Ok, so not all drivers of automatic transmission cars are dummies but it can be argued that those who choose to drive a manual transmission are not so much “smarter” but certainly more attentive while behind the wheel.

The advent of the automatic transmission opened the door to a greater number of drivers on the road. It allowed people who didn’t have the skill or wherewithal, to drive cars with manual transmissions. A car with manually tranny connects the driver to the vehicle and they become one. The driver is now intimately connected to the vehicle and all that is going on with it. Automatic transmissions, allow drivers to become further complacent about the task of driving because it so much easier. Less attention to the road is required. Automatic transmissions have been readily available in North America since the 1950’s and are without a doubt easier to drive. Select “Drive” and go. Interestingly enough though, 80% of all European drivers opt for a manual transmission and their driving skills are considered to be higher than drivers in North America.

Several years ago, I took on the task of teaching (my then wife) how to drive my manual transmission BMW. Like all those who first learn the skills involved, she was pretty jerky at first had her fair share of stalling at various stops. “What’s that smell?” she asked at one point, to which I replied “My clutch! Now stop it!” but overall, she picked it up pretty quickly.

One day while returning from a wedding from the previous night, I found that I was far too hung-over to drive. I pulled off the highway and told her to take the wheel. Although, she was still learning and uncertain of her skills, it was a wiser choice than me continuing to drive in my hung-over, sleep deprived condition. As we came off the highway and came to a stop at a busy intersection, her panic kicked in not wanting to stall at the light, frustrate other drivers with her inexperience or further damage my clutch. “What do I do?” to which I replied, “Deal with it! You’re the driver…figure it out”.

What was interesting is that she admitted that she had to “think ahead” more and look further down the road to observe more of her surroundings. She had to anticipate and mentally process more information. Hmmm…did she just become a more attentive driver? Yes. Her situational awareness while driving improved drastically.

No longer could she just hit the brakes and slow down without further thought. Doing so would mean she would be in too high a gear for her much slower speed leaving the engine chugging and at the point of stalling when she tried to accelerate again. She also found that she could no longer be complacent when rolling away from a stop while on an incline. She checked her mirrors far more often to check if a car was behind her, for fear of rolling back into them.

Over time, her skills improved and she became smoother and more aware of what was going on around her. Now – many years later – she drives an AUDI with a manual transmission and she’s a better driver because of skills that she had to master.