Driving Tips to Make you a Safer and more Efficient driver

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Kenyans, especially those in Nairobi, learn a host of defensive driving rules and techniques when they are first taught to drive for their driver’s license test. Most of this tends to be forgotten once the test is passed and daily driving becomes a combination of accelerating, braking, steering, and generally trying not to hit anything. There is more to being a great driver.

Some of the best drivers in the world can be found in motorsport.

“Defensive driving is to drive so as to prevent a collision in any road or weather conditions,” says Derek Kirkby, Training Director for advanced driving at MasterDrive and Ford’s own Driving Skills for Life – which is a comprehensive driving program that teaches Kenyan drivers techniques for defensive driving. Kirkby offers a list of driving tips straight from the race track that will make you a better driver on the road:

Hold the steering wheel like a racing driver

Conventional driving instruction teaches us to imagine the steering wheel as a clock-face and to keep our hands at 10 and 2 o’clock. Do not do this, advises Kirkby. This convention is outdated. An airbag can inflate in 0.03 seconds, how quickly can you move your hands and arms out of the way?


Do only one thing at time


 Do not follow

Have you noticed that Formula 1 race cars do not have brake lights? Yet the drivers manage to not crash into each other at every corner. This is because they do not follow the car in front, and neither should you. We instinctively do what the car in front of us does, but you should never allow your decisions to be made by the driver in your path, it is downright dangerous. Why put all your trust in a stranger? Kirkby advises to; rather look ahead, through their car and their windshield if possible and in between the spaces of the car ahead.

Steer with the corresponding hand


The car will go where you are looking

Ever noticed how your car will wonder off in the direction you are looking at, especially, when you get distracted or take your eyes off the road for just a moment? That is hand-eye coordination, and it works for where you want to go. Instead of focusing on the road right in front of you, focus on where you want to go. Essentially Kirkby advises you to look up ahead through the top half of your windshield. Your hands and feet will take you there without you having to even think about it.


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