Overconfidence behind the wheel – a cause of accidents in traffic

The pool of drivers on the road come with varying experiences induced by the length of time they would have been driving and also the circumstances, frequency and the nature of vehicles they drive. It would be naïve for anyone to think that all drivers out there are experienced and very good behind the steering wheel because they ain’t. Inexperience in driving has a fair share of orchestrated accidents because the driver did or didn’t do what was expected of him/her under the circumstances. Everyone is quick to blame the inexperienced driver or even point out their fault. On a scale of balance, over and above experience, there is a dangerous driver out there- the overconfident and all-knowing motorists, especially when they are behind the wheel. These guys turn themselves into moving hazards and a threat to all other road users in the vicinity, even to the inexperienced drivers.

SHEER EXCESSIVE SPEED

An overconfident driver would put his vehicle into excessive speed, notwithstanding the terrain, weather condition or traffic congestion. He derives confidence from the fact that he has always been over-speeding and has never been involved in an accident. It may be a fairy tale when he verbally boasts about it but something dangerous when they actually indulge in it –on the road. Such drivers may cruise through the rain overtaking other cautious drivers and disappear unto the fog, snow and torrents of rain. The feat is repeated over and over again. Truth be told, they will and do get involved or cause traffic accidents at point in time because they believed too much in themselves and threw caution to the wind. The traffic vicinity cannot be predicted with all sorts of stationary, moving and changing hazards interposing themselves in front of traffic. Speed is one element in traffic that has been the principal cause of serious and fatal injuries in the event the overly confident driver fails to bring their vehicles under control. 

OVERLY TRUSTING THE VEHICLE BRAND

Cars come in different brands, sizes and stability on the road and by extension are owned by different drivers, who at times place so much emphasis and trust on the make of the vehicle. Some drivers would indulge is excessive speed and sometimes tailgating because they hold the notion that the vehicle is strong and has an excellent or automatic braking system, as a driver, he is, “Alert,” to any hazard and would slam brakes for. Statistics collected daily, monthly and annually indicate that any car is prone to an accident notwithstanding its make and road worthiness, especially when the driver has been reckless in is execution in traffic. DRUNKEN DRIVING Unless you are traffic cop pulling over the drunk driver to the side of the road you cannot convince some drivers who has taken intoxicating substances that they are not fit to drive. They would argue, blow their lungs out and confidently telling all who care to listen they would reach their destination. Some don’t, because along the way, they fall asleep, veer of the road and crash, others would make poor judgments in junctions, cross roads and traffic, drive out of turn and crash unto other unsuspecting motorists. We all can and should drive confidently but is dangerous to be overconfident in traffic. 

TAKE AWAYS:

1.Be a considerate driver and look out for other road users. 

2. Respect the rain and kill your speed. 

3. Use hazards for hazardous situations. 

4. Remember your right of way may be your way to die

5. Remember, the road is a shared space