The control of a car is not a trivial matter, but it is a great responsibility. It requires total concentration. Your eyes should be able to scan the road, hands should be on the wheels controlling it, and the mind should be vigilant to take quick action. It is therefore required to have a good physical and mental condition.
Maintain Optimal Physical Health
Proper eyesight, hearing capacity and overall good health is necessary for a person to be able to concentrate on driving. If you have a vision problem, have it checked and corrected with a lens, spectacle or surgery. Never drive while you are sick. If you are on a sedative or other medication, check with your doctor if it will affect your driving capacity especially on a long drive.
Sleepy Driving
Being a drowsy state while driving can be as dangerous as intoxicated driving. Your mind is fatigued and tired and won't be able to keep vigil.
Sometimes you will have to react quickly to a person who suddenly comes in front of the vehicle. It is, therefore, essential to have a quick response time. In the sleepy state, the reaction time will be slow.
- You may not be able to see clearly to make judgments.
- Your average abilities will be impaired with a sleeping brain system.
- There is a high risk of falling asleep or napping off.
There is a huge number of accidents reported in the United States which has been attributed to sleep driving. Never drive during those times of the day or night when you would usually be sleeping. The body has a tendency to fall asleep at that point due to habit. Make sure that you have a good sleep and is cleared of all tiredness before a long drive. While on long trips, take breaks in between. And the most important note is that, in case you feel that you are feeling sleepy, park the vehicle in a safe place and take a quick nap.
Control Over Emotions
When you are crying, depressed, angry or thoughtful, you will not be able to concentrate on driving. You will not be in your conscious state as your thoughts will be far away delving in the emotion. If you feel that your mind is going astray in your feelings, stop the vehicle, calm down and concentrate before continuing the drive.
Road Rage
It can be explained as a mental situation where the driver is too angry. The reason can be numerous, but you can spot out road rage by simple signs like
- Sudden movements
- Keeping close distance.
- Sounding the horn unnecessarily
- Calling bad words or threats
- Crashing into vehicle
- Using weapon or throwing objects
If you come across such a driver, slow down your car and let the person pass without over reacting and responding back in the same manner. After maintaining a safe distance, park in a safe place and inform the police of the vehicle registration number.
Distractions while Driving
Before you begin driving on the roads, it is extremely necessary to know what you should not do while driving. Several distractions can come in the way of a good driving experience, and it can cause harm to even the pedestrians and other people on the roads.
There are three kinds of distractions. They are
- Visual distraction which will divert your eyes away from the road
- Manual distraction that will take your hands from the steering control.
- Cognitive distraction caused by displacement of concentration away from driving.
Texting and Driving
Almost all states of United States have strict laws imposed over texting while driving and even using a phone while driving. If the law enforcement officer catches you holding the phone in hand or speaking through it, you will be liable to pay huge fines. The law strictly prevents talking or texting on the phone while driving. It even prevents teenagers from using wireless devices while driving. The rules also define that the phone has to be put away while driving so that there is no temptation to pick it up. Even a split second that you look away at the phone would be enough to cause an accident. Tickets can be escaped in the case of extreme emergencies, even though it is best recommended to find a safe spot before picking up a call of urgency.
Other common Distractions
- Concentrating or an object or person other than the road in your driving area.
- Reaching out to take an object in the car while driving.
- Pets left loose.
- Eat and drink while driving.
- Lighting cigarette
- Restless children without a seat belt.
Drunk Driving
Even a single glass of alcohol would be more than enough to end your life in a crash. Due to the harsh effects of drink driving, strict laws are imposed to prevent this. The fine amount is rather big and is topped with the suspension of license and sometimes even jail sentence.
When you drink alcohol, it passes through the stomach into the blood stream and instantly hits the brain. It impairs the brain and reduces the judging capacity of the person when consumed even in minuscule quantity. The effects of alcohol are
- Slows reaction time.
- Impairs vision.
- Affects alertness.
- The judgment ability of speed, distance, etc. will be affected.
- It weakens your body affecting your control over the vehicle.
If you are going to a party or have to drink, make sure you have a driver. If you hadn't hired a driver and got drunk, catch a taxi to take you home.
Drugs and Driving
There are legal and illegal drugs that can affect driving. The simple examples are the over-the-counter medications available for fever, cold, cough, etc. They influence the nervous system and make you drowsy. Some energy and diet pills also show a similar effect for a short while. Do not drive soon after instead take a break after having medicine. Illegal drugs like marijuana cause intoxication and driving on drugs are offensive and active rules are imposed over using these toxic drugs.
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