How to keep your drivers licence and your points.

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How to keep your drivers licence and your points.

We all enjoy going for a drive, just not as much as we used to. In our modern age, it is nearly an artform in how to keep your drivers licence and your points. It is characterised by speed cameras, enforcement and penalties, that are not encouraging, but forcing people to focus on their speed, more than the activity of driving. this is why it is becoming such a challenge in How to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

How to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

Revenue from speeding related offenses alone exceeds $2bn per annum and additionally each year the revenue from road-related taxes and charges exceeds spending on roads by more than $4 billion  LEARN MORE

Even audits on the subject state that we are over governed and the consequences of it, the problem is we cannot change this, all we can do is adapt. It is all about How to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

costs of poor driving

How to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

Now we all agree there is no such thing as safe speeding. Most accidents actually occur at or below the posted speed limit. None of us actually hop into the car to crash, let alone to break the laws.

Enforcement: All cars manufactured before 2006 were allowed a 10% +/- error in speedo calibration. LEARN MORE

Now that has been moved to 1% with some cameras, the problem is how speedos actually read. They are not governed by GPS or modern technology, they simply measure the rotating speed of the last part the wheel is connected to HOW SPEEDOS WORK

So everything is calibrated by the engineers and the moment you start driving, it is out. Infact that could be by as much as reading 114km/h at 100kph. alternatively, it can also be 90km/h at 100 kph, and you would not know.

When you change your tyres they can be larger or smaller in terms of rolling diameter by up to 10%, depending on where the molds and tyres are made. This is why the vehicle manufacturers have an engineering discrepancy.

Too slow, we become disengaged, that is fatigue in driving.

How to check your cars speedo for accuracy

To ensure your speedo is accurate, get a GPS app, use WAZE or Automate, they are closer to accurate and provide a base line for reference. Yes, I know, the irony of having to use your phone whilst driving to ensure you are not braking other laws when driving…….. It is all about How to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

Why we all get caught speeding.

Speed limits and enforcement used to be pretty simple. 60kph in built up areas, 100 kph in open areas. Now we have variations from 50kph all the way to 130kph (Northern Territory) Additionally there are no set parameters for speed limits. We have all been on roads that are four lanes at 100 kph and then go into two lanes and up to  110 kph, how is anyone supposed to keep up with such an every changing and dynamic environment. Of Course the Police all now where these spots are that catch motorists out and they are ready to take advantage.

I use an app called WAZE  this not only provides a GPS reading of your speed, it overlays with the speed limit of the road and notifies you if you are speeding. it is the most accurate I have found of all the apps I have tested. It also provides a live community with people notifying of speed traps, road hazards and other things we all like to know before we hit the congestion.

Police fine - Cartoon

The change in driver behaviour required to keep your drivers licence and your points by not exceeding the speed limit.

I remember back in the day, I never braked, literally never. I anticipated conditions, used the car and life was good.

Then it become militant in terms of enforcement. We teach all of our learner drivers in the Total Driver program, that speed zones are like different states. One side is 80kph and the other is 60 kph, you must be doing 60 before you cross the line. It is how a lot of them fail the driving test for speeding and also how a lot of people get fined on their trip.

Summary, slow down, brake and ensure you are doing the new speed, before crossing the line, also when speeding up, do not do so before the new posted limit. I hear of a lot of people who are caught as they accelerate up the exit ramps onto motorways, yes, I know that is what they are there for, I know we all complain about peoples inability to merge, but  we are talking about a Billion Dollar per year industry here.

Speed management

Once you know your speedos real accuracy, we need to change and or modify our behaviour so we are at or below the speed limit. Ego aside, we all work too hard for our money to give it away and once we get used to the change, it does become normal. Always drive knowing you are below the speed limit, that way if you do over run or build up on a down hill run, you have a margin for error.

Use your apps, Automate or WAZE for their warnings, including the ever changing speed limits, to keep you alert.

Whether you agree with speed laws or not and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that they are achieving the opposite, we have no choice to but agree and exercise compliance to keep our jobs, families and mortgages on track.

turn the cruise control off, get more engaged with your driving. Give your self targets and objectives using your cars dash display, how little fuel you can use,  How subtle your acceleration to keep pace with traffic, practice your vision and planning, steering techniques. Find ways to entertain and amuse your self, using as little of the car as possible whilst keeping pace with traffic flow, as you reconnect with the art of driving

 

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Graduates of Total Driver have a 400% reduction in accidents over the first 3 years of obtaining their license, in comparison to the national average*.

The question we ask all supervisors:

“Will you bet your child’s life you have the skills to teach the art of driving?”