Factors Affecting Driver Risk Perception
There seems to a time in everyone’s life that we begin taking risks. When we’re a kid, we often would do things that may get us injured at any moment, but we keep doing it until we either get hurt and decide that’s not for us any longer, or someone higher up tells us to stop and, well, we listened to them. Parents.
It seems that risk taking as an adult doesn’t stop, especially for some drivers. Driving carries a certain degree of risk each time you operate the vehicle. Some drivers add to this risk by taking chances when should be more patient and should have thought things through before acting on those decisions.
There are several factors that can create risks for drivers, not just the driver’s choices. Once we can understand those factors, better driving decisions can be made.
Driver Age and Experience
The human brain is not fully developed until roughly 25 years of age, with the frontal cortex of the brain being the last part to fully develop. This is important to know because the frontal cortex controls sensation-seeking and risk-taking elements someone makes.
Due to this growth pattern of the brain, teenagers often experience higher highs and lower lows. What this means is that before someone turns 25 years of age, they are usually more adventurous and impulsive compared to many people over the age of 25.
Not to worry. The good news about this is that since this part of the brain is the last in the brain to develop, it is the least constrained by genes and most influenced by their environment and experience. Taking a good driver education training program and having and using positive driver role models can have a positive impact in this regard. If a person gets the proper driving training before they turn 25, there is a good chance they will be more likely to continue using the techniques they were taught throughout their driving career.
Driving Environment
The area that you live and drive in, which is your driving environment, will have different challenges depending on where you live. If you live in a larger city, a smaller town or in a rural setting, it will affect you differently. If you live in an area where it snows a lot in the winter or perhaps there are high mountains like in British Columbia and Alberta, that will affect you too.
No matter the location that you live in, you must have a strong basis of defensive driving skills to recognize your surroundings and respond proactively to what you see.
There may be longer routes to take but knowing they are less risky may be the best decision you can make. Left turns at traffic lights during peak traffic times can become extremely risky. Perhaps change the route so you make three right turns instead of the left turn. You’ll still where you’re going and it’s much less risky. So is changing the time you’re driving. Less traffic may also mean less risks to deal with.
Mental Factors
There are many aspects to driving and mental health is just one of many. Many people may suffer from various conditions that could affect their mental health while driving. As an example, one of the hardest things to overcome can be daydreaming.
Over time, when a driver gains enough physical control of their vehicle, it becomes common for the physical control of the vehicle to be held by the subconscious mind of the driver. This means the conscious mind tends to be elsewhere, such as thinking about personal relationships, work, entertainment, etc.
To illustrate this, have you ever walked somewhere, arrived there and then had no memory of getting there? Many would respond “yes” to that question, meaning their situational awareness was very low during that time. This becomes worse when driving since you’re in control of heavy metal moving at higher speeds. To combat this, drivers need to be taught and use techniques that will keep them engaged in the driving task, including moving your eyes to look for potential hazards. This will help to keep your brain active during the driving task.
Physical Factors in and Around the Vehicle
To reduce risks, you should know your surroundings inside the vehicle as they are just as important as knowing what is going on outside of your vehicle. Some drivers don’t seem to know how to sit properly in the driver’s seat while others do not know where their left foot should be if they are driving an automatic transmission vehicle.
Proper training begins with how to sit properly and adjusting the seat and mirrors to reduce the size of blind spots. As an example, crowding the driver’s seat can be a bad idea and is often illegal. This means anything that interferes with the driver’s ability to control the vehicle has to be corrected before starting out.
Self-Control
Many people tend to realize that the driver is responsible for whatever happens while they are in control of their vehicle. Many situations can and will happen while driving that can challenge a driver’s self-control, such as dealing with another driver. Whatever the case, everyone needs to be self-aware of their negative emotions and remember that getting safely to the destination is the most important goal. It’s also the goal of each of your passengers.
Practicing self-control while driving is the sign of a good driver. Remaining consistent with such skills is truly important. Remember that the most common deadly collision occurs when a driver loses control of their vehicle. If you feel that you are losing control of your emotions, it may be a good time to pull over to a safe location and take a break.
The Need for Peer Approval
Many people seek and need peer approval of their actions, and this is no different when it comes to driving. While most drivers want to fit in and not stand out, especially in a negative way. They want to be perceived to be the best they can be. They need to resist peer approval when it conflicts with doing what is known to be the right decision.