Everyone thinks they're a good driver. Most surveys find that between 80-85 percent of people believe they are above average in their driving abilities. Aside from being bad math, all you need to do is spend about 30 seconds on any road in America, and you know that is simply not true.
A new survey conducted by Christian Brothers Automotive asked people to name the top signs someone is a bad driver. Topping the list, not surprisingly, was speeders. Nearly two-thirds of all drivers say speeding is the thing that most annoys them on the road. Yet, over forty percent of those admitted that they like to drive fast themselves, and one in three believes that speed limits are more of a “suggestion” than an actual law.
Other driving pet peeves included cutting people off, tailgating, road rage, using the horn too much, not using turn signals, driving with one hand on the wheel, and using a phone while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that one of the leading causes of accidents is distracted driving, which leads to nearly 3,000 highway fatalities every year.
I should know, I was almost a victim myself.
So, what can you do about protecting yourself from bad drivers? Obviously, being a better—and more defensive—driver yourself is your best bet. Don’t speed excessively, obey traffic regulations, so on and so forth. But what else can you do to protect yourself from the countless bad and distracted drivers on the road?
After a near miss from an inattentive driver on I-75 through the construction zone earlier this year, I decided to buy a dash cam. I’ve seen a number of videos on YouTube that show crazy accidents and bad driving, and in so many of them I noticed that if it hadn’t been for a video record, the victimized drivers would have been either judged to be at fault or have to split insurance costs.
And while my initial reasoning was self-protection, I came to realize that having a dash cam was also making me a better driver. For example, the model I purchased includes information such as my own speed, which had the unexpected results of taking some of the lead out of my once heavy foot. I also learned to avoid turning left onto four (or more) lane roads unless I was at a traffic light, and to maintain more distance behind the car in front of me, especially when traffic slows down (like in a construction zone).
It also led me down the YouTube rabbit hole of watching the various dash cam compilations. After watching many hours of videos of bad drivers and unexpected accidents, it made me think more about how I drive and made me far more attentive on the roadways than I had been before.
That said, as a reporter, I started to wonder if the dash cam videos were having the same effect on other drivers. So I reached out to the creators of two of the major YouTube channels that specialize in compiling the videos to get their thoughts.
I spoke with Lijah of Dashcam Time, and Jeff at DDS TV, two very popular and educational channels. As in, they provide analysis instead of just sensationalizing accidents and bad driving.
The Pulse: Why do you feel that dash cam videos have become so popular?
Lijah: They provide great insurance for drivers at a reasonable price.
Jeff: I believe dash cams have become more popular, due to videos over the ‘net portraying crazy scenes happening on the road, as well as for security purposes. Studies have shown that people feel a lot more confident driving with a dash cam, than without.
The Pulse: What are the most common driving mistakes people make?
Lijah: I believe the most common driving mistakes would be distracted driving and speeding.
Jeff: I feel like the most common driving mistakes are one of two things. Distracted driver, being on the phone, reaching for something, etc., and the other that's not really talked about is hesitation. Sometimes people get hesitant if they want to proceed, or not proceed, which results in confusion, and a potential accident. As the old man used to say, “either go, or don't go, but don't not go”—if that makes sense.
The Pulse: Do you really feel that dash cam videos make people better drivers?
Lijah: I do believe dash cam videos make people better drivers as it encourages society that you never know when something is captured.
Jeff: I definitely feel like dash cams make people better drivers. The reason for this is because a sense of accountability and/or a sense that "someone is watching". I've seen multiple instances where when road-ragers see themselves being filmed, they instantly cool down. It's a chilling effect for sure.
The Pulse: What are the best reasons to buy a dash cam?
Lijah: Insurance purposes and to educate other drivers of incidents.
Jeff: I always tell people, it's like car insurance. God forbid, hopefully you never need to use it, but it is always good to have and not need, as opposed to needing it and not having it. If you can spend $100-$200 on a dash cam that can save you thousands of dollars on a ticket or insurance claim in one instance, it seems like a great investment to me!
And the nicest thing about dash cams is they are even more affordable and easy to install than ever before. They mostly range in price from $40 to $400, and have a wide variety of features. The best bet is to search both Google and Amazon for updated reviews and find the cam that is right for you.
And in the meantime, slow down a little, use your turn signals, and always leave enough room between you and the car in front of you. Once you watch a few of the dash cam videos, you’ll understand why.
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