Common driving faults and distractions we should avoid

I spend a lot of time driving on all kinds of roads from inner city streets, provincial thoroughfares, highways and expressways. And I drive or ride with various people because of work, going to and from places of work, covering events, or simply evaluating a car for a review. And I see many things that, on the surface may seem minor, but in reality, could easily escalate into a serious accident. Here are the things I noticed, which I admittedly am also guilty of.

The use of a mobile phone while driving

The widespread use of mobile phones has prompted the government to craft the Anti Distracted Driving Act or Republic Act 10913. The law prohibits a person who is driving a motor vehicle from holding and using mobile communication devices and electronic gadgets. The penalty is P5,000 for the first offense, P10,000 for the second offense and P15,000 for the third offense with a 3-month suspension of your driver’s license. Seems steep, but in reality, is so paltry relative to the potential damage it can cause. Imagine a wide SUV barreling down with a driver distracted by his or her mobile phone and slams into a parked vehicle, a motorcyclist or bicyclist or a pedestrian?

Wireless media device integration

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a Godsend for the very busy urbanite always on the go: it allows us to remain connected, navigate our way through traffic, keep us informed of the world around us, and entertain us. But overuse of this technology is just as bad as using a mobile phone while driving. Why? Our focus is shifted to following the directions on the map rather than simply listening to instructions and giving a cursory glance form time to time on the screen, constantly fiddling with your music playlist to suit your ‘driving mood’ or watching videos while the car is moving. Once again, your attention is drawn away from the road ahead of you, and redirected to that six to ten inch screen.

Active Safety Systems

All car brands have this technology, and you can think it’s the beta stage prior to fullon autonomous driving. Honda has Honda Sensing, Subaru has Subaru Eye-Sight and Toyota has Toyota Safety Sense as examples. But news abroad have shown that even the most technologically sophisticated autonomous driving cars are still prone to faults and errors which can cause fatal accidents. Today, I see many drivers, especially young new and very tech-savvy drivers place an over-reliance on these active safety systems. They look at the multi-function display first, rather than the rear-view and side-view mirrors, and never bother to look over their shoulders when merging lanes as even side view mirrors and side cameras still offer some form of blind spots which hinder your view, and therefore can impact your maneuver adversely. We have to remember that these technologically safety systems are ultimately secondary and supplementary, and are not meant to replace basic proper driving skills and sound judgement on the road.

Dangerous modifications

I love to modify cars, but there is a limit to what we should do with our vehicles in the interest of adding a bit of our personality to them. The most common ones are installing no-name aftermarket HID and LED headlight retrofits that offer poor light focus that simply glare incoming traffic but offer no improvement in driver visibility. I’ve seen blueand green-tinted headlight beams on cars, or cars with super bright LED headlights that blind you but show nothing useful on the road ahead. The situation is worsened in poor weather and fog on unlit roads. Another equally dangerous modification is super dark or blacked out tints. In my many drives out of town, I often see cars driving at a snail’s pace on a completely deserted highway meandering about and weaving left to right. When I overtake them, a quick glance shows why they drive like lost sheep: the windows, and including the windshield are completely blacked out. Compound it with aforementioned bluish or greenish headlights and you are literally driving blind.

I can go on and on and on, but the whole point of this article is ultimately to remind us that driving is a serious endeavor. While it is an extension of our freedom, and an expression of the intrinsic desire to see the world, driving is not a right. It is a privilege and with it comes responsibility. Driving is a skill, and as with any skill, it requires proper technique, discipline and practice.

Personally, the best antidote for me is to drive an old, analog car, with a manual transmission, no advanced passive and active supplementary driving aids, radio off and have a grand time to remind me that focusing on driving is a responsibility and a joy in itself.