Learning

How you learn to drive and develop as a driver is influenced not only by how you study theory and practise driving, but also by your experiences, habits, and role models.

A very important part of learning is how we let our experiences and other people, especially other drivers, influence us. This part of learning takes place subconsciously and does not end when we get our driver's licence. It continues throughout most of our lives, especially during the first years as a driver.

The habits you form early as a driver are very important. Good habits make your driving safer, while bad habits can be difficult to break.

Your ability to detect and understand risks in traffic is called risk awareness. At first, it can be difficult to judge what is dangerous, but as you gain more experience, you will learn to identify risks earlier and adapt your driving accordingly.

You continue learning even after you get your driver's licence

All experiences in traffic, both positive and negative, influence you as a driver. However, experience does not automatically make you a better driver. What matters is how you reflect on what happens and learn from it.

For example, if you make a mistake, you need to learn from it so that you do not make the same mistake again. The same applies if you see another driver make a mistake – learn from his or her mistake so that you do not repeat the mistake yourself.

Probability learning

Probability learning means that you learn from your experiences in traffic and adapt your behaviour based on what usually happens.

For most people, probability learning is something positive. For example, if you know that children often play next to a certain stretch of road because you have seen them there before, you will probably lower your speed and increase your readiness to act on that stretch.

However, probability learning can also have negative consequences. For example, if you turn left at the same junction every day without ever encountering cross traffic, you may eventually become inattentive. If you then enter the junction without checking properly, there may suddenly be a car coming from the side.

Since this learning process is subconscious, it is important that you actively think about the decisions you make and not just drive out of habit.

Remember: What usually happens in traffic is not always what will happen next time.

Probability learning can be both positive and negative

Learning by imitation

It is not only your own experiences that shape you as a driver. Other drivers and their behaviour in traffic also influence you. When you are young, your parents and friends play a particularly important role in your learning.

Adopting the behaviour of others is called learning by imitation. This type of learning also happens subconsciously and can be both positive and negative.

If you know that a person close to you is driving irresponsibly, it is important that you do not adopt that person's behaviour.

Taking on and learning from other people's behaviour is called learning by imitation

People who do not drive can also influence you. Being influenced by role models, idols, or other people you look up to is called identification. This can affect your behaviour in traffic and can be both positive and negative, depending on the values your role models represent.

Deep, over and surface learning

The concepts deep learning, overlearning, and surface learning describe different ways of learning. These concepts are especially important during the early stages of learning to drive, as there is a lot of new information to understand. However, since you will continue to develop as a driver even after getting your licence, they remain important in the future as well.

Deep learning is something positive and means that you strive to truly learn and understand the context and causes for a traffic rule, rather than just memorising the rule. Through the increased knowledge gained by deep learning, you are able to better understand traffic rules and why they are designed the way they are. Deep learning also causes you to retain new knowledge in a much better way than if you merely study to pass the theory and driving test.

Deep learning leads to a deeper understanding of the traffic rules and to better retention of new knowledge

Over learning is also something positive. It means practising a practical skill, such as reversing or changing gears, until it is so well learned that it becomes almost automatic. This allows you to focus more on the traffic around you instead of on the vehicle controls.

When certain actions have become automatic there is a risk that you rely on routine and miss important changes in the traffic situation. It is therefore important to remain active and attentive at all times when driving.

Surface learning, on the other hand, is negative and occurs when you only try to memorise certain facts and knowledge with the aim of passing the theory and driving test. If you study this way and somehow manage to pass the tests, the ignorance and uncertainty this leads to can have serious consequences at a later time.

Development

After getting your driving licence, you keep developing as a driver. Experience can make a big difference, but only if you learn in the right way.

Most new drivers go through three phases in their development before they become the best driver they can be. Some do it faster than others while some unfortunately stop developing before they reach the final phase.

It is normal to behave a little immaturely or to blindly rely on traffic rules when you are a new driver, but the goal is to develop as quickly as into a responsible and considerate driver. An important part of this is being able to assess your own ability realistically and adapt your driving to your limitations.

There are still many things to learn after getting your driver's licence

Below are the three phases that many drivers go through in their development. This model is simplified, but it helps explain how the way people think and act in traffic can change over time.

Phase 1: Immature and selfish – Acts selfishly and without thinking about the consequences. Often annoy, surprise, and frighten other road users with their impulsive behaviour.

Example: driving too fast to save time or impress others, or taking a chance at a yellow light instead of stopping.

Phase 2: Rule-focused and inflexible – Follows the rules blindly and does not take into account that some situations also require consideration, judgement and flexibility. When other road users violate the rules, they become angry and may act erratically.

Example: continuing to drive because you have priority, even though another driver has already started moving, or using the horn, gesturing and following too closely after someone who has just made a mistake.

Phase 3: Mature and considerate – Follows the rules but can also use their experience and judgement when needed to avoid dangerous situations. Does not get unnecessarily upset and shows understanding for other drivers, even when they break the rules or make mistakes.

Example: slowing down and creating space for a driver who needs to merge into heavy traffic, instead of blocking them and forcing them to stop in a potentially dangerous position.

"In order to avoid traffic accidents, a road user must observe the care and caution required in the circumstances." –Trafikförordningen ch. 2, § 1

Young drivers

Young drivers often have less experience and are therefore more likely to end up in difficult traffic situations. At the same time, it is common, especially in the beginning, for drivers to overestimate their own ability. Others underestimate it and become insecure. Both can lead to dangerous situations in traffic.

Drivers 18 to 19 years old are 5–6 times more likely to be involved in an accident than the average driver. This is caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Bad role models – may lead to excessive risk taking.
• Poor self-knowledge – may lead to an overestimation of driving ability.
• Insufficient traffic experience – may lead to stress and bad decisions in critical situations.
• Unrealistic concept of reality – may be due to, for example, film and television combined with insufficient traffic experience.
• Poor self-control – may lead to bad decisions due to anger.
• Lack of maturity – may lead to impulsive and irrational actions.

There are, of course, many older, more experienced drivers who also have these shortcomings, but they are more common among young drivers. Regardless of age, these traits must be worked on and eliminated.

Drivers 18 to 19 years old are 5–6 times more likely to be involved in an accident than the average driver

Young men and women

Men in general and young men in particular overestimate their own driving skills and reaction abilities to a greater extent than any other group. This is especially common among those who have only had their driver's licence for a couple of years. Their overconfidence can make them feel invulnerable, which often leads them to drive too fast and take unnecessary risks.

Studies of young female drivers show that they more often underestimate their own driving ability compared to young men.

This is about general tendencies at group level and says nothing about how each individual drives.

Accident-prone drivers

Some people have a much higher risk of being involved in accidents than others due to how they think and behave in traffic. These accident-prone drivers only constitute 15% of the population, yet they are involved in about 50% of all traffic accidents.

Accident-prone drivers are often impulsive and take unnecessary risks, they also become angry and offended when someone else overtakes them or makes a mistake

Common to this group is that they:

• Are impulsive and take risks without thinking about the consequences.
• They explain away their mistakes, which means they do not learn from them.
• Are prestige-minded and become offended when someone else overtakes them, honks at them or the like.
• Get very angry and react in dangerous ways when others make mistakes (this is called self-assertion)
• Are reserved and keep a low profile in everyday life but behave in the opposite way behind the steering wheel (this is called reaction formation)
• Do not perceive obviously dangerous situations as risky, or simply ignore risks – especially when they are stressed (this is called repression).

These negative behaviours and personality traits can, of course, also occur among drivers who are not accident-prone.

Older drivers

To a certain extent, people drive in a safer manner as they age and gain driving experience. For example, drivers aged 65–74 are involved in fewer traffic accidents than drivers aged 18–19. Their experience and self-knowledge allow them to adapt their driving to avoid or minimise the risks associated with difficult traffic situations.

Drivers over the age of 75, on the other hand, are as likely to be involved in an accident as drivers aged 18–19, that is, 5–6 times more likely than the average driver. This is because they have impaired senses, poorer reaction abilities and cannot perceive and interpret information as quickly as younger drivers.

Older drivers often have a lot of experience, but some abilities may decline with age

Compared to the average driver, drivers over the age of 75 are more likely to suffer accidents at junctions. They may also encounter problems in other stressful situations where many cars are involved, such as when changing lanes or while entering and leaving motorways and clearways. They also fail to stop at red lights and forget to indicate before turning more often than other age groups.

Show extra consideration for older drivers. By adapting your driving and being patient, you can reduce the risk of misunderstandings and dangerous situations – and help prevent accidents.