- Most motorists speed. They regularly exceed the posted speed limit and only come to their senses at the sight of law enforcement personnel by the road side or on a marked vehicle.
- Many motorists are oblivious to proper and safe driving protocol. Using anticipatory driving, using the turn signals as prescribed by most DMV's and exercising caution in the proximity of emergency or construction personnel is rare.
- Aggressive driving and occurrences of road rage are too frequent and often the cause of accidents.
- Distracted motorists are frequently noticed on our roadways performing all sorts of tasks ranging from the consumption of food, chatting on the cell phone, applying make-up and even texting.
- Quite often vehicles are found traveling at higher speeds with visibly under inflated tires. Under inflated tires are the main source of catastrophic tire failures at highway speeds (tire blow-outs) and these failures often cause serious accidents potentially involving many vehicles sharing the same road... sadly, whether traveling in the same direction or not.
- Failure to observe recreational, pedestrian and school signs. Many motorists not only speed in these zones but also perform aggressive and sudden maneuvers that exacerbate the danger factor.
- Tailgating. This is a systemic and often un-enforced violation. Tailgating (the act of following another vehicle too close for the speed) is being performed by motorists of almost every vehicle class and can last anywhere from several seconds worth, to longer time spans. Oddly enough, several automotive support groups (such as the AAA) have accused hypermilers of tailgating large trucks in what is often described as "drafting" but this is obviously false and ill informed. Hypermilers' main creed is to adhere to their DWB technique (Driving With Buffers) which effectively excludes any drafting activities. No reason to tailgate is good enough to risk anyone's safety.
Wow. Quite a list, is it not?
So, what defines a good driver then? For starters, consider yourself a good driver if you can honestly state you consistently do none of the above. If you can admit it to yourself that you engage in one or more of the above activities then I humbly urge you to reconsider.
Any change or improvement no matter how small, is always welcome and much needed to reduce fatalities on our roadways, reduce emissions and reduce fossil fuel use.
If you need to take it one step further then consider adopting one or more hypermiling techniques. You'll not only be an even better driver but you'll be safer, more aware of danger and the impact of your presence on the road.
You'll also be more environmentally friendly and responsible, and maybe even save a lot of money in the process. All good things for sure and the kind we can all benefit from. :)
Cheers;
