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Empower yourself with the right attitude and aptitude to drive safely
Many traffic accidents can be avoided if drivers possess good driving skills and show some commonsense. Proper driving techniques must be inculcated from the start. Otherwise, bad driving habits may form potential dangerous practices.
Most drivers do not sit in the proper driving position or have the correct hand placement on the steering wheel. Operating a vehicle has become so automatic that we no longer pay attention to the way we drive – to the point of being overconfident. Regrettably, after obtaining our license, it can be a long time, if ever, when our driving skills are reassessed. This makes bad habits more difficult to rectify.
When you are behind the wheel, you should always be thinking about the driving task ahead. It pays to constantly look at the road in the front and scan both sides and the rear of the car using the side and rearview mirrors. Keeping close attention on the road will enable timely and appropriate responses.
Disturbances inside and outside your car play major roles in traffic accidents. A common distraction among drivers is the use of the handphone. Try not to use it while driving, even if you are using a hands-free kit. Your concentration on the road can be compromised. Other common distractions are noisy and active children in the car, the split of attention to change a CD or radio station, commotions or accidents on the road.
Nose-to-tail collisions are common accidents. The cause lies in not keeping a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in the front. Practise the 2-second rule. Use a stationary object, such as a lamppost, as your marker. Once the rear bumper of the car in front of you passes the marker, count “one thousand one, one thousand two”. Your car should not reach the marker before or at the same time you count to “one thousand two”. By keeping the minimum safe distance, you have more time to react should the driver in the car ahead make any unexpected movement or stop suddenly.
Avoid one-hand steering. The “pull-push” technique gives you much better control as opposed to using the arms crossover style that we are all too familiar with. These are just some tips to help you become a better driver. To learn more, take up a defensive driving course. It is important to learn about your driving habits and correct them if necessary. The Association organises Defensive Driving Courses regularly. It includes a theory and a practical lesson.
For more information on defensive driving, contact the AA Events and Activities Department at 6831 2140.
Aggie Krasnolucka
is Programmes Director at the FIA Foundation where she looks after its portfolio of road safety interventions as well as leads the Motorcycle Initiative – a global hub of interventions working towards improving motorcycle safety across areas of helmet safety, infrastructure, technology, and legislation.
Previously, she worked across different areas of the international development context including community outreach and engagement, road safety, access to health, private public partnerships as well as fundraising and communications. Aggie holds a master’s degree in social anthropology as well as linguistics and literature.
Professor Wong
is currently a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, University Putra Malaysia. He has been serving the department and the University since 1997. During his service, Professor Wong was seconded to Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), a Statutory Body in Malaysia (with MIROS Act 2012) and a national research institute in Malaysia in December 2007 as the Director of Vehicle Safety and Biomechanics Research Centre. He was then appointed as the Director-General of MIROS in August 2011. His 10-year secondment to MIROS ended in September 2017 and was appointed to be the MIROS Board Director. In February 2022, Professor Wong is appointed as the Chairman of MIROS Board of Directors. Professor Wong is also appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Qatar University. He served as the Special Advisor on Road Safety to the Minister of Transport and Communications Myanmar till 2021. He was appointed to serve in the Steering Committee of the United Nations Road Safety Fund from 2022 to 2024. Recently Professor Wong was appointed as the Fellow of the Academy of Science Malaysia.
Professor Wong has driven the drafting, deliberation and enactment of MIROS Act 2012 by the Parliament of Malaysia. He is also directly and indirectly involved in establishing numerous national and international initiatives and interventions in Road Safety, amongst them are rear seatbelt law, national implementation framework of UN WP29 Regulations, enforcing various UN Regulations on Road Vehicles, airbag fitment, ASEAN New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) for Malaysia, Guideline for Road Safety Audit, Code of Practices for Transport Sector under OSHA Malaysia, ISO39001 road traffic safety management systems and the competence requirements for auditing and certification in ISO17021-7, Pilot implementation of ISO39001 in Malaysia, use of electric cars, motorcycles and bicycles, in-depth crash and accident database, Automated Enforcement System, Mandatory of Electronic Stability Control System, Revision of Drive Under Influence, Malaysian Accident Emergency Call Systems Initiative, Endorsement of 2015 ASEAN Declaration on Road Safety Strategy by ASEAN Transport Ministers, road safety recommendations to the Government of Myanmar with in-Country Expert Mission to Myanmar, and many others.
Mr. Michihiro Toki
is a seasoned mobility and road safety expert with over 25 years at the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). He currently serves as Manager of the Project Development Division in JAF’s Traffic Environment Department, leading national road safety campaigns and sustainable mobility initiatives.
Mr. Toki began his career in 1998 as a roadside assistance patrol officer, gaining hands-on experience with the diverse challenges faced by drivers in Japan. He transitioned to membership promotion in 2006, working with automotive dealers to expand JAF’s member base.
In 2018, he assumed a leadership role at the branch level, overseeing road safety, motorsports, and public relations. As a JAF Certified Safety Advisor, he delivered safety lectures, managed motorsport activities, and led public outreach. Promoted in 2021 to Section Manager, he expanded his role to include Safety Advisor training, PR strategy, and membership benefit development.
Appointed to his current position in 2024, Mr. Toki now directs the training of Safety Advisors nationwide and develops interactive programs for diverse audiences, including international drivers. He collaborates with government and industry partners to tackle traffic safety issues.
Beyond JAF, Mr. Toki serves on national bodies including the Sub Study Group for Advanced Safety Vehicles (MLIT), the Cabinet Office’s Traffic Safety Forum, and as Vice-Chairman of the Training Commission at the Japan Automobile Education Foundation.
Mr. Toki is recognised for his dedication to public safety, his strategic leadership in mobility initiatives, and his deep commitment to enhancing the driving culture in Japan.