Some drivers believe they are much better than they are and that is a problem for other road users. An overconfident driver can push the boundaries, thinking they can stay in control when really, they can’t. They might only discover their limits when they have a near miss or an actual collision.
While it can apply to speeding and cornering, it can also occur in relation to alcohol. People who drink and drive often think they are still safe to do so, despite numerous campaigns highlighting the dangers. The drivers think that somehow these things apply to other people, but not them, as they can pull it off without a problem.
Setting out to prove drivers how wrong they are
An interesting experiment happened recently in the Japanese city of Fukuoka. The police collaborated with local driving instructors to offer the chance for drivers to learn firsthand just how wrong their confidence in their ability to drive after consuming alcohol was.
The experiment took place on a closed circuit. First, drivers negotiated a set course involving bends and slaloms sober. Then they were given a series of alcoholic drinks and asked to drive the course again. They were also breathalyzed to record their blood alcohol content at each point.
Unsurprisingly, drivers soon learned that their confidence was misplaced. They made all sorts of unsafe errors, such as entering bends too fast, speeding up and slowing down irrationally and even crossing into the wrong lane.
No such scheme currently exists in the U.S. so unfortunately people thinking they can still drink and drive safely is likely to continue being a problem. If they injure you in the process, you’ll need to learn about your legal options.