be a life-saving measure in a motor vehicle accident, checking mirrors ensure I have the best range of vision while driving, turning around before backing up allows for a double-check at the blind spot in the rear of the vehicle. The same goes for rules of the road; a child may be able to inform their parents that ‘green means go, red means stop,’ but it is the driver education that teaches to adjust your speed according to nearby cars on the road, the length of road between the yellow light and your vehicle, and how to ensure safe stopping distance.

Information, a foundation of education and good habits, and addressing new technology can reduce the number of driving deaths. Distracted driving campaigns address in part the element of technology; establishing a habit of turning phone screens off while driving or putting your phone in a focused mode can aid in limiting distraction. These measures need to be built on a foundation of education and good habits; modeling putting phones away or having passengers utilize phones only if necessary can begin early in childhood to build a solid informal foundation instead of developing unsafe practices.

While I have been in a few minor car accidents throughout my time driving, thankfully, none of them resulted in severe injury, and during all of them, I was following proper traffic rules. While I was not at fault for any of the accidents, all of them still could have been avoided if others had used safe driving habits and not engaged in distracted driving. I have witnessed friends and family members driving irresponsibly, and each time I pointed out the danger as well as offered my assistance. Suppose a driver needs to employ the use of a phone to access turn-by-turn directions to arrive at their destination. In that case, I, as a passenger, can hold the phone and warn of upcoming turns instead of the driver trying to split attention between a phone and keeping their eyes on the road. Similarly, if I am a passenger and the driver is not following safe driving habits by speeding, I can offer to check our drive time or inform our destination we may be running last instead of exceeding the speed limit. While ultimately, I am not responsible for the driving decisions of others, it is my duty as a friend and family member to promote safe driving habits every time I am in a vehicle.

Promoting safe driving habits every time I am in a vehicle and ensuring I model safe driving habits has become even more important to me since my children have reached an age where they notice my driving habits as well. Modeling calm driving, ignoring distractions, asking for help when needed, and following all the rules of the road has become the norm while driving. In this way, I am not only creating a safer driving experience for myself and others in the car, but I am also aiding in the informal education and foundation of safe driving habits from a young age. Additionally, I can hold conversations with my friends and family, gently encouraging safe driving habits such as following posted speed limits and putting cell phones away. While my reach may not be extensive, these tiny changes I make can inspire others to make small, safe changes, changing attitudes and habits surrounding driving to make community roads safer for everyone.