Top 5 Road Issues You Must Be Aware of Before Driving

 

Driving is an essential skill. Driving is not an easy one. However the skills may easy to acquire, but deploying it could be difficult, especially when driving in unfamiliar terrains and against difficult road issues. Some people advocate that beyond acquiring an essential driver's training lesson, passing driving tests and getting licensed, drivers should continue to improve their driving intentionally. Their claim cannot be disconnected from the different issues a driver may face and have to handle to remain safe expertly. These issues range from the driver, the state of the road, atmospheric conditions to other road users. Among many issues a driver may come across while driving; these five are often recurring road issues.

Reckless and Distracted Driving

A twin problem that takes many lives and causes long-lasting damage. You could be very careful; you might obey all traffic rules and regulations, you might have acquired a driver's training Dublin has to offer, you might be licensed, in fact, you might drive, but you could still be faced with the risks posed by other reckless drivers. Reckless driving refers to a gross disregard for traffic rules and regulations while driving. Such conduct could include speeding, dangerous practices and disregard for road rules and signs.

Distracted driving is also a risky act and a common one. Drivers are now more likely to eat, drink, text, make calls and take selfies while driving. These distractions are significant contributors to road crashes. Talking while on the phone is enough a distraction as it is hard to multitask while driving.

Apart from distracted driving, drunk driving is extremely dangerous. Driving under the influence of alcohol or any other psychoactive substances impairs the judgment of a driver and increases the risk of a crash — the extent of damage increases in accordance with the level of intoxication and the type of substance consumed.

When anyone drives recklessly, every road user at that moment is exposed to risks.  An issue that is common but dangerous is excess speeding. Excess speeding causes road accidents and could cause loss of life and property.

Problems with the Roads

Badly constructed roads or poorly maintained roads could have defects that make driving dangerous. For example, road potholes disrupt smooth driving, often forcing the driver to swerve sideways suddenly to avoid the jump and discomfort bumping into road potholes cause. These sudden swerves increase the likelihood of collision. A collision is more likely with the consideration of the urgency with which a driver reacts to the sight of a pothole.

Beyond the urgency at which a driver may swerve, the driver of a vehicle may slow down at the sight of a pothole, often to cushion the effect of the dip on the vehicle and the passengers in it. Slowing down suddenly could lead to hits from cars coming behind, especially if any of them were tailgating is not reactive enough to the stop ahead.

Many other structural defects or maintenance factors can constitute issues for road users. For instance, faulty street lights can be misleading, and if spoilt, Increases the likelihood of occurrences the street light is intended to prevent. Road obstructions, weeds, and overgrown hedges or trees, road spillages, problems resulting from ongoing, incomplete or abandoned road constructions, wrong, outdated or invisible road signs and markings, the weak crash barrier or guardrails, faulty drainages, and many others are issues arising from problems with the road.

Car Defects

Manufacturing mistakes happen in almost every sector. They also occur in car production too. Car manufacturers can make mistakes in creating some parts or while fixing it. These defects are most often not visible and cannot be easily detected by a general assessment. The sad thing about such defects, though rare is that the defect could pop up in the middle of the road. A car defect often requires driving expertise and a bit of luck to scale through. Car defects are dangerous, though uncommon road issues that can endanger the driver, the passengers, and other road users.

Beyond manufacturing faults, defects can occur from poor maintenance or sudden car faults. Brake failures happen when brakes do not respond, and this can lead to severe injuries or death especially if it occurs at high speeds. Similarly, tires can blow out and go flat while driving. A tire blowout makes the car difficult to control and can make the car swerve uncontrollably. This could spell trouble for all road users.

Weather Conditions

Mud, snow, and rain can make driving difficult. With mud and snow, the road could be obstructed and navigating through it could be difficult. Heavy rain can make the road slippery, making the car more likely to skid and reduce road visibility.

Weather Conditions can make driving harder, and driving against the elements requires expertise.

Traffic Congestion

Oops!  There is a big issue. Long, slow lines that seem to be dragging in an unending chain. What makes it worse is that you are right in that line, like an extension to the elongating snake, and there seems to be no way out of what appears to be the way forward.

Cities are often dense, and a large number of people often need to move at about the same times to achieve their different purposes. Traffic Congestion wastes a lot of time and is very stressful. It is a common road issue.

Remedies to the Road Issues

Distracted and reckless driving can be remedied through proper driver education and road user's enlightenment. Furthermore, stricter road policies and enforcement should be made to handle erring drivers. As a driver, you should undergo training and engage in pre-driving tests to be certified as licensed drivers.

Problems with the road can be addressed by taking proactive measures, encouraging a strong maintenance culture, undergoing regular checks of roads and ensuring the highest standards of construction. Similar practices should be maintained with cars, and car owners and drivers should always check vehicle parts to ensure they are in good, roadworthy conditions

A driver should avoid weather conditions that reduce visibility, and if he is one, he can pull over and stop till the weather is better.

Traffic congestion can be addressed by expanding road capacity, improving public transport systems and adapting to the condition, which could be by devising means such as schedule modification or developing the patience to combat such conditions.

There are numerous other road issues, but these five are quite prevalent.