"Where'd
you learn to drive, punk?" It's a thought you've probably had during long
hours on the road when someone pulls a questionable maneuver in traffic. The
thing is, we've all probably been on the other side of that sentiment, too.
Modern cars are easy to operate, but driving well takes practice and education.
Wanting
to improve your driving skills makes a lot of sense. It'll make you and your
passengers safer, and when you understand car control and performance, driving
can be a lot of fun. No matter your motive, there are many ways to get better
behind the wheel.
What Makes a Good Driver?
Before
you can drive better, you've got to have some definition of what that means. Is
a good driver someone who can cut a 20-minute commute down to 10 minutes? No.
Performance driving can be a tool for good drivers to use. However, being a good neighbor to
your fellow roadgoing Americans doesn't involve putting the pedal to the metal. Instead,
focus on understanding how to make the right decisions in traffic. There's more
to driving safely than merely understanding road laws. Learning how to maintain
a safe distance from the car in front of you, when it's best and safest to pass
someone on the freeway or how to avoid putting yourself in a dangerous
situation are all qualities that separate a good driver from a mediocre one.
Stop Rushing
One
piece of advice you'll hear law enforcement officers emphasize is to slow down.
It doesn't matter whether you arrive somewhere a few seconds sooner, and
generally, that's the only difference you make. Attempting a foolish move like
overtaking a car too aggressively, or diving for an off-ramp
you overlooked while daydreaming might save you a few minutes. But, if it
leads to an accident, think of all the time, money and quality of life you'll
have sacrificed. It's not worth it.
Learn to Drive Defensively
After
you've come to grips with the fact that rushing gets you nowhere, you still
have to deal with other people. Sharing the road can be a chore, particularly
when your neighbors are bad drivers. That's why you've got to learn to drive defensively,
to always think about where you've got a way out if traffic behaves badly.
The concept of defensive driving has been around for some time. You probably
learned to practice it as a new driver, but what does it mean? First, always be
aware of the cars around you and how they are moving either toward or away from
you, so you know where there's space on the road. From there, understand what
you can do that is not erratic, but that will put you in a situation where
you're least likely to suffer a crash.
Defensive
driving isn't necessarily driving slowly. There might be times when you've got
to punch it to put some space between you and the unsafe driver in the next
lane, who keeps hanging out in your blind spot. Since you can't always rely on
other drivers to obey the rules of the road, you'll have to use your
intelligence to make the best decision you can.
Understand Cars and Car Control
Maybe
you've got a friend who drives a manual transmission car. They're always
talking about how it lets them "feel what the car is doing" better.
There is some truth tothis idea,
because when you are controlling the transmission, you have to put your focus
on driving. That means your attention can't be elsewhere, like on your phone or
drifting off to think about what you're going to make for dinner.
In
general, getting a feel for how your car operates and what it's capable of will
make you a better driver. It's a good idea for everyone to attend a car control
school at least once. You might not think you'll use the training, but we've
all found ourselves in challenging situations or inclement weather where
driving becomes tricky due to factors beyond our control.
Taking
an interest in what the feedback from your car means and how cars behave at
their limit will ultimately make you a better driver. So even if you're not
trying to become the next Mario Andretti, it's a smart idea.
Give
these suggestions a try, and you'll see becoming a better driver is
straightforward and fun. You'll enjoy more peace of mind behind the wheel,
you'll be a better steward to your passengers and you'll be making all of us
out there on the road with you just a little bit safer.
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