We all like to think that we are good drivers; unfortunately, in many cases, this is simply not true. Driving is defined as the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle; this sounds easy but to do it properly takes skill. Sadly, many people have not learned that skill because they were never taught correctly.

Learning to drive is not just a case of sitting with someone who has a license and watching what they do and then having a go yourself. If the person teaching has bad habits, they are passed on to the student and the poor driving continues.

I see "Driving School Cars" making the most basic errors and displaying poor driving techniques whilst teaching pupils to drive; this cannot be acceptable and standards must be set before anyone can become a driving instructor or the poor driving will continue.

Pedestrians or other road users may be seriously injured or killed if we drivers make an error of judgement. Unfortunately, many drivers that we must rely on - taxi drivers and mini bus drivers - show a lack of respect and courtesy for their passengers who have trusted their wellbeing to that driver.

They are supposed to be professional drivers who should set the standards but are some of the worst offenders; they can be seen overtaking where there is a solid white line, overtaking on bends where they have poor visibility or they pull onto or off the road without checking if it is safe to do so. Breaking these rules can have catastrophic results and a serious accident is a high probability.

There are very simple driving techniques that can prevent an accident or injury and, over the next few weeks, I will describe ways that can reduce accidents and keep people safe on the roads.

Children are the most vulnerable on our roads and parents must teach them basic safety rules and explain why playing at the side of the road is dangerous. In this first article, I will deal with children and the role parents have to play in ensuring their child’s safety on the road.

In this country, a child is injured every day; sometimes it is a small injury from which the child quickly recovers but there are times when children die. It is not always the fault of the driver but, invariably, he (or she) is blamed; in the case of a fatal accident, the driver will have it on his conscience for the rest of his life. In many cases, it is the parent’s fault as they have not explained to their child how to cross a road safely - so let us remedy that straight away.

Simple rules for crossing the road

• Stand at the side of the road where you can see and be seen; if you cannot see the car, the driver cannot see you.

• Look left, then right and then left again.

• If the road is clear then it is safe to cross.

• Walk - do not run - straight across the road until you are safely on the other side.

Children should not play at the side of the road as a vehicle cannot stop as quickly as a child can run into the road; many children get badly injured as they run after footballs or other items. Parents, you must explain these simple rules or your child could be killed.

Drivers have an important role to play; when going past schools or hospitals, through rural villages - in fact anywhere where pedestrians, especially children, may be present - please keep your speed down. It is a fact that, at 32 km per hour, nine out of ten pedestrians involved in a collision survive; at 50 km per hour, half are killed and, at 65km per hour, only one in ten survives.

The simple lesson is that speed kills so please KILL YOUR SPEED AND NOT A CHILD.

The Speed Limit going past schools and hospitals is 25km per hour; it is 30km per hour through most villages and built-up areas. Remember that to stop safely and effectively, you need good tyres, good steering, good brakes and good concentration; the failure of any one of these could result in a fatal accident.

Drive safely and considerately and we will all get home safely; it is better to arrive five minutes late than not to arrive at all. The last thing the police want to do is knock on your door to tell you your child or loved one has been involved in an accident or, worse, killed in an accident; so reduce the probability of that happening and DRIVE CAREFULLY.