How’s my driving is a question not asked often enough on our roads. While we all take pride in our driving, the fact is New Zealanders’ driving standards are generally fairly low. Even atrocious at times.
From the inability to keep left on motorways unless overtaking, to using phones while driving, the confusion of when to use indicators at roundabouts, to gambling with overtaking margins towards oncoming traffic, Kiwis qualify as some of the world’s worst drivers.
Cars’ passive and active safety has advanced. Roads are continually upgraded and made safer. Yet for the past five years, there’s been a greater number of road deaths. In 2015, that toll stood at 295. Last year, it reached a record 351.
Of that sad total, 175 died while at the wheel of a vehicle with four wheels or more. Those classified as a driver represent a section of the road toll that is increasing more than others. Numbers of passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians killed annually is relatively stable, but every year more drivers die.
Attitude and aptitude remain the biggest problems. Many drivers are apathetic and/or arrogant in their own abilities. Any good driving tutor will teach that it simply isn’t enough to obey speed laws to be a safe driver.
So, it’s time to take a look at our driving habits to be safer and better on our roads.
Do you think slower drivers are a hazard? That anyone faster is a maniac? This is all attitude. We tend to easily criticise other drivers, yet rarely assess our own driving.
Think of your actions as a pedestrian in foot traffic when getting behind your car’s wheel. Adopting this more vulnerable mindset may help you become a more courteous driver, prepared to share road space with others. With increased courtesy, comes increased safety.
Many people are quick to blame younger, inexperienced motorists for rising road tolls. Yet three-quarters of those killed on our roads in 2018 were over 25 years of age. One third were aged between 40 and 59, the most lethal age bracket for road users. This would suggest that it’s not only young, new-to-the-road drivers who will benefit from further driver training. Even those who have been several times round the odometer may find their unrecognised bad habits corrected, and discover safer driving methods.
Besides, a day spent training to be a better driver is usually fun. It may also save your life.
7 DEADLY DRIVING SINS
A driver with fewer distractions is a safer driver.
SIN 1: Keep left unless overtaking.
Failure to do so could result in a $150 fine and 20 demerit points. In extreme cases, such as when the police witness a vehicle crossing the centre line on a blind bend, the offence could elevate to a dangerous driving charge and a $4500 fine or three month’s imprisonment, with six months’ loss of licence.
SIN 2: Is driving barefoot legal?
Yes, even for motorcyclists. But closed shoes are safer. As for driving in jandals: don’t because barefoot is better, grippy shoes are best.
SIN 3: Driving while holding a mobile phone in your hand may incur an $80 fine as police will suspect you of using the phone. The latter can be done only in an emergency when it is unsafe to stop the vehicle. The rule applies while stopped at traffic lights or crawling along a congested motorway lane, as drivers need to be aware of changes to their roadscape at such times. The fine for Aussie drivers is $450-$500.
SIN 4: Can a child’s booster seat or a protective restraint seat be placed in the front passenger seat? Yes, but remember to disable the frontal impact airbag facing that seat first. This airbag should be disabled for all folk of smaller stature as the explosive deployment of the airbag in a crash can cause neck damage to shorter people.
Usually this airbag can be disabled by inserting the car’s ignition key to a special lock on the inside of the glovebox.
Generally, a rear-facing capsule-style seat is best for children under the age of 3; and a booster seat for 3 to 7 years. Over the age of 7, booster seats can be used for safety, however, it’s not illegal to go without.
For further child restraint info, visit nzta.govt.nz/safety/vehicle-safety/safety-belts-and-restraints/child-restraints/using-child-restraints-in-new-zealand/
SIN 5: Merging should be done like a zipper, one-and-one from either lane at the point of the merge. Studies have shown that premature merging creates longer queues. Remember to be generous with the space you leave for the other vehicle when merging with trucks and trailers.
SIN 6: The open road speed limit for vehicles towing trailers is 90km/h. Any infringement above that speed is likely to incur the same fines as those applied to other vehicles that exceed the 100km/h limit. That means a $30 fine for a vehicle towing a trailer travelling at 90-100km/h, $80 for 101-105km/h, $120 for 106-110km/h, $170 for 111-116km/h, $230 for 117-120km/h, and steadily rising in 5km/h brackets to a maximum of $630 for exceeding 140km/h.
When towing, exceeding 130km/h is likely to result in an immediate 28-day licence suspension.
SIN 7: Keep the two-second gap rule to the car in front, and extend it to four seconds in wet conditions. Maintaining a decent following distance will give you a better view of oncoming traffic and whether a safe overtaking opportunity might present itself. On gravel roads it’s best to extend the following distance in the interest of visibility.
Driver training
Holden Street Smart ambassador Greg Murphy hones the skills of young drivers; reminders to be aware and leave a two-second gap.
When parents teach their kids to drive, it brings the likelihood of imparting not just bad habits, but bad teachings. It’s better practice to have your skills refined and upgraded by professional instructors at an approved driving school.
Corporations know the insurance premium-reducing value of sending even the most skilled drivers on their fleets to further training. Some courses not only target increased accident avoidance but hone the ability to reduce running costs and environmental impact.
Courses such as Holden’s Street Smart programme aim to improve the skills of younger drivers, using the controlled environment of a racetrack. Participants move through 10 different driving exercises to improve their emergency braking, lane-changing techniques and road craft. Although aimed at those on restricted and learner licences, those with a full licence are welcome to attend. You’ll find similar courses being conducted at Hampton Downs and Pukekohe Park Raceway by the New Zealand Advanced Driving School and other companies.
For older drivers, it’s often an insult to suggest someone’s driving needs refining. But from our experience of a decade of driver training, nine out of 10 holders of a New Zealand driving licence could stand to benefit from a medium level driver-training course.
DRIVER TECH
Using technology helps plan and manage trips and fatigue, and with user-driven and populated live traffic updates, it’s a great way to plan ahead. Google Maps is fine, but Waze is better. Drawing info from Google Maps, Waze offers user-populated updates. It’s great for trip planning, with suggested departure times, live traffic updates in three levels of density, road closures, broken down vehicles, speed camera sightings, weather events and more.
And when you’re travelling with children and the family road games have run out, tablets or DVD players can be used to the driver’s advantage. A driver with fewer distractions is a safer driver.
ROUNDABOUTS
At roundabouts, if going left or right, indicate. When going straight through, it’s helpful to left-indicate as you exit, particularly if traffic is waiting to enter.
There is no blanket statement or simple rule that works for roundabouts. It’s helpful to think of the roundabout as a regular intersection. The fine for incorrect use of the indicators is $150, but we’ve even witnessed police cars and ambulances incorrectly indicate in roundabouts.
Visit aa.co.nz for more.