Introduction
It is important for parents to ensure that students develop good driving habits after completing their driving course. Recent data from the transportation and communication board shows that students have developed various driving habits that can be dangerous while driving, due to distractions and poor decision-making on the road. Additionally, a study on road accidents found that a significant number of accidents involve student drivers. This report will discuss topics such as driving habits, safe driving strategies, maintenance and repair, and driving in the UAE. Finally, the report will conclude with a proposal for a research project at the ADMC.
Background report Driving attitude
Attitude is the settled way of thinking that is typically reflected in an individual's behavior (Jonsson, Nass, Harris, ; Takayama, 2005). The main focus here is to understand the appropriate attitude for a student in
...the driving course. According to American driving schools, addressing one's bad attitude at the car door can help them acquire the ability to drive safely (Jonsson, Nass, Harris, & Takayama, 2005). Additionally, statistics on road accidents indicate that one third of traffic fatalities are caused by angry and unsafe driving habits (Jonsson, Nass, Harris,& Takayama ,2005).
Having a positive attitude towards driving can help students avoid dangerous behaviors on the road, such as weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, making angry gestures at other drivers, and multitasking while driving. These behaviors can lead to accidents. Nowadays, there is an increasing number of young men and women who display aggressive behavior while driving. This is believed to be a result of poor attitudes and behaviors.
Safe Driving Strategies
When it comes to promoting safe driving habits among students, it is important
to implement defensive driving strategies. One strategy involves maintaining a minimum safe distance between vehicles. For instance, students should ensure there is a three-second interval between their car and the vehicle in front.
The text below discusses strategies for maintaining safety while driving and parking, as well as the importance of maintaining and repairing vehicles.
The other strategy is to establish a minimum safety margin between vehicles. According to King, Vidourek, Love, Wegley, and Alles-White (2008), a safety cushion of at least 1.2 meters should be maintained between the student's vehicle and stationary vehicles and other objects, taking into consideration speed and potential danger. Another aspect of this strategy is the need for drivers to have a sense of acceleration. Lastly, students should be educated on the proper stopping position when parking behind other vehicles.
Maintenance and repair
It is important to keep vehicles well maintained in order to ensure safety on the road (Henderson & Feiner, 2011).
Experts in maintenance and road traffic assert that road safety depends on both the driver's skills and the vehicle's condition. Therefore, it is essential for the government to raise awareness among young drivers about preventive measures. This will assist them in effectively maintaining and repairing their vehicles, ultimately decreasing accidents on the road. To achieve this goal, young drivers should seek guidance from trained automotive professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools to diagnose and address any issues. By doing so, they can ensure safe and fuel-efficient driving without jeopardizing their lives. Moreover, students must comprehend which aspects of their vehicle necessitate regular maintenance and repair based on manufacturer’s guidelines and common sense. The manufacturer’s manual provides valuable information for students to
learn proper vehicle care.
Driving in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) follows right-hand driving, with overtaking occurring on the left. Driving in the UAE can be difficult due to fast speeds and reckless behavior of drivers, who frequently overtake from both sides. The UAE has established multiple driving laws that prioritize safety, such as seat belt usage, speed limits, regulations against drunk driving, insurance requirements, safety camera alerts, and more. These laws are designed to encourage safe driving practices and decrease road accidents (Bener ; Crundall, 2005).
Given the importance of this issue for the UAE country, I propose several measures to be implemented. Firstly, the drinking and driving law should prohibit both the consumption of beer and eating while operating a vehicle, with offenders facing imprisonment. Moreover, in order to ensure that individuals have reached an appropriate level of maturity, it is vital to enforce a minimum driving age of 18 years. However, rental companies should require drivers to be at least 25 years old as they are more likely to possess driving experience.
Proposal
Considering that the UAE country has the highest rate of driving-related fatalities worldwide, it is crucially important to address this issue.
It is essential to encourage millennials to develop good driving habits in order to reduce accident and fatality rates, as well as promote a positive attitude towards driving. This also enables young individuals to learn safe driving techniques, vehicle maintenance skills, and repair knowledge. Additionally, the promotion of these habits ensures compliance with UAE's safety-focused driving laws. I am interested in comprehending the enforcement methods utilized by the UAE and comparing them with the aforementioned strategies to assess their effectiveness. Furthermore, I
seek to understand the country's measures for guaranteeing adequate vehicle maintenance and repair.
Strategized maintenance and repair programs of vehicles in the UAE ensure safe driving. Additionally, I am curious about the thoroughness and fairness of the licensing tests in UAE driving schools. College research on driving habits and causes of accidents can further enhance my knowledge about the UAE. Through these studies, I can gain insights into the appropriate driving habits that students should have.
Conclusion
To determine the suitable habits for student drivers, a research should be conducted at ADMC. This research would cover topics such as drivers' attitudes and strategies for safe driving, as discussed in the background report above.
The research topic is of great importance for countries like UAE, which suffer from poor driving habits, a high number of accidents, and increased death rates due to reckless driving.
Reference
- Bener, A., & Crundall, D. (2005). "Road traffic accidents in the United Arab Emirates compared to Western countries." In Advances in Transportation Studies, Section A 6. Retrieved from: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.555.4923
- Henderson, S., & Feiner, S. (2011). "Exploring the benefits of augmented reality documentation for maintenance and repair." Visualization and Computer Graphics, IEEE Transactions on, 17(10), 1355-1368. Retrieved from: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5620905&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi eeexplore.ieee.org%2Fxpls%2Fabs_all.jsp%3Farnumber%3D5620905
- Jonsson, I.M., Nass,C., Harris,H., & Takayama,L.
(2005). Matching in-car voice with driver state: Impact on attitude and driving performance. In Proceedings of the Third International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design (pp. 173-180). Retrieved from: http://www.leilatakayama.org/downloads/Takayama.DriverEmotion_2005_prepress.pdf
- King, K. A., Vidourek, R.
The study titled "Teaching adolescents safe driving and passenger
behaviors: Effectiveness of the You Hold the Key Teen Driving Countermeasure" by A. Love, J. Wegley, S. Alles-White (2008) was published in the Journal of Safety Research. The article can be found in volume 39, issue 1, on pages 19-24.The source of this information can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437507001417.
