Editing Driving (section)

==Driving skills==
[[File:Bus driver (5171124305).jpg|thumb|Driving a bus in traffic.]]
Driving in [[traffic]] is more than just knowing how to operate the mechanisms which control the vehicle; it requires knowing how to apply the rules of the road (which ensure safe and efficient sharing with other users). An effective driver also has an intuitive understanding of the basics of [[vehicle handling]] and can drive responsibly.<ref>{{cite web|title=Driving in France for UK Drivers|url=http://www.conean.com/travel-and-holidays/paris-travel-guide-driving-paris-uk/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419100929/http://www.conean.com/travel-and-holidays/paris-travel-guide-driving-paris-uk/|archive-date=April 19, 2017|publisher=Driving in Paris}}</ref>

Although direct operation of a [[bicycle]] and a mounted [[animal]] are commonly referred to as ''riding'', such operators are legally considered drivers and are required to obey the [[Traffic#Rules of the road|rules of the road]]. Driving over a long distance is referred to as a [[road trip]].

In many countries, knowledge of the rules of the road, both practical and theoretical, is assessed with a driving test(s), and those who pass are issued with a [[driving license]].

===Physical skill===
[[File:Cesta za V. Prapratnu 01935.webm|thumb|Control direction, acceleration, and deceleration.]]
A driver must have physical skills to be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. For motor vehicles, the detailed tasks include:<ref>{{cite web| title=Getting moving| url=http://www.drivingtestadvice.co.uk/Lesson_Help/1__Getting_moving/1__getting_moving.html| publisher=Driving Test Advice| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316042114/http://www.drivingtestadvice.co.uk/Lesson_Help/1__Getting_moving/1__getting_moving.html| archive-date=2009-03-16}}</ref>
* Proper hand placement and seating position
* Starting the vehicle's engine with the [[Automobile self starter|starting system]]
* Setting the [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] to the correct gear
* Depressing the [[automobile pedal|pedals]] with one's feet to accelerate, slow and stop the vehicle and
** If the vehicle is equipped with a [[manual transmission]], to modulate the [[clutch]]
* [[Steering]] the vehicle's direction with the [[steering wheel]]
* Applying [[brake]] pressure to slow or stop the vehicle
* Operating other important ancillary devices such as the [[Turn signals|indicators]], [[headlights]], [[parking brake]] and [[windshield wiper]]s
* Speed and [[Skid (automobile)|skid]] control

===Mental skill===
[[File:Hwy 11 Ontario Winter.JPG|thumb|Observing the environment. Driving in a snowy condition can pose serious hazards. The snow affects the [[vehicle dynamics|dynamics of the car]].]]
Avoiding or successfully handling an emergency driving situation can involve the following skills:<ref>{{cite web| title=Think driving is all about practical skills?| url=http://www.easytodrive.co.uk/| publisher=Easy to Drive| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117095149/http://www.easytodrive.co.uk/| archive-date=2008-01-17}}</ref>
* Observing the environment for road signs, driving conditions, and hazards
* [[Spatial contextual awareness|Awareness of surroundings]], especially in heavy and city traffic
* Making good and quick decisions based on factors such as road and traffic conditions
* Evasive maneuvering
* Understanding [[vehicle dynamics]]
* [[Left- and right-hand traffic]]

[[File:Distracted driving kills, keep your eyes and mind on the road 130417-M-RR352-002.jpg|thumb|[[Distracted driving]].{{quote|Driver distraction is a significant risk factor in traffic. It occurs when attention is diverted away from activities needed for safe driving towards a competing activity|<ref>European Commission (2022) Road safety thematic report –Driver distraction. European Road Safety 
bservatory. Brussels, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport.</ref>}}]]
[[Distracted driving|Distractions]] can compromise a driver's mental skills, as can any [[altered state of consciousness]]. One study on the subject of [[mobile phones and driving safety]] concluded that, after controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, drivers talking on a phone exhibited greater impairment than drivers who were suffering from alcohol intoxication.<ref name="Strayer">{{Cite web |first1=David |last1=Strayer |first2=Frank |last2=Drews |first3=Dennis |last3=Crouch |title=Fatal Distraction? A Comparison of the Cell-Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver |location=University of Utah Department of Psychology |year=2003 |url=http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/DrivingAssessment2003.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411094037/http://www.psych.utah.edu/AppliedCognitionLab/DrivingAssessment2003.pdf |archive-date=2009-04-11 }}</ref> In the US "During daylight hours, approximately 481,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving according to the publication on the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. Another survey indicated that music could adversely affect a driver's concentration."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving|title=Distracted Driving|last=National Highway Traffic Safety Association}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Distracted Driving {{!}} NHTSA |url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |language=en}}</ref><ref>[http://www.infoniac.com/science/hard-rock-and-classic-music-could-lead-to-road-accidents.html Hard-Rock and Classic Music Could Lead to Road Accidents, New Survey Says]; Infoniac.com</ref>

Seizure disorders and Alzheimer's disease are among the leading medical causes of mental impairment among drivers in the United States and Europe.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite journal |last=Appel |first=Jacob |date=2009-06-01 |title=Must Physicians Report Impaired Driving? Rethinking a Duty on a Collision Course with Itself |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/JCE200920204 |journal=The Journal of Clinical Ethics |language=en |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=136–140 |doi=10.1086/JCE200920204 |pmid=19554818 |s2cid=43453501 |issn=1046-7890|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Whether or not physicians should be allowed, or even required, to report such conditions to state authorities, remains highly controversial.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Safety===
[[File:Car Crash 7-1-18 2245 (42450608354).jpg|thumb|Safety is always the most important thing.]]
Safety issues in driving include:
* Driving in poor road conditions and low visibility
* [[Texting while driving]]
* [[Speeding]]
* [[Drug–impaired driving]] and [[driving under the influence]]
* [[Distracted driving]]
* [[Sleep-deprived driving]]
* [[Reckless driving]] and [[street racing]]