The whole country is Lake Wobegon when it comes to drivers - everyone is above average. Just ask them.
So what does it take to really be an above average driver? Is an accident-free or ticket-free record enough? Or are there other characteristics or skills that would distinguish one as a better driver? Your comments welcome.
Assuming you know the rules of the road it all comes down to overall situational awareness. You can have awesome reflexes and great vision but still be a terrible driver. The best drivers are focused on the job of driving and most importantly being aware of others on the road and what they are doing. It’s really just that simple.
Putting driving first.
Constant awareness of the traffic situation.
A desire to be a better driver.
A willingness to admit “I just did something wrong” and try not to do it again.
As much as possible, leave yourself an out. Ex: If you don’t tailgate, you give yourself extra room if you’re surprised by sudden braking.
Don’t have wrecks. Don’t cause wrecks. Don’t get into situations where you have to slam on your brakes. Don’t create situations where other drivers have to slam on their brakes. Know what your car is capable of. Know what common mistakes other drivers might make that might impact your driving. Oh, and don’t forget common mistakes pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. might also make that might impact your driving. Know where you are.
Not trying to enforce their rights nor that of the state, allowing, and actually assisting, the pass, respectful of others.
Bolding added, and all you need to completely answer the question.
Actually I would say that one of the characteristics of a great driver is one who is humble enough to realise that (a) one’s great reflexes and vision probably aren’t actually that great, (b) even if they are, one’s reflexes and vision aren’t going to be able to get one out of many (most?) bad situations, and (c) one isn’t going to be able to focus 100% of the time and one is going to have the odd lapse.
It’s about making allowances for yourself and others.
Really, a vast proportion of traffic accidents are caused by drink driving and speeding and the underlying cause of both is drivers’ belief that they can drive acceptably well despite the difficulty they are creating for themselves.
Pay attention to the road ahead of you, not just the bumper right in front of you. That means that you notice trouble up ahead before it’s too late.
Frequent (like every few seconds) checking of the rearview.
Finding the happy medium between being a timid driver and honking at everything. You should not be afraid to use the horn when necessary without being a jerk.
Also, adjusting your fucking mirrors correctly. It seems that there is a 90% chance that any car I get in will have the mirrors pointed at their own doors. And even if your blind spots are hidden, still turn your head if your vehicle allows visibility through the back.
Fly the plane.
Oh, wait.
We are talking cars here - sorry…
Fly the car.
(Situational awareness, knowing what your vehicle is capable of, caution, on the look-out for other drivers’ mistakes come first to mind).
ETA:
One of the best experiences I did as a teenager was to go out to an empty mall parking-lot (Concord Mall, Elkhart IN) and just spin my newly acquired 1966 Mercury Comet in the the snow and ice-covered pavement. It taught me a whole bunch about how to control the dynamics of a 4-wheel vehicle, and how not to smash into the light pole and attract the local police force.
My best friend was in the passenger seat and we made it back to SW Michigan in good shape.
One of these days, if you buy me a beer or two, I will tell you a tale about getting lost on a country road and realizing it was a T intersection and since it was ice and snow, I skidded to about 5 feet from this couples front room window.
They fed us some Chili, got the tractor out and hauled that dang Impala out to the road and waved us goodbye.
I think knowing what your vehicle is or isn’t capable of is very important, as is knowing how it will react to what you do. Another big thing is always assume no one else on the road is paying attention, so you need to know what is going on around you at all times. Not just in front of you, but off to the sides, behind you, or in other lanes.
I think this is a biggie. All of us will inevitably not be paying attention at some point in our driving lifetime. However, if everyone on the road is working under the assumption that everyone else is not paying attention, then the chances are that when one of us isn’t paying attention, those around us will save us from ourselves, and we will return the favour later.
Patience.
Knowing the Right-of-Way.
Patience.
Using the turn signal.
Patience.
Use the cruise control.
Patience.
I noticed that, as a bad driver, I got a lot fewer speeding tickets than I should of.
The average drivers all speed where it is safe to do so, and get booked in droves. The bad drivers speed where nobody is expecting it, and there aren’t any speed traps.
I’ve heard it as “80% of drivers rate themselves above-average”. The interesting part? They’re all correct.
It’s just that they use different metrics. Some might say they’re above-average because they’re cautious drivers, others because they’re courteous, others because they can drive well in bad weather conditions, and so on.
That’s more about being an above average passenger … :eek:
Exactly, I’d want to know what standard we’re using here. As someone who’s been issued an obscene amount of speeding tickets, I’d object to that being used as a metric. After all, I’m just supporting local police departments, which are in desperate need of cash.
Am I an unsafe driver because I drive fast? Well, I’ve never been in an accident, yet alone caused one, in 20 years of driving. Accidents seem too rare and random to use as a useful metric. My mom has never caused an accident, but she drives slow and is frankly scary sometimes because she’s pretty clueless. I think people would be foolish to prefer her driving over mine from a safety perspective, even though I’m sure I’d be going much faster the whole time.
I think the only fair way to determine who’s an above average driver is lap times. 
Wait a minute. Are you sure that those drivers above the mean (median, mode, whatever) are accident or ticket free?
Reflexes are nice, but vigilance and awareness are far more important. A safety-first attitude and a level temperament are also very important. In my anecdotal experience, a significant number of avoidable accidents are caused by drivers who are either rushing or angry.
80% could be above average because the lower 20% are such bad drivers.
Focus, awareness, defensive driving, common sense. Assuming you are capable of handling a car at all there isn’t much more to it.