Are other road users really the only threat?

I’ve often wondered if many Australian drivers have a tendency to only credit negative actions to other drivers on the road.

Driving too slow in the fast lane, misusing roundabouts or pulling out in front of drivers are some common driving pet-hates which we tend to blame on other drivers.

But we can’t possibly be perfect drivers all the time, and it would be very concerning if we didn’t know our own potential threats and instead just focused on the actions of others.

I believe there is a significant difference between the way Australian drivers view their own driving style and the way they view the driving of others.

This perspective has been supported by recent research from Slater and Gordon lawyers which showed that most Australian drivers believe they are safe and self-assured behind the wheel, but say the majority of other road users could be risky and dangerous.

We surveyed nearly 2,000 Australian drivers and asked them to describe their own driving performance and the general standard of other drivers on the road.

The results showed 76 per cent of drivers say they are confident and safe, but the tables were turned when just 36 per cent said that other drivers were careful and courteous.

The remaining respondents (64 per cent) said other drivers were risky and dangerous either all of the time, or at least some of the time while driving.

These statistics are rather alarming because we simply can’t control how other drivers behave, we can only control our own decisions, attitudes and reactions on the road.

That’s why it is so important for drivers to concentrate on doing the best possible job while behind the wheel, and if they do that more often, then it is likely to result in a reduction in the number of crashes.