I'm a pretty good driver, all things considered. At least that's what I always tell myself, as I'm sure everyone else does.
But we weren't even out of the parking lot before St. Albert driving instructor Sharon Burns pointed out that I, too, make some common mistakes.
"So complete stops are one thing," she said. "That is a common thing to see."
I was thrown off because I didn't even really think about it. I got myself into the habit of thinking rolling stops are OK, but if you don't stop completely you could end up ticketed for running the stop sign.
It's a minor mistake, I tell myself as I continue northeast on Hebert Road and take a left on Cunningham. But within two minutes of my first mistake, I made another. I was watching for the school-zone sign, and failed to slow to 30 km/h coming around the curve.
"There's also a 30 sign for the curve, and it's always there," Burns said. "It's very easy to miss those."
So much for being a pretty good driver, all things considered. But at least I can take comfort in knowing I'm not alone in making some of the more common mistakes on the road.
Burns explains in her view the vast majority of drivers are good, cautious and safe – but they're also human.
"Everybody's human, and everybody makes mistakes now and again," she said, noting everyone needs reminders and needs to learn how to do it in the first place. "Nobody's born with a driver's licence."
Burns shared some of the most common errors she sees – and how to correct them – to help Gazette readers bone up on some of the basics as back-to-school season rolls around.
Back to school
At this time of year, paying attention to school-zone speed limits is especially important, with thousands of students in the city heading back to the classroom – and enjoying the last bit of warm outdoor weather to boot.
"St. Albert has so many schools, so it's critical to be noticing them," Burns said.
The speed limit is 30 km/h in school zones, which are in effect during school hours. They should not be confused with playground zones, which have the same rules but are typically in effect until sundown.
It's not enough to just keep an eye out for the signs, but drivers should actively be searching for them when driving in residential areas.
"It's really easy to miss playground and school zones, especially in the summer with the foliage on the trees," she said. "You have to be searching for things like that."
Seeing it all
"The biggest mistake people make is not getting the big picture, not scanning enough," she said.
While drivers tend to focus just on the road in front of them, or what's happening at the next light, Burns explained it's crucial to be checking your mirrors, looking blocks ahead, and working that into your plan to minimize any risks.
For example, if you're paying attention and see a pedestrian approach an intersection a block or two away, then it doesn't matter if they're blocked by a parked car as you approach, because you already know they're there and can respond accordingly.
Distractions
It's something traffic enforcement agencies tell us all the time, and it's something anyone can see out on the road every single day: distracted driving.
"There's no time to take your eyes off the road," Burns said. "A lot can happen in one second. The guy in front of you hits the brakes, then there's a collision because people weren't prepared."
And while the first image that comes to mind is someone using their cell phone, there are dozens of kinds of other distractions like smoking, eating, drinking a coffee or even fiddling with the radio dial.
Those self-inflicted distractions compound the distractions inherent in any roadway like a flashy car, a neon sign, or the soccer game going on in the field you're driving past. There are enough distractions out there without adding your own and assuming you can still drive safely.
"People think they can do it, and they can't," she said. "It's like a ticking time bomb until something happens, and they're not able to react in time."
Merging
Most of us at one point or another have cursed as we watch people merging onto Anthony Henday Drive. Burns said it's important to remember that merging is a shared responsibility.
Drivers in both lanes that merge into one must make the space for each other – ease off the gas to give people room to merge.
"I've seen that where the cars are just steady in the lane you need to get in to. They could change lanes to help you, or let off the gas to give you a little more space, and they don't."
Turning safely
It seems pretty straightforward, but Burns said there are plenty of people out there who are still getting it wrong.
"One of the most common errors I see is people starting their left turns too soon," she said. "They're starting to turn before they're even in the intersection."
The proper way to do it is to fully enter the intersection keeping your wheels straight, and not turn the steering wheel until it's safe to finish your turn.
Burns said she sees people turning their wheels before it's safe to go, not entering the intersection at all, or cutting the corner too close when making the turn.
She emphasized the need to already be in the intersection when the light turns yellow to make the turn legally.
Yellow lights
Closely related to this last point is the safety issue of running yellow lights. When someone runs a yellow light where a vehicle is waiting to turn, that increases the risk of collision.
"I see that a lot. You have a yellow light, then it changes to red, and you see a couple more cars go," she said.
This can present risks for someone turning left, who might think you're slowing down when you're not. The correct way to handle yellow lights is to only go through them if there's no possible way to stop safely in time.
Burns noted that despite the aggravation they may cause some drivers, she welcomes the changes to left-turns along St. Albert Trail. Left turns can now only be made when there's a special left-turn signal, so cars no longer have to turn in front of oncoming traffic.
"It's so much safer now," she said.
