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Understanding Driving Errors: Ensuring Safety on the Roads

PERCEPTION AND RISK MANAGEMENT: Driving Error Resulting in Danger to Self and to Other RoadUsers

Driving Errors: Safe Driving Practices and Risk Management

Good drivers always self-assess, evaluate their abilities, limitations and strengths, and learn from their mistakes. Making errors is a part of human nature, and being courteous should be a basic human instinct.

If the driver makes a mistake, own up to it, learn from it, and avoid repeating it; this helps them become a safe driver. If the driver makes a mistake, own up to it, learn from it, and avoid repeating it. The more attentive a driver is on the road, the fewer chances of making a mistake.

Overtaking a vehicle

Overtaking is hazardous because it may bring you into the path of other vehicles. It is a complex manoeuvre in which you need to consider the primary hazard of the vehicle(s) you want to overtake and several secondary hazards as the primary hazard moves amongst them. It requires you to negotiate dynamic hazards (moving vehicles) as well as fixed ones (road layout).

The hazards of overtaking:

  1. Around 1 in 20 of all car occupants killed in a crash are killed when the car is overtaking.
  2. Many overtaking deaths are due to head-on collisions on rural roads.
  3. The risk of death in a head-on collision at 60mph is 90%.

Not Checking Blind Spot

Failure to check your blind spot can lead to collisions. Blind spots should be checked periodically while driving, especially when taking off from a parked position, changing lanes, or when motorcycles or other smaller vehicles are near.

You can adjust your car's mirrors to create a panoramic view of the road behind you to check for your blind spots. However, turning to look behind you is a good driving habit and the most reliable way of knowing whether there is an object in your blind spot. When turning your head to check your blind spot, turn your head in the direction you wish to travel and look towards the back of the side window, essentially over your left or right shoulder, but no more than 45 degrees. Turning too far could be dangerous because your eyes are not focused on what is happening in front of your vehicle. If traffic comes to a sudden stop, you may rear-end the car in front of you.

Not Using Turn Signals

According to a study by The Society of Automotive Engineers, turn signal neglect in the United States causes about two million crashes yearly. Using your turn signal is more than a courtesy; it alerts other drivers to your intentions on the road. As a warning sign, a turn signal alerts other motorists that you are slowing down, making a turn or changing lanes.

Following too closely

According to Highway Traffic Act section 158, the driver of a motor vehicle or streetcar shall not follow another vehicle or streetcar more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the vehicle's speed, the traffic on the highway, and the conditions of the road.

https://www.ontariotraffictickets.com/traffic-tickets/following-too-closely/

 

Following too closely increases the likelihood that a driver will rear-end the vehicle in front of them. There is one best way to avoid tailgating and the many accidents that it causes. Car accident attorneys and safety organizations state that drivers must travel with an adequate distance between their vehicle and the one in front of them. Studies indicate that it takes drivers at least two seconds to react to something on the road before them.

Effective responses to these hazards include:
  • Always check blind spots before changing lanes or merging into traffic.
  • Use turn signals to indicate when turning or changing lanes, and ensure they work correctly.
  • Keep a safe distance between the vehicle in front and allow enough space for sudden stops or turns.
  • Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and report any signs of impaired driving by others.
  • Observe the speed limit and adjust driving speed according to road conditions, weather, and traffic.

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