During the recent Eid holiday, a driver who incorrectly changed lanes, popularly known as 'cutting in,' caused the deaths of 5 people and injuries to 20. Road and Traffic Safety Consultant Özgür Şener points out that some drivers are unaware of the dangers in traffic, do not know traffic rules, and even those who do know the rules do not obey them. He adds that some drivers knowingly violate traffic rules. Şener, drawing attention to the mandatory 14-hour practical training period for those seeking a driver's license, states that if individuals exhibiting 'life-changing' behavior instead of 'lane-changing' behavior are identified, their driver's licenses should be revoked, and they should not be allowed to drive vehicles again.
The license of those who 'cut in' should be revoked and never reissued…
Özgür Şener, Lecturer in Üsküdar Üniversitesi Occupational Health and Safety Program and Road and Traffic Safety Consultant, made evaluations regarding the possible answers to the question 'Why are we still talking about traffic accidents caused by incorrect lane changes and the deaths and injuries in these accidents?' following the 'cutting in' behavior in traffic that caused the deaths of 5 people during the Eid holiday.
Why are we still talking about traffic accidents caused by lane changes?
During the recent Eid holiday, a driver who incorrectly changed lanes, popularly known as 'cutting in,' caused the deaths of 5 people and injuries to 20.
Şener reminded that all obligations and prohibitions regarding lane changing are clearly stated in the Highway Traffic Law No. 2918, and brought up the question, “Why are we still talking about traffic accidents caused by incorrect lane changes and the deaths and injuries in these accidents?”
Şener stated that there are three important reasons for this question and listed them as follows:
- Our drivers not being aware of the dangers in traffic and the risks these dangers can cause.
- Not knowing traffic rules, and those who do know them not obeying them if there is no control and inspection mechanism.
- Furthermore, the necessity of an effective control and inspection system for drivers to drive safely.
Şener stated that with the necessary work done on the first two points starting today, the control and inspection part would largely become unnecessary.
Is 14 hours of training enough to drive in traffic?
Şener, pointing out that the vehicle usage part of the driver's license issuance process in our country focuses on the candidate being able to drive the vehicle from point A to point B, said: “The mandatory practical training period to obtain a Class B driver's license, which is the most common in our country, is 14 hours. During this period, the driver candidate is expected to learn the vehicle's operating functions, adapt to moving traffic, pay attention to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and learn to drive the vehicle without causing damage or crashing into anything. Is it possible? I leave this answer to everyone who drives a vehicle.”
Left mirror - left signal - left mirror - overtake
Şener noted that there are still drivers who use vehicles in traffic without fully learning all these stages, stating: “These drivers exhibit many unsafe driving behaviors while driving. We cannot accept this situation, but these drivers do not intentionally want to endanger traffic. They are making mistakes. What they need is to be informed about the areas where they make mistakes. If they learn what unsafe driving behaviors are, their negative consequences, and what safe behaviors are, they can largely change these behaviors positively.
For example, if a driver who has developed the habit of giving a left signal at the last moment when changing lanes to overtake a vehicle is taught the correct sequence for changing lanes to overtake a vehicle: checking the left mirror, giving a left signal if the road behind is clear for overtaking, re-checking the mirror before leaving the lane to confirm the road behind is clear, overtaking the other vehicle at an appropriate speed, checking the right mirror to confirm the vehicle behind is at a safe distance, giving a right signal, and returning to the original lane, this behavioral change can be achieved. In summary: left mirror - left signal - left mirror - overtake - right mirror - right signal - right mirror - return to lane.”
Some drivers knowingly commit violations!
Road and Traffic Safety Consultant Özgür Şener highlighted that those who 'cut in' exhibit this unsafe behavior knowingly, stating: “They intentionally activate the potential to destroy their own lives and the lives of all living beings in traffic. For some reason, they make themselves, their passengers, or other living beings in traffic pay with their lives for their search for excitement. They commit violations knowingly. This is not acceptable. Because this is not a driving behavior taught or explained anywhere. If individuals driving in this manner are identified, their driver's licenses should be revoked, and they should not be allowed to drive vehicles again.”
They want to change lives instead of lanes!
Şener emphasized that those who try to change lives instead of changing lanes should not be allowed to do so, concluding his words as follows:
“The most important reason for traffic even on our four-lane highways in our country is that our drivers do not know or apply lane change rules, drive at their desired speeds in every lane, and occupy the leftmost lane at inappropriate speeds.”