Be a better and assertive driver

Most of us spend a lot of time in our car. And frankly, we may not always drive as courteously or safely as we should, potentially putting ourselves and others in danger.
This is merely because of our setup. There are simply too many cars and narrow roads with many drivers having learnt the art while on the job with no fundamentals impacted onto them.
By virtue of the circumstances, everyone becomes an aggressive driver, many times rightly so.
However aggressive driving doesn’t mean you drive carelessly with disregard to other road users.
There are things, as mentioned below, that you can do to be a better driver.

Trust yourself
Trusting yourself is extremely important no matter what kind of driving you are doing. You must be able to drive without fear or anxiety, both of which can cause accidents.
Confidence in your driving skills helps you to understand the road and the driving patterns of the people on it.
Do not drive when you are tired, medicated or upset. Volatile states of mind can easily lead to accidents, You should always be clear headed and focused before getting behind the wheel.

Be decisive
Hesitation and mistrust go hand in hand. Driving requires quick thinking and decision making.
It is certainly dangerous to hesitate on the road and has the potential to create havoc. Therefore, trust yourself to make good decisions and be aware of other drivers on the road.

Speeding
When it comes to assertive driving, speeding becomes an interesting subject. However, even as assertive driving command a certain degree of speed, you should not be careless.
For instance, many drivers will step on the pedal at the stretch between Jinja Road lights and Wampewo Avenue only to slow down five seconds later. This is simply unsafe as it puts you and other drivers in danger.
Be cooperative
Driving should not be competitive and an assertive driver understands this perfectly well because it keeps them and other drivers safe.
An assertive driver always watches out for others making sure that no one is placed in danger.
Many drivers will swerve from one lane to another with occasional brakes that inconvenience other drivers. This is common on roads such as Entebbe Road that usually have low levels of the traffic chaos that you find in cities.
Assertive driving does not include running through amber lights, one of the main causes of accidents at light intersections.

Be hyper-aware of you surrounding
Make sure that you pay attention to what is going on behind you, in front and in the sides at all times.
Also make sure that you avoid engaging in distractive behaviour such as texting or adjusting other things such as the radio or mirrors while driving or on the highway.
You must also ensure that you sweep through your mirrors to know what is behind you.

Road rage
One of the most important things an assertive driver must always remember is that road rage is a dangerous and ineffective way of dealing with bad drivers.
Road rage reduces your concentration, increases your likelihood of getting into an accident due to the distraction and may provoke dangerous and harmful reactions from other drivers.

Defensive driving
One of the biggest factors of being an effective and successful driver is to be a good defensive driver.
Defensive driving requires that you have a good sense of anticipation that will enable you to spot danger and avoid being a victim.
This will be achieved through leaving enough space between yourself and other cars to be able to pull up on the side in case of eventualities.

Danger of honking
Honking is only appropriate in particular circumstances and it should never be overdone simply because it irritates and distracts the attention of other drivers.
If you have to honk it is only proper that you politely tap your horn to call the other driver to attention.
You have heard drivers honking in traffic jam but this is simply useless because not even your horn will make cars to move faster as you might want.
Restrain yourself because the more you honk the more frustrated you will become.