A new THINK! campaign is encouraging drivers on country roads to brake before a bend and not on it in a bid to reduce deaths and injuries.
Recently I have heard adverts on local radio which support this campaign.
Statistics show that on average 3 people die on country roads each day with a third of all fatalities on our roads happening on bends. The Department for Transport says research shows that almost a 25% of drivers admit to braking too late on bends and 41% claim to have swerved to avoid something on the road.
Young drivers were the most likely to overtake on a bend without a clear road ahead.
If you lose control on a country road you are likely to hit trees, hedges or on coming vehicles also travelling at 60 mph plus. The chances of surviving at not very good, even with a modern NCAP 5 star rated vehicle. So why put yourself and others at risk?
There is nothing wrong with enjoying driving. Country roads can provide opportunities to enjoy the performance and handling of your vehicle. However, there is a time and a place. Overtaking on bends or sliding around corners hoping no one is coming the other way are not such opportunities and are the driving behaviours which will kill you, or more importantly, someone else.
Why not research an advanced driving course to either validate your driving skills or learn and develop new techniques such as observational scanning and positive attitudes. Advanced driving courses will not only help you to develop your skills based driving, but more importantly, help you to become a thinking a driver and raise your self-awareness. You do not have to take any advanced driving tests if you do not want to.
More information about the THINK! Campaign can be found at:
http://think.direct.gov.uk/country-roads.html
#safedriving
#fleetdrivertraining
http://www.celticdrivertraining.co/advanced-driver-training/
Alistair Stuart Director Celtic Driver Training
