Final answer:
Regularly checking the traffic behind you is an essential aspect of driving safety. This practice is crucial for making informed decisions on the road and responding to changes in traffic conditions. Awareness of surveillance and psychological factors may also influence driving habits.
Step-by-step explanation:
Checking the traffic behind you frequently is a best practice for safe driving, emphasized in driver education and defensive driving courses. This habit ensures that a driver is aware of the surrounding traffic conditions and can make informed decisions to prevent accidents or respond effectively to changing traffic scenarios.
Awareness of traffic behind the vehicle is crucial for several reasons, including preparing for lane changes, noticing if a driver is tailgating, or anticipating the actions of aggressive drivers. Driving safety is enhanced when drivers maintain a 360-degree awareness of their vehicular environment, which includes regular observation of rearview and side mirrors.
In situations such as being followed by a police car, drivers tend to become more self-conscious and may adjust their driving behavior to comply strictly with traffic laws.
The presence of enforcement or surveillance, like traffic cameras and electronic toll collection systems utilizing transponders, can have a similar effect on drivers' behavior. Technology, including GPS and other tracking methods, can monitor vehicles, which also speaks to the broader issues of privacy and data collection in our society.
Moreover, cognitive psychology describes how routine activities like driving can sometimes transition to an 'autopilot' mode, where we perform complex tasks with minimal conscious effort. Still, a responsible driver should always engage in active and conscious checks of the driving environment, including checking behind them, to ensure safety on the road.