Is it possible to be too careful on the road?

Car on a country road
Getting it right: being too tortoise-like can be just as dangerous as haring around Credit: Alamy

Many of us are familiar with the saying that being “slow and steady wins the race”.

And on so many occasions in life, a more patient and wary approach is to be applauded. But when it comes to driving, excessive caution is not always the best course

Of course, no one is saying we should throw caution to the wind by breaking the rules of the road. It’s simply that being too tortoise-like can be just as dangerous as haring around, the experts believe.

“Being too slow and not fully taking in what is happening on the road around you can be as bad as going too fast,” says Steve Davis, who has been a driving instructor for 10 years and owns Brighton Driving Lessons in East Sussex.

“Many of us may have been on country roads where the driver in front is driving much too slowly, even on bendy roads. This causes a line of traffic to back up behind them full of frustrated drivers.

“Even if the slow, careful driver thinks they’re being safe, it can have the opposite effect. Other drivers attempt to overtake, sometimes by taking a risk on a road where they cannot see sufficiently far ahead.

“It’s the same on motorways. If drivers dawdle in the wrong lane, they can put other motorists who are driving perfectly safely in danger. Although they don’t need to exceed the speed limit, they should drive closer to it if road conditions allow.”

Motorway at dusk
Believe in yourself: excessive caution is largely caused by a lack of confidence Credit: Getty

He adds that drivers who insist on hogging the central lane should remember that they should actually be in the inside lane unless they are overtaking.

“A motorway can be one of the safest types of roads to be on. If you’re aware of other drivers you can go with the traffic flow rather than unnecessarily slow it down.”

Mr Davis believes this excessive caution is largely caused by a lack of confidence. He thinks this can be rooted in how people learnt to drive, with insufficient time being allowed for learners to gain good road sense. Instead they’re simply focused on passing the driving test.

“Junctions and busy roundabouts are another location where cautiousness will not be welcomed,” he warns. “Too much delay and indecision can cause a hostile reaction from other motorists. Again a dithering approach when it’s safe at a congested roundabout can lead to other drivers taking reckless action that causes danger on the roads.

“Pedestrians too can be left confused if you’re not clear in your actions. If you’re going excessively slow, a pedestrian may think you’re allowing them time to cross in front of you. This could lead to an accident if they do step out and you didn’t expect it.”

“My advice is to always proceed with a degree of caution, but not so much that it’s detrimental to safe driving.”

Are you a safe driver? Download the Aviva Drive app to put your on-the-road skills to the test. Plus, find out more about the Aviva safe driving challenge here

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