Driver Behaviour and Attitude

This must be something that has been hard-wired into our minds from a very young age to say, it does not matter.

Where to start?

Start by looking at you. Start by thinking about how you can be a better driver or make changes to set that example. But there is much more that can be done from that point onwards. You make the start and the rest will follow, We have stated before in our social media handles, drivers are like sheep, they follow each other. You park on a double white line to nip into the shop to get your morning paper, others will also.

Improving and maintaining good attitudes and behaviours towards driving are key components to making our roads safer.

Driving safely and road safety should be at the front of our minds. But it is not and this must change and it must change for each driver out there driving. Every single driver needs to assume personal responsibility for their role in road safety. By being aware of our driving behaviour, we can work on improving attitudes, which will, in turn, have a positive change in all the drivers on our roads. We believe there is a positive attitude in the community to want change.

For example. We know fact, that if communities work together then attitudes behaviours and road safety can change. But we must and need to work together. This is a shared responsibility between local communities, businesses and governments that can help pull this together.

Why should I drive in a good way? Because nobody else does!  Why should I not go over the speed limit? Because everybody else does! Why should I drive like I was taught to? Because my dad drives like a race driver!

It is the same thoughts that learners have regarding the driving test. I want to pass as quickly and cheaply as possible. My dad only had 10 hours.

Let’s look at this in a little detail – How long ago did Dad pass his test, 20 years ago? There was then a driving test that was less in time duration, so less time for things to go wrong, the routes were shorter so less distance travelled so less to go wrong, there was no use of Sat Nav, there was no following road signs or independent driving as you were told all the way which way to go, you were not asked to operate controls as you were driving unless it rained and you had to put the wipers on, there was also million less other road users who have only got their destination on their mind and you are in their way and they are trying to get round you, push you to hurry up and move out of their way or they will cut you up, pull out in front of you. So the test has become harder, although I feel still could be harder. Yet people learning to drive, seem to think they know it all and they can do it all, but failed a test with 1 serious fault and a few driver faults. Then we rebook, to fit the waiting lists, we book lessons to fix where the driver went wrong and improve over areas, then the learner driver says, I do not want lessons, I will just go in for the test. What!!! You do not want to learn from the points it went wrong? You do not want to improve your standard? You do not want to practice so you have a better chance of passing next time? You would rather not learn, not have time to keep up your knowledge and skill and risk crashing my car when you out there on your next test!!!

We can see here, from the view of a driving instructor with learners, attitude to driving is very poor from the start. Yes, the above are things that happen, not by every learner, but a lot. We need to change this attitude from the start, so if we change our behaviour and attitude to driving, your children when coming to driving age, will take more time to be better and learn to be safer and have a better presence on the roads keeping them safe drivers.

Here are some good behaviour traits and attitudes to adopt when driving. 

• Respect for others, do not tailgate other cars, allow cars to merge in front of you, and when people make, a mistake do not react to it.
• Awareness, use your mirrors more, always be aware of where other cars are concerning your vehicle, and keep on scanning the road ahead for possible hazards.
• Share the road, and allow room for cyclists, pedestrians, and tractors.
• Never take driving for granted, the conditions on the roads change quickly from one moment to the next, even if you drive down the same road every day, be alert for new hazards.
• Adopt the right attitude, think to yourself “I can make a difference in road safety by being a responsible driver” and keep doing it every day, think of the good cause it is for. 
• Drive to the conditions, not the posted speed limits, if wet slow down even more.
• Do not park badly, do not block a driveway, leave room for ambulance or fire engines to get past, and do not block the pavements so blind people, parents with prams or the disabled cannot get around without having to walk in the road.
• Reverse Park in bays, so you have a better view when it is time to drive away.
• Park away from schools and walk a little distance keeping traffic away from school entrances.
• If you see a broken down vehicle, slow down, move over, and allow the recovery or towing teams to do their jobs safely. 
• Follow the information signs, such as lane closed signs, warning signs and information signs. 
• Plan long journeys, be prepared by knowing where you’re going and how long it will take to get there, allowing time for delays.
  
  These are just a few steps that will make you that better driver, have that better behaviour and attitude, that will eventually have others following, but it is a long long journey for everyone to see it and copy. So do not do it for a day, or a week then give up, keep it up for a lifetime, it will take a long time for everyone to see you doing it.What are the goals?
  Better attitude and behaviour ourselves is the start of improving safety on the roads and reducing the stats of people who are killed on the road network. If we all work on drivers’ attitudes and behaviours then the roads would be much better and safer places for us all. But we are in this together. Take the lead, and set the examples for others to follow suit. Let us make our country’s roads the best in the world.
  Preparing for a breakdown
   
  However much you prepare, there’s always a chance that your car might leave you stranded. So it’s important to have a Drive Zimbabwe Roadside Assistance membership and be fully prepared for a breakdown: With so many different policies on the market, knowing which best suits your needs can be difficult. Of course, nobody can make this decision for you, but there are several factors you should consider when choosing a breakdown membership.  Drive Zimbabwe Roadside Assistance provides a unique, comprehensive and competitively-priced emergency roadside assistance, towing and recovery service with seven levels of membership packages to suit all your needs and pockets. Call us or WhatsApp at 0780 579 261/0718 084 297 / 0736 523 424 Office+2638677160725