Poor merging technique. Creeping speed. Distracted by mobile phone. Tailgaiting. Not stopping completely at stop signs. Impatience and road rage. When you get behind the wheel are you naughty or nice?

Our motor vehicle insurers in Australia and New Zealand have expressed concern about our poor motor vehicle claims experience and have even suggested that it may need some specialist risk management intervention.

Is that statement as alarming to you as it is to us? While increased claims will inevitably result in increased premiums, what about the increased risk of personal injury too? We can factor the financial cost but we’re deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing of you and your passengers.

Low-Risk Driving – Skills for Church motorists
NSW Roads and Maritime Services have some great advice on low-risk driving techniques on their website. But if you don’t have time for that, one of the most important low-risk driving practices is maintaining a good crash avoidance space. This is also known as the ‘3-second rule’ or ‘the cut-in distance’ as some like to call it (ahem). Yes, that means leaving 3 seconds space between you and the car in front. It also means that some seriously entitled drivers will see this gap as a welcoming VIP red-carpet for their excellent selves to indeed fill that gap, and with that you will have to ease back to maintain your 3 second gap.

Fun fact: not only does the 3-second rule protect you (somewhat) from rear-ending the car in front, it can help to protect the car in the next lane just in case they have to take evasive action, which again ultimately protects you from becoming the victim of someone else’s poor driving.

‘Tis the Season for road trips and being enraged by carparks
The NRMA reports that there’s usually an increase in car park collisions during the Christmas period due to the volume of traffic multiplying in and around shopping precincts. Motorists are encouraged to be more alert for other drivers, pedestrians and small children in these areas.

Ultimately, we just want to remind you that at this time of year especially, please be safer, please be more patient, more gracious, more attentive and more alert when you’re out on the roads this Christmas and New Year.

Don’t forget, we have a number of safe driving resources on the Motor Vehicle page of our website that you are free to download.