The spate of fatal accidents during the Christmas and New Year holidays and the tragedy of the honeymooning couple from Singapore killed in a nasty road accident in New Zealand prompted me to write this article.
Driving in a foreign country brings with it attendant risks, unless motorists equip themselves with proper driving skills, etiquette and common sense.
A report in The New Zealand Herald (January 3, 2013) said that long driving times, driver fatigue, rural roads, poor handling and failure to keep to the left side of the road caused more than 400 deadly crashes by overseas drivers on New Zealand roads last year.
Awareness helps
People driving in foreign countries could avoid being involved in traffic incidents if they obey the basic rules and exercise common sense.
We often hear of people driving in unfamiliar locales in foreign countries tending to follow the driving habits of their home country.
It does not take a nuclear scientist to acknowledge that such habits may not suit conditions in different countries.
Take for instance unfamiliar road conditions in New Zealand where different types of terrain, weather and road surface combine with scenic vistas of natural beauty to unsettle a foreign driver and cause him or her to lose concentration.
Of course, local drivers who are familiar with road conditions are no exception!
To make matters worse, the tendency to speed on long stretches of straight roads without sufficient rest is compounded by a lack of defensive driving skills when driving on such roads.
The fact that many motorists do not observe basic road etiquette and rules even when driving on their own local roads, let alone foreign ones is not often discussed.
The Highway Code test teaches learner drivers to use directional signs when turning, negotiating bends, overtaking and slowing down. Yet, it is common to see drivers flouting these vital indicators when driving in foreign countries.
Lacking courtesy
One has only to stand by a road junction on a local road to see the lack of courtesy displayed. In many Asian and African countries, for example, few motorists use the left or right indicator to show their intentions.
Many do not give adequate signs when overtaking or switching lanes. Yet others tend to hog on to the fast lanes, restricting traffic flow and causing inconvenience and potential danger to themselves and to other motorists.
Many countries such as Australia, New Zealand, UK and US enforce strict driving rules and habits to all motorists, whether they are local or from overseas.
Having lived and driven extensively in North and South Islands in New Zealand over the last 15 years, I request people from overseas to be aware of the traffic rules and road etiquette and observe them. This would ensure their safety and that of others.
It pays to be courteous, not only at home but also in the community, at work and in the society.
The need for good driving habits cannot be overemphasised, because it is better to be safe than sorry.
Dr V Subramaniam is our Singapore Correspondent. He is a retired Chartered Accountant with a doctorate (PhD) from the University of Canterbury. He is a member of professional, accounting and management institutes in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and UK.
Picture courtesy: Inspector Gavin McDonald, Road Policing Manager, Auckland City Police District
