General Aviation is quite safe, still largely due to the see-and-be-seen principle. Recent technology advances aid that mandate, but we still should see traffic to avoid it. Let’s take a survey: Raise your hand if you have some kind of electronic traffic display in your aircraft, either certified or portable. Hmmm… With an informal count, it seems most of you out there do indeed have electronic aids.
Now, do you look outside for traffic or do you spend most of your time looking for nearby targets on that display? I would posit that looking outside should be your first line of defense. Sure, the display can help you keep track of traffic you can’t spot visually and even help you initially acquire the traffic visually, but avoiding traffic is still best done visually as there can be a slight delay in electronic traffic presentations.
