Dear Mabs
My husband’s birthday is coming up and he has been hinting at getting an advanced driving course gift card. He is an impatient driver, always yells at other motorists, and loves to drive fast. He gets frustrated that we don’t own a vrrrpha and calls our entry-level SUV a donkey.
His idea of an advanced driving course is getting behind a million-rand car on a racetrack and burning rubber all day. On the other hand, I would like him to learn to be a more responsible, safer, and courteous driver. Is there a course that can ensure that he has fun and also learn to be a safer driver?
This is a great move on your part and your husband. He’s really lucky to have you by his side.
Most people relax and do not improve their driving skills once they acquire their driver’s license. However, a driving license is only the beginning of a long journey as a motorist. Lots of habits have to be unlearned and new ones adopted along the way.
Advanced driving or defensive driving are often used interchangeably. However, the meaning is different. Ideally, each year all motorists should sign up for some form of defensive driver training course and ensure they have advanced skills and are equipped to navigate the conditions of our roads and reduce road carnages.
Fortunately, you don’t have to look far to get your husband one of the best days of his life. Most motoring manufacturers offer a variety of driver advancement courses. Naturally, people drift towards courses that are fast and furious, a day on the track courses. I understand they imagine themselves being Formula 1 drivers for a day. While these look like lots of fun on the track, basics such as safety and defensive driving are always covered. These include driving on wet roads and other road conditions as well as avoiding a multitude of obstacles. They also cover speed and the time it takes to bring a car to a complete stop when one is speeding. This will certainly open your husband’s eyes and hopefully change his attitude towards speeding. This falls under advanced driving courses.
On the other hand, defensive driving is approached from a safety perspective. Sadly, on the surface, it does not have the sex appeal of advanced driving courses but it is absolutely critical. These courses are approached from a holistic perspective and address the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, who tend to be high on the list of casualties of road fatalities. South Africa also has one of the highest pedestrian accidents in the world. Added to the courses is how to defend yourself and drastically reduce your chances of falling victim to car hijacking or getting involved in an accident. I personally advocate for these and believe that empowering an individual with tools that can save their life is the best gift you can ever give them.
I have done many such courses over the years and it is amazing how one still remembers the information learned from as way back as the first or second course. The programmes equip you with many basics such as being alert while on the road to handling the car to get out of sticky situations. In fact, one course could help raise your road awareness to unbelievable levels.
Please shop around online and see what all the manufactures are offering. Please come and tell us once he has attended, we would like to hear if there have been any change in his attitude.
