We have to stop the blame game and take responsibility for our driving

The continuing incidence of drink driving is a concern we all share. Senior police in Victoria have called for debate on the idea of reducing the legal Limit to 0.02. This, along with comments that followed the article on Starts at Sixty got me thinking about driver education.

Some excellent driver education programs are already available but more resources should be directed at driver education and road safety in general with an on going program that begins as part of the primary school curriculum. Driver education should not be merely teaching someone how to point a vehicle in the right direction. The responsibilities that come with driving a car should be instilled at a young age. An understanding of the dangers of drink driving and of how to handle all the distractions we face when driving should be part of driver education. There is also a need to develop the correct mental approach to driving.

Millions of dollars are poured into developing safer cars and huge sums are spent on advertising campaigns seemingly designed to scare people into asking themselves… “How safe is your car?” Then more ads suggesting that a car fitted with some sort of sensor will steer itself around an obstacle on the road. These ads send the wrong message.

Safety features like air bags, ABS, Traction Control and various other systems do not make that car crash proof. Sure, these features may help reduce the chances of and indeed the outcome of an accident. But at the end of the day it is the person in control of the car that should have all the correct safety features, mental approach and skills.
I was just 12 years old when my father started to teach me how to drive and one of the things that he would often say was…”The weakest part of any car is the nut that holds the steering wheel.” In the innocence of childhood I thought he was referring to the integrity of the cars components.

Motor cars are a big part of the Aussie culture and statistics show that we have a love affair with them like no where else in the world. They are part of our daily lives and from an early age most of us cannot wait to get our licence. Horrifying statistics also reveal something we seldom think about. Driving a car is arguably the most dangerous thing any of us do.

How do you feel about road safety in Australia? Do you feel like we aren’t held responsible enough? Share your thoughts in the comments below…