We all know the dangers of drink/drug driving, excessive speed for the road or conditions and that wearing a seatbelt can save our life if involved in a collision. However, perhaps we are not aware of the potentially serious consequences of careless driving.
Over 95% of all road deaths and serious injuries on our roads are due to human error. Although made up of many behaviours, careless driving is the biggest cause of deaths and serious injuries, accounting for 55% of the people killed or seriously injured on our roads over the last 10 years.
‘Careless Driving’ is made up of several poor road user behaviours; including ‘Inattention or attention diverted’ and ‘driving too close’. The full list of causation factors that comprise careless driving are listed below:
Regarding distractions inside the vehicle, Rule 148 of the Highway Code NI States:
Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving such as:
- loud music (this may mask other sounds)
- trying to read maps
- starting or adjusting any music or radio
- arguing with your passengers or other road users
- eating and drinking
- smoking
External factors include:
- Disobeying pedestrian crossing
- Disobeying traffic signal
- Failing to give or giving faulty signal
- Wrong course/ position
- Driving too close
- Turning right without care
- Turning left without care
- U turning without care
- Reversing without care
- Stopping without care
- Starting without care
- Overtaking on nearside without care
- Overtaking on offside without care
- Changing lane without care
- Emerging from minor road without care
- Emerging from private road/entrance without care
- Crossing or entering road junction without care
The aim of the campaign is to influence the future decisions of drivers so that they will drive more attentively, with more care and with more personal responsibility. The campaign highlights the potential serious consequences of careless driving for the careless driver and for other innocent road users involved in a collision. It challenges drivers by questioning their own driving behaviour, essentially asking them, when driving, do they behave as a driver or as a passenger?
A passenger doesn’t need to focus on the road.
They are not in control of the vehicle.
But a driver must be.
Passengers might wave to someone they recognise, flick through stations on the radio or scroll through messages on their phone. None of these actions allow him to keep their eyes fixed on the road ahead for any length of time. The driver must remain completely focused on the road throughout, both hands on the steering wheel at 10 to 2, regularly checking their mirrors and always attentive.
Every single road death is one too many. Behind these statistics are sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers, families whose lives have been turned upside down, their hearts broken. The large majority of road traffic collisions can be avoided if we as road users took better care and made better decisions when using the roads. It is for all of us to do more to protect each other while on the road.
If you’re not focussed on driving, you might as well be a passenger.
Pay attention or pay the price.
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