Put your knowledge to the test!
Believe it or not most people feel that they are pretty good drivers. It is not something that people are very good at self-assessing. When looking at this subject online it is amazing how many sites are willing to rate your driving skills for you. Some of the sites are fairly legitimate (http://goo.gl/ExNiZ3) and some are just silly (http://goo.gl/cAl4K3). This last one has the category of “Good enough to get away from a group of zombies” as a realistic assessment of your skills.
But what they most have in common are a set of good, common sense questions to help you determine if your skills are up to snuff or maybe, just maybe, you might need a little refresher course (WirelessDefensiveDriving.com of course!). Questions about how you stick to the speed limit, whether you check your mirrors, use your turn signals and how you grip the steering wheel. All very objective, which is why most of us come out looking better than we probably should.
There is one thread in most of the listings for rating your skills: Most people admit that others might not see them as quite as good as they see themselves. Comments such as “I would give myself an 8 but my wife or friends would probably say 4 or 5” abound. There are numerous chat rooms that concur with this idea that we may be just over inflating our own abilities a smidge. Like I said, all very objective.
But lo and behold, just as I was becoming convinced that there was no realistic way to judge one’s driving, I discover: There’s an App for That! Actually I found 2! On the Google Play page I found the Rate My Driving app for Android then saw another called Motor Mate by Confused.com. Both function in about the same way by monitoring driving behavior using GPS data. The app knows where you are driving and records how you react to road types, situations and driving environments. It does this by looking at how you brake, your speed, taking corners, slowing and speeding up, etc.
One app claims to be able to give you a clear picture of your driving ability after you have driven 250 miles. They say by driving 250 miles the score is an accurate reflection of your ability across a variety of road types, times, environments and situations. At least one of these apps is sponsored by an insurance company.
Whether you go online to take a survey or use an app on your phone it is always a good idea to refresh your driving skills by taking a defensive driving course. It can also often reduce your insurance premiums. Check with your insurer then log into WirelessDefensiveDriving.com.
