The easy theory book
One can drive safely in traffic if they are focused, know the rules, and overall are attentive and calm. However, there are several factors that especially apply to new and young drivers in traffic, where there is particular risk. Now we will review the risk factors again and delve deeper into the consequences of the following factors:
Speed, alcohol, drugs, traffic-dangerous medicine, and failure to use seat belts all contribute to increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Regarding the first point, every fourth traffic fatality is due to alcohol. This means that the driver has consumed too much alcohol to drive safely. Young people are much more likely to drive under the influence of alcohol than adults aged 35-44, so it's a real risk factor. You may be responsible for yourself, but if you encounter young drivers, there is a much greater risk that they have been drinking compared to adults or older drivers.
Some believe that they can gauge how well and safely they are driving just by not drinking 'too much'. But it's not possible to determine. There are many factors at play, and there are many myths about what can help reduce blood alcohol content: coffee, water, a run, fresh air. This is obviously incorrect, and the police can accurately check blood alcohol content, so there are no easy shortcuts to lower blood alcohol content than allowing time for the alcohol to metabolize in your body.
To give an example: Just two beers can be enough to exceed the legal blood alcohol limit. A night's sleep or a few hours of sleep is also not enough. At parties where alcohol consumption is high, blood alcohol content is typically still too high to drive in the morning. Many people are not aware of this. The legal limit for driving is 0.5 per mille. Especially if you have just obtained your driver's license for the first time, the consequences are significant: You can receive a large fine, have your driver's license suspended, be banned from driving, and have to attend a new ANT course (alcohol, drugs, and traffic). You also have to take a retest. If your blood alcohol content is over 2.0, your driver's license is suspended for 3 years unconditionally.
Consider how you can avoid driving under the influence of alcohol. Share a taxi. Use public transportation. Walk home. Stay at the place where the party was held. Agree on who will stay sober and drive home. And remember, it's also your duty to stop people who want to drive under the influence of alcohol, whether they have clearly been drinking or if you suspect they have been drinking. You can call the police if you cannot prevent them from driving. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is very serious. As mentioned earlier, it results in many traffic fatalities.
As for drugs, some of the same points apply. Firstly, it is prohibited, and there are strict consequences, including fines, suspension of driver's license, and driving bans, if you hold a driver's license for the first time. You have to undergo the ANT course, retake the driving test, and receive a hefty fine. It is life-threatening to get behind the wheel if you have taken drugs. Different drugs have different effects, and if you mix drugs, the effect is impossible to predict.
Amphetamines make you over-energetic and make you drive with high risk. Marijuana clouds your mind and makes you unresponsive and sluggish in reacting to dangers and overall, what is happening in traffic. Cocaine has a stimulating effect and, like amphetamines, makes you drive 'over-geared' and risky. So, it's clear that all of this is very dangerous for you and your fellow road users and combining it with alcohol makes it even worse for safety.
Regarding the third point, driving at high speeds is the cause of most accidents. People who drive too fast cannot assess traffic correctly or in time and lose control of the car. Especially in rural areas, where there may be long straight stretches, no other vehicles on the road, or other factors that invite speeding, it can be tempting. Especially young men aged 18-19 tend to drive too fast. It's life-threatening for themselves and passengers – and the faster, the worse the damage to people and vehicles. You will receive penalty points on your driver's license and a hefty fine if you drive more than 30 percent faster than allowed. If you exceed 60 percent over the allowed speed, you will be banned from driving, and if you drive faster than 100 km/h and 100 percent over the allowed speed, your driver's license will be suspended unconditionally.
If you are a new driver (within the first three years of having your driver's license) and you drive too fast, you will lose your driver's license with more than two penalty points, have to take a new test, receive new instruction, take the ANT course, and be banned from driving. In short, you have to 'reacquire' your driver's license, as it is called.
It's obvious that driving too fast is dangerous. If caught, you will either receive a fine, penalty points on your driver's license, or lose your driver's license, preventing you from driving. If you are in a car where the driver is speeding, you should inform the driver and try to get them to drive responsibly and according to the rules.
Conditional objective liability has been introduced. This means that when you lend out your car (as an owner or user) to someone who drives too fast, is under the influence of alcohol, or has taken drugs, you can also receive a fine for what has happened.
This can happen if the person is caught in automatic traffic control and is not driving more than 30 percent too fast, so they do not lose their driver's license or receive a driving ban.
If the offenses are more severe, then the person is responsible. But it means that it's also your problem if the person borrowing the car breaks the law.
Wearing a seat belt is mandatory. Even if you're just driving 10 km/h, you will be propelled forward in the event of a collision and often sustain injuries if you are not wearing a seat belt. If you wear a seat belt while sitting in the front, you have a 50 percent better chance of survival. For those sitting in the back seat, they have a 25 percent better chance of survival. Every fourth traffic fatality is due to not wearing a seat belt while driving or riding in a car.
The seat belt is important. Airbags are not enough. It only works as safety when used together with a seat belt – otherwise, it can even be dangerous.
When the car rolls over, you are very vulnerable because you can be thrown out of the car and get stuck. This typically happens at high speeds and most often when young drivers are driving the car.
I forhold til sele og andet sikkerhedsudstyr i bilen er du ansvarlig for, at alle i bilen bruger det rigtigt. Sig til dem, at de skal tage sele på, og kører du ovenikøbet med børn under 15, kan du få bøde og klip i kørekortet, hvis du ikke sørger for, at de er spændt fast og evt. bruger autostol, hvis der er tale om små børn.
Du får også selv klip i kørekortet, hvis du ikke bruger sele, og får du to klip inden for tre år som ny bilist, frakendes du dit kørekort og skal generhverve kørekortet som før beskrevet.