Path to Safe Driving

There are three crucial parameters paving the path to safe driving:

1. Motor vehicle:  Apart from the fact that it needs to be roadworthy, the driver is actually the one who always has to be aware of the purpose of the vehicle, its limits  as well as of the general condition of the vehicle itself. The neglect of any of these factors may lead to traffic accidents, collisions or even worse consequences. Car factories regularly carry out rigorous safety tests that aim to optimize all components of the vehicle thus making it safe, comfortable and fast. This rule applies both to small city cars and racing cars. Therefore, be aware of the fact that your car is not what you would like it to be and drive it accordingly.

2. Road:  Not only in the sense of representing a surface that cars and other vehicles can use but also in the sense of the terrain configuration, the quality of the substrate, the current weather situation, visibility, road surface marking etc., which can considerably affect the quality and safety of every drive and the neglect of any of the aforesaid parameters can lead to traffic-related deaths. In this regard, certain funds have been set aside in San Francisco for the purpose of intersection improvements as SF is one of the cities in the USA (along with Chicago and New York City) that adopted the 'Vision Zero' traffic plan. Its ultimate goal is to reduce the accident rate and prevent vehicle pedestrian collisions no matter how Utopian and expensive this whole project may sound.

3. Driver:  You as a driver have your own limits, habits and weaknesses. People, just like vehicles, are distinctive; for example, not everyone is capable of driving long distances or at a breakneck speed.
What can be observed when seeing the statistics is that it is actually human error that accounts for a large percentage of traffic accidents. Aside from old and poorly maintained vehicles and roads, drivers sometimes tend to overestimate their driving ability. Sometimes it may be hard to admit that we are not the drivers we think we are.

Nonetheless, there is room for improvement here as well and that would be practicing certain situations and scenarios. Feel free to analyze a traffic situation you were placed in and try to draw a lesson from it. Drive yourself to an empty parking lot and practice your driving in different weather conditions (especially in the rain and in wet weather conditions - try accelerating, braking , changing direction and avoiding some obstacles (e.g.  plastic bottles with a little water in them to make them more stable in the wind ). This should help you grasp a better feeling of your driving skills as well as of your vehicle's limits in real life. When found yourself in such situations a couple of times, you will be surprised how properly your body responds to the same situations in real traffic.