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Feeling confident behind the wheel is important for both novice drivers who have just completed drivers ed and seasoned drivers as well. I’ve seen a tremendous variation in the confidence of drivers on the road and thought it was worth a bit of discussion. We will discuss the importance of confidence while driving and a few items that can help build that confidence.
First off, confidence in any action makes a tremendous difference in how well that action is performed. Making a decision, such as when to make a lane change, needs to take into account the surrounding conditions and then executed in a crisp manner. How often have you seen a driver take a very long time for a lane change, make it halfway through, straddle two lanes for a while, and then pull back into their original lane? This is a great example of the lack of confidence, which wasn’t taught properly at their driving school, and has never been corrected.
In the above situation, for example, the root cause of the problem is the driver did not have the right set of techniques for performing a lane change. Any type of maneuver on the road requires technical skills as well as an awareness of the surroundings. Some drivers ed programs teach these techniques, but many do not. The following are some suggestions that can be used in order to increase confidence on the road:
1) Pick a great driving school if you’re learning to drive or get some personal driving lessons if you feel your confidence is low. A good, modern driving school provides all of these techniques as part of their driving lessons.
2) Mirrors should be setup correctly such that blind spots disappear. A clear field of view will be available with the combination of your three mirrors when they are correctly setup.
3) Imagine a “bubble” of space around your car that you manage which provides you with room to maneuver. You can maintain a bubble by varying your lane position (ie, where you are within your current lane) and your speed.
4) Proper brake use is extremely important and remember to properly use ABS (i.e., no pumping). Practice using your brakes and be aware how long it takes to slow your car from various speeds. Taking a supplementary class can help with car control skills.
5) High aim vision is critical and when used properly will go a long ways toward keeping you out of trouble. Don’t fixate on the car directly in front and use your vision to see what’s happening far ahead.
6) Know the rules of the road, such as slower vehicles keep to the right, proper right of way, etc. These should be periodically reviewed to keep them fresh and raise awareness of new traffic engineering mechanisms such as roundabouts.
7) Get rid of distractions, the most visible today is DWT (Driving While Texting). Be aware that there are a wide range of distractions including any action that takes attention away from your driving.
By increasing awareness of the above items, your confidence as a driver will naturally increase. And the results of increased confidence are a safer ride and more enjoyable commutes.
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