To be a safe and responsible driver it’s essential to review and adjust your behaviour over your lifetime. Keeping up to date with changes in the law and driving technology, as well as regularly and honestly reviewing your performance as a driver, will make all the difference to your own safety and other people’s safety. As you progress through a lifetime of driving, there’ll be changes in circumstances. The context in which you drive will change and you’ll also probably change as an individual.

For example, there are likely to be changes

to the law and to the rules of the road
to vehicle and related technologies
in your personal circumstances
in the reasons why you drive
in your health and physical condition
in your attitudes and behaviours.

Safe and responsible drivers make sure they maintain their skills by reviewing their driving and continuously seeking to improve.

As a continuously improving driver you should

learn from experience
avoid becoming self-satisfied and thinking you know everything
watch out for the development of bad habits. Try to keep your driving up to the standard you were taught and, if you think it’s slipping, do something about it
develop and maintain considerate and responsible driver behaviours.

The competent driver needs

a sense of responsibility
to concentrate on the task of driving
good anticipation
patience
confidence
courtesy and consideration.

There’s a wide range of opportunities for drivers who want to review and assess their driving, develop their competence and respond to changing circumstances. For example

read The Official DVSA Guide to Better Driving, which explores how emotions, attitude and behaviour can affect your driving. It will also teach you – through real-life scenarios and test-yourself questionnaires – how to manage stress and anxiety behind the wheel
newly qualified drivers can take a Pass Plus course
you can practise your driving with an experienced accompanying driver, who can give you feedback on how you’ve driven
if you already have a licence, but feel that you could do with improving your skills or you’ve lost your confidence, you can book some lessons with an ADI
advanced driving courses are available if you want to improve your driving further.

If you find the context of your driving has changed, it’s important to review and assess your skills and knowledge in the new environment. For example, you may have to drive for work or as a new parent, or you may move from the city to the countryside. As the context changes you may find that you need additional training, knowledge or support.

Driving for work

Driving for work is one of the most high-risk contexts in driving, because of the amount of time you’ll spend behind the wheel and the pressure you may be under. If you drive for work – perhaps a van or a company car – you’ll probably face lots of different driving conditions and you may be expected to reach your destination quickly. In this situation, you and your employer should think about how to balance your work commitments with driving within the law. Your stress and fatigue levels should also be taken into account.

All drivers

All drivers need to be alert to changes in their physical or mental condition. Ill-health or relevant age-related changes can have a significant impact on driving and should be considered and addressed.

Constantly and honestly reviewing how well you’re driving should help you have a long and safe driving career.

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