What were the biggest things you learned while completing this task?
I learnt more about drunk driving and the risk of it for the driver and all the other road users. Instead of driving home yourself while drunk there are many other ways to get a ride home. Uber, pick a designated driver for the night, ask someone to pick you up etc. I also learned a lot more about road safety and rules. Now if I was going to drive I would understand the road a lot better.
What one piece of advice would you pass on to young drivers above all else? Why?
“Make sure you always stay alert and focus on the road” because without it you are putting yourself and others at significant risk. The risk of death or injury to a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or occupants in the other vehicle during a crash because of distractions, fatigue, drinking etc is very high. Also, by staying alert, the driver can realise when they need to slow down or take a break. If they were intoxicated, they would have slower reactions and have many issues such as slurred speech, slower reaction times, loss of balance etc and would put everyone at risk who is on the road.
Write down a pledge that you will commit to when you start driving. Why did you pick these things to commit to? How will you stick to these commitments?
“Keep my eyes on the road, keep my hands on the wheel, keep my mind on driving”. This is important for when I start driving, I choose these three broad topics because they all have importance. Keep my eyes on the road – this covers how I must get rid of all distractions at the wheel for example putting my phone on silent, keeping music at a good volume and making sure all distractions are out of reach etc. Keep my hands on the wheel – making sure I don’t eat, drink or groom (do my hair) at the wheel and if I need to. I must pull over to make sure it’s done safely. Keep my mind on driving – make sure I focus on everything that is happening in front of me and stay focused and follow all road rules. Just focusing on driving and forgetting about stuff that has happened in the past for example if I just had an argument, I need to forget about that at the moment and focus on the road ahead. I also can’t forget basic road safety like buckling up my seatbelt. To make sure I follow these commitments I will make sure every single time I go to drive. I will put all distractions out of reach so in the back seat or even in the boot. I will remember if I’m playing music to keep it at a reasonable level and if I have passengers in the car, I will tell them to be quiet if I need to because our safety is important. I will also make sure everyone has their belts done up and is ready.
