South Africa has some alarming road accident statistics – more than 18 000 people die on South African roads each year, more than 150 000 people are severely injured and 8 500 people are paralysed. The cost to the nation is north of R300 billion per annum, according to a driving expert.
Keith Cunningham, head of Driver Assess said the biggest danger is that most South African drivers believe that they are not part of the problem and that the one million plus tragic crashes that cause immense suffering and damage every year happen to someone else.
Cunningham admits that eighteen months ago, he had a similar mindset. With substantial experience in occupational health, safety and risk, and having worked in the business coaching field focusing on emotional intelligence, he regarded himself as a well-adjusted person and a good driver.
Like most local drivers, he believed that he certainly wasn’t reckless and definitely wasn’t prone to road rage.
“Road rage can be defined as sudden acceleration, braking and close tailgating, cutting others off in a lane or deliberately preventing someone from merging into a lane. At worst, these sorts of drivers actually chase other motorists, flash their lights or hoot excessively, yell or behave disruptively at roadside establishments. This can even lead to physical fights and deaths,” he explains.
What he did realise, though, was that there were certain triggers which sparked behaviour similar to the most vigilant person behind the wheel. If each driver was aware of potential weaknesses and triggers, they could be proactive and control actions that could result in potentially lethal situations.
This is where his emotional intelligence training kicked in. Most people approach driving as they do everyday chores and operate sub-consciously, he reasoned.
“Most of us drive on autopilot. If they are aware of where their own potential risks are, they can take back control. By paying attention to what they are doing, they can take action. That is how people can change their behaviour,” he points out.
Drawing on his risk-control background, Cunningham created Driver Assess, an online profiler that creates an extensive driver profile that is unique to each and every driver that takes the test.
To sum up, this means taking back control of your driving and actively monitoring your self-talk, emotions and responses. You can consciously choose your driving story rather than let your sub-conscious write one you have no awareness of, nor control over. He said it can also be an important tool in vehicle accident investigations.
• Visit https://www.driverassesslive.com for more.
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