Tips for driving safely and avoiding accidents
We're currently seeing more cars on the road than ever after our driving habits changed during the pandemic. Not only are people choosing to drive instead of using public transport, they're also buying new cars. This change in traffic comes as no surprise, as travellers are opting for a road trip staycation instead of a holiday abroad.
With this rise in motoring comes an unfortunate rise in road accidents as more people get behind the wheel, which is why it's important for safety to be at the forefront of your mind when driving.
In this guide, we'll be exploring road safety, including tips on driving more carefully to avoid road accidents and looking at the myths that surround safety on the road.
How to improve road safety
In order to be better drivers, we first need to understand what could cause accidents and general safety issues on the road. Any number of contributing factors can lead to a collision; sometimes they're unavoidable and the result of pure bad luck, but often they are down to poor driving habits. Here are some of the more common causes of accidents:
Speeding
Excessive speeding is a contributory factor in many serious accidents. Although you may think it's harmless to speed up when you're in a hurry, it can be the difference between a life and death situation.
Driving carefully and ensuring you're following legal speed limits is one of the most crucial steps in keeping yourself and others safe on the road and avoiding potentially fatal road accidents.
Distractions
Using a phone when driving means you're much more likely to be involved in an accident, due to the distraction from the road ahead. However, using your phone is not the only distraction you’ll face. Keeping your children or pets secure and busy in the back of the car is just as important.
Being under the influence
Many motorists are convicted of drink-driving related offences every year, and it carries quite a hefty penalty. You could face up to 6-months in prison, a minimum 12-month driving ban, an unlimited fine and a criminal record. So it’s safe to say, driving under the influence is never a good idea.
Fatigue
Tiredness can seriously affect your concentration, taking it away from the road and potential hazards that come with it. Quite simply, if you’re driving for a prolonged period of time and start to feel tired, it's imperative that you pull over in a safe space and take a break until you feel ready to drive again.
Road Safety Myths
So, those are some of the most pertinent road safety tips. But there are still plenty more that can be done to heighten awareness and educate ourselves on why road accidents happen. And thanks to Dr Hole’s expert insight and analysis on the psychology of driving, we can begin to debunk some of the myths surrounding road safety.
Are hands-free mobile phones safe?
These days, most cars are set up with connected mobile technology, allowing you to talk with friends, family members or colleagues without taking your hands off the wheel. However, Dr Hole says it is the mental distraction of holding a conversation that reduces our ability to concentrate on the road:
“The biggest myth is that the technological systems being introduced into modern vehicles are safe,” he says. “Many drivers mistakenly believe that ‘hand-held’ phones are dangerous, but ‘hands-free’ phones are safe. Twenty years of research shows clearly that hands-free phones are just as dangerous as hand-held ones – because the primary problem is that phone conversations are a serious distraction from the act of driving.”
Are old drivers likely to cause road accidents?
Some elderly motorists are chastised for what others perceive to be driving too slowly or without an awareness of what’s around them. But Dr Hole insists these are unfair characterisations, with little basis in fact:
“Another myth is the idea that all elderly drivers are dangerous and that their problems are primarily due to their poor eyesight. The evidence simply does not support either of these assertions,” he says.
“Most elderly drivers are actually very safe: chronological age per se is no guide to driving competence, and it would be unproductive (and highly unfair) to compulsorily re-test drivers purely on the basis of their age. With age comes an increasing risk of ill-health, and it is actually a minority of unhealthy drivers, who also happen to be elderly, who are at greater risk of an accident. They give their age group an unjustly bad reputation.”
What about road safety for cyclists and motorcyclists?
Of the 1,752 casualties on Great Britain’s roads in 2019, 436 were those on bicycles or motorbikes – that’s almost a quarter. Along with pedestrians, they are classed as the most vulnerable road users and Dr Hole explains it is not simply a matter of not being able to see them – more that we don’t expect to see them:
“One myth is the notion that drivers pull out in front of motorcyclists and cyclists at junctions because the small size of two-wheelers makes them hard to see. Size has nothing to do with these kinds of accidents. At the close distances at which collisions typically occur, the motorcyclist or cyclist casts a large image on the offending driver’s retina, way above any sensory thresholds,” he says.
“Lots of research shows convincingly that the real reason why drivers pull out in front of two-wheelers is because they are not expecting to see them: their search patterns are optimised for detecting larger vehicles because these are encountered much more frequently on our roads. As the psychologist Richard Gregory once said, ‘We not only believe what we see, we see what we believe.’”
Help to improve your road safety with Evans Halshaw
Hopefully, we’ve been able to bust some of the myths around road safety and why road accidents happen. As well as offering expert insight, we’re here to help in any way we can and if something does happen to you out there on the roads, we offer a range of additional services – including accident aftercare.
We can also provide bodyshop repairs, a comprehensive vehicle health check and access to parts – not to mention servicing and MOTs from our specialist team.
The key is for you to remain safe when behind the wheel, so remember to buckle up and take care whenever you’re heading out and about.
