New drivers do not analyze their surroundings enough to detect dangers.
“Driving a car physically isn’t that difficult. Driving a car safely is all about mental work,” said Steve Frank, co-owner of Pinellas Driving School in Florida and a driving instructor for nearly seven years. “It’s all about thinking, planning and anticipating.”
Thomas gave the example of a distracted driver simply driving forward despite having a green light while looking ahead, which would result in a point deduction on a driving test.
Instead, “just before you enter the intersection, you’re supposed to look in all directions. So I was quickly looking to my left, looking to my right and also checking for pedestrians,” Thomas said.
This lack of focus is one of the most dangerous mistakes that all drivers must unlearn. Even experienced drivers can make the mistake of becoming distracted or looking down at their phones. Distracted driving is dangerous and resulted in the deaths of 3,308 people in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Some people get behind the wheel and don’t understand the magnitude of concentration that driving requires,” said Ken Pupo, a 21-year driving instructor at the Philadelphia Professional Driving School. “Their mind is in Hawaii, and that’s not possible when driving. There’s no downtime.”
