If you drive a lot, the chances are you appreciate it when other drivers are courteous towards you. Courteous driving is more than just following the road rules. In fact, there are some unwritten road rules that help to make everyone’s drive more enjoyable.
Australians like driving
Australians are experienced drivers. In the year to June 2023, we drove 254 billion kms in 21.2 million registered vehicles. That means each vehicle travels nearly 12,000 kms a year – or 1,000 kms a month.
Experienced drivers discover there are cases where it’s not clear what you should do.
For example, imagine you’re on a very narrow road or a wider road but with parked cars on both sides. Another car approaches you – who should pull in and allow the other through? Or let’s say you allow someone to come into the queue in front of you. Do they have to acknowledge your generosity?
This is when some of the unwritten road rules are as important as the formal ones.
Some courteous unwritten road rules
In early 2024, Youi did some research with 2,000 drivers around Australia to find out whether they were aware of five unwritten road rules. It also asked whether they actually put them into practice. Here they are:
1. Show gratitude with courteous wave
If you give someone right of way or let them merge into your lane, you’re going out of your way for them. The unwritten rule is they give you a casual wave to thank you.
2. Acknowledge other drivers
If you lift your index finger off the steering wheel, it’s a way of respecting and acknowledging other drivers. This seems more common in the country but it’s another form of gratitude anywhere.
3. Know how to zip merge
A zip merge works well in heavy traffic as long as drivers follow the unwritten rule. When cars are merging into your lane, you need to let in one car but no more. The driver behind you will let in the next car.
4. Recognise pedestrian rights of way
If you give a pedestrian right of way, whether or not there’s a marked crossing, you’re being courteous. As long as it’s safe to stop, you can do this when a pedestrian is crossing the road or about to step out.
5. Let someone reverse park
If you give someone time to reverse park, without driving around them, you’re being courteous. It’s an unwritten rule but it helps to make parking less stressful.
Act on unwritten road rules
In the NSW section of the survey, there was quite a gap between knowing an unwritten rule and actually acting on it. This was particularly true for acknowledging other drivers and giving them time to reverse park:
- Courtesy wave 85% know, 60% do it
- Reverse parking 84% know, 55% do it
- Merging 73% know, 51% do it
- Acknowledgement 61% know, 32% do it
- Pedestrian rights 54% know, 39% do it.
The least known unwritten rule in NSW was giving pedestrians right of way. However, this can sometimes backfire when pedestrians expect right of way and just step out.
There are other unwritten rules, such as not parking your car too close to the one in front or behind. Another is making sure you park wisely so the maximum number of cars can park along a busy kerb. Finally, it’s worth being extra kind to learner drivers. We were all one of those once.
Read more about how to be a more courteous driver.
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